ADVENT CALENDAR 2022

The fanazava wood Nativity, made of 10 figurines including the Holy Family, Wise Men, an angel, a shepherd, and two animals, is arranged on a green cloth in front of a model baobab tree. A backdrop image of scrubland and blue sky completes the scene. — Nativity made from fanazava wood in Antananarivo, Republic of Madagascar, in 2014. Glencairn Museum collection, Bryn Athyn, PA. To view a zoomable version of this Nativity on Google Arts & Culture, click on the image.

16. NATIVITY FROM MADAGASCAR

This Nativity has been carved from a wood with a light cream color called fanazava wood. It was purchased from a carver in the city of Antananarivo, in an open-air market that is famous for its many woodcarving workshops. Madagascar, the fourth-largest island in the world, is a nation off the southeastern coast of Africa. Formerly a French colony, the island gained independence in 1960. Approximately half of the Malagasy population practices indigenous beliefs, while most of the remaining population are Christian and Muslim.

Madagascar has a highly developed carving tradition with regional variations within the island. Especially notable are the carvings of the Zafimaniry people; in 2008 UNESCO included their “woodcrafting knowledge” on a list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity sites around the world.

Visit us at Follow the Star: A 2022 Advent Calendar.