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Nov 23, 2006
Indigenous Sexuality, Madagascar
The Malagasi people of Madagascar have the same problems with sexual health as most colonised peoples. Unfortunately, the colonial solutions to this involve promoting non-indigenous constructs of sexuality, which carry damaging baggage. (Read more about this kind of colonial sexual baggage in my article about contemporary indigenous homosexuality in Australia.)
The error of this assumption is immediately apparent when you read Zoly Harilala Rakotoniera's writings about traditional Malagasi sexual practices, which are clearly not as male-centred as contemporary colonial practices.
- Man should drink herbal tea such as katrafay, basy, handy, vahatramalona
Man should take a bath with katrafay and massage their muscle to get rid of fatigue
Woman should wash themselves with katrafay or vaho so that her vagina tightensIt is common for women to drink taritarike so as to remain sexually aroused for a long time.
Sex is something one can and should talk about because it is important for oneself and for the community.Talking about sex helps one to know more about it, and therefore to avoid inconveniences related to it, and to enjoy it more.
Putting emphasis on the fact that sex means pleasure and well-being. Sexual pleasure and well-being should come naturally, but if it’s not the case, there are other methods to increase sexual pleasure that everyone can use.
The sexual act involves two persons, not only the man.Women should not be reduced to sexual passivity. They should not contend themselves with giving pleasure to their partner, but can and should also take care of their own pleasure through different means.
Finally, sexuality is something one can control, one just needs to know how to.
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