| Excerpts |
| 7 | 2002
2 | Ambondrombe is an historical site on the border between Betsileo and Tanala lands, towards the southern end of the Malagasy eastern escarpment between Ranomafana and Andringitra National Parks. The site is sacred for local communities and still relatively intact. Dense tropical forests cover its flanks, giving way to rare cloud forests at the summit. At lower elevation, the undulating savannah gives way to the manicured farms of irrigated rice, tobacco, maize, potato, and fruit trees of the local tribe, the Betsileo. In the last century, the Ambondrombe Mountain and surrounding lands were also inhabited by several generations of Betsileo royal families. They called some Merina people, who brought in their handicraft and agricultural skills. The Merina's cultural influence was absorbed by local people and its impact are still evident today in local architecture, handicrafts, legend, folklore and taboos |
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