FADY
by scott
Like most cultures, the Malagasay people who live in Andavadoaka believe certain things to be taboo – “fady”. What is considered to be fady varies from region to region and even from village to village. Many are similar to western beliefs and stem from customs in manners or hygiene, such as not pointing directly at people, not walking over someone or their possessions, not feeding animals off your plate, etc. Inevitably stories related to these beliefs develop over time and one day when we were told by Goff (pictured above) the following story about why the locals don’t eat mutton or lamb I thought he was pulling our leg. However that afternoon he backed it up in his lecture to all volunteers about the local customs and fady. It goes like this..
Many years ago a man and woman were getting married and they had organised a big wedding celebration and feast for many people. They had purchased a sheep and slaughtered it to feed their guests, so in the morning while everyone was getting dressed and ready the sheep was busy cooking. Before the ceremony the groom grew impatient and hungry so decided to sneak into the kitchen and eat some of the mutton. He cut off several large chunks of hot meat but before he could eat he heard the door opening – he was about to be sprung red-handed by his bride! Thinking quickly and not wanting to look like a glutton, the groom stuffed the meat under his hat and casually greeted his wife-to-be, who didn’t suspect a thing. Unfortunately this man was more willing to endure the pain of the scorching hot meat on his head than the embarrassment of owning up to his crime, and so he left the meat under his hat until it boiled his brain and he died.
So I suppose the moral of the story is that anyone foolish enough to eat sheep runs the risk of boiling their brain like this unfortunate fellow.
Many years ago a man and woman were getting married and they had organised a big wedding celebration and feast for many people. They had purchased a sheep and slaughtered it to feed their guests, so in the morning while everyone was getting dressed and ready the sheep was busy cooking. Before the ceremony the groom grew impatient and hungry so decided to sneak into the kitchen and eat some of the mutton. He cut off several large chunks of hot meat but before he could eat he heard the door opening – he was about to be sprung red-handed by his bride! Thinking quickly and not wanting to look like a glutton, the groom stuffed the meat under his hat and casually greeted his wife-to-be, who didn’t suspect a thing. Unfortunately this man was more willing to endure the pain of the scorching hot meat on his head than the embarrassment of owning up to his crime, and so he left the meat under his hat until it boiled his brain and he died.
So I suppose the moral of the story is that anyone foolish enough to eat sheep runs the risk of boiling their brain like this unfortunate fellow.