Background Information

The Bara tribe live in the grasslands of south-central Madagascar, Africa, and are believed to have arrived to the island around 1500-2100 years ago. They are traditionally cattle people, but recently this has been changing due to the discovery of sapphires near the area. When it comes to religion, they believe in a god who is distant and rely on their ancestors for guidance and blessing. Their complex system of rituals, taboos, and practices play a key role in their everyday lifestyle. Although their culture revolves heavily around cattle, the risk of Bara people keeping cattle is very high due to the unrest caused by cattle thieves in the region. Because of this, the Bara are transitioning more towards farming.

The Bara of Madagascar. Electronic document,
http://prayafrica.org/bara/, accessed May 31, 2015