The association of vakodrazana troupes is organizing its first major festival, ‘Vaky Sehatra’, at Havoria Anosy, to promote traditional Malagasy expressions and bring different troupes together.
On Sunday, September 27, starting at 2 p.m., Havoria Anosy will host ‘Vaky Sehatra’, the first major celebration organized by the Vovonambe of vakodrazana troupes. Created in March 2026, the association brings together various groups with a clear ambition: to give more visibility to vakodrazana, connect its practitioners across Madagascar, and pass on this heritage to new generations.
Traditional dances, particularly those from Antananarivo, will be at the heart of this first edition. Fifteen groups and artists from different regions are expected, including formations from Alaotra-Mangoro. The Vovonambe aims to gather troupes representing the diversity of vakodrazana, with participants from Atsiranana, Haute Matsiatra, and Amoron’i Mania. Sound, lighting, decoration, and special effects will be carefully prepared to enhance the performance. According to the organizers, ‘Vaky Sehatra will allow the public to discover or rediscover the diversity of vakodrazana expressions’.
Chaired by Voahangy Raheliarisoa, the Vovonambe currently has about twenty members. The association is registered with the OFNAC and has legal recognition. Its creation addresses the need to better identify artists practicing vakodrazana, as their exact number remains difficult to determine.
The Vovonambe already brings together several troupes and actors of vakodrazana, including Rakoto Frah Junior, Akon’ny Diary, Raozin’i Gasikara, and Jean David Rabemananjara, alongside many others from various regions. The association aims to establish a national registry of artists and troupes and contribute to a national database to help the Department of Culture better understand existing cultural actors.
The initiative also focuses on transmission. The members state: ‘We wish to intervene in schools, with the agreement of the authorities, to introduce students to the various forms of our country’s traditional culture.’ For the organizers, vakodrazana can evolve in its presentation without losing its identity, with the primary goal of teaching the younger generation about its origins.
Other events are being planned, with the long-term ambition of establishing a larger festival dedicated to vakodrazana. ‘Vaky Sehatra’ serves as a first step to unite troupes and increase the visibility of their practices, demonstrating that this heritage remains vibrant and continues to captivate the public.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-26 06:23:45 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/musique-le-vaky-sehatra-lhonneur.html