Feb 19 2025
In the southern highlands of Madagascar, the Antemoro people carry on a long tradition of creating paper from the bark of Dais glaucescens and some Gnidia species, known locally as Avoha in Malagasy (Rogers, 2009). Over the course of several days, the bark is stripped, cut, and boiled, before being beaten with a wooden mallet to form a thick pulp. The pulp is then strained and spread in a thin layer of water across wooden frames and then left to dry in the sun, often with a flower pressed into the page (Sipa, s.d.). The texture and durability of Gnidia species’ bark fibers make it ideal not only for paper-making, but also for traditional ceremonial clothing and rope, which can be seen noted on one of the included herbarium specimen labels.
As early as the 15th century, the Antemoro people used this paper to transcribe magical and astrological knowledge in Sorabé, an Arabic script that had been adapted to the Malagasy language. Several manuscripts of such writings have been preserved and offer a valuable glimpse into the traditional practices of the Antemoro people and the history of the language itself (Adelaar, 2018). Today, the production of Antemoro paper serves as an important source of livelihood for the local communities in the area and a form of cultural preservation.
