Madagascar: Sakalava celebrate fitampoha with King Toera’s skull
The Sakalava people are holding the fitampoha in Madagascar this week, a ritual bathing ceremony for royal relics. The 2026 edition marks the return of King Toera’s skull among these relics, 128 years after its absence.
The Sakalava people are celebrating the fitampoha in Madagascar this week, a ceremony dedicated to the ritual bathing of royal relics. The 2026 edition is particularly significant due to the presence of King Toera’s skull, which has returned to join these ritual objects.
According to RFI, this is the first time in 128 years that the relic has taken part in the annual bathing ceremony. King Toera’s skull was returned by France last year.
A ceremony rooted in the country’s west
The Sakalava are among Madagascar’s largest ethnic groups. They are based in the west of the island, a region where they long exercised authority through several kingdoms.
The return of the royal relic gives this year’s fitampoha an exceptional dimension, once again bringing together King Toera’s skull with the other relics involved in the ritual.
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