The “Soavolo” festival has highlighted the riches of the Mahafaly people across three communes in Ampanihy-Ouest, including Ejeda, which is advocating for its administrative autonomy.
“Let’s progress.” This is the motto driving the “Soavolo” festival, held over three days in three communes of the Ampanihy district. The rural commune of Fotadrevo kicked off the event, named after a breed of zebu typical of the “Mahafaly” territory, the ethnic group of this part of the Atsimo Andrefana region. A grand show marked the opening, featuring notable performances by local artists.
On October 10, the festivities moved to the rural commune of Ejeda. This commune is seeking to become an autonomous district and showcased its full potential. “Economic riches such as zebus, sweet potatoes, and especially cassava were displayed in the stands, alongside the cultural heritage of the Mahafaly ethnic group,” explained Evaza, a local resident.
Communal services, including health and education, were also represented. The goal was to demonstrate that the commune meets the administrative and territorial conditions to evolve into a district. Speeches were prepared for a public plea to the President of the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, who was expected in Ejeda but was delayed at the last minute.
The commune of Ampanihy-Ouest concluded the festival, which was organized by the local deputy, Marco Tsaradia, who also serves as Vice-President of the National Assembly for the former Toliara province. This year’s festival featured local artists such as Kakajoh, Zezex, Loss Belia, and Anicette.
“This year, the festival is grander as it spans three major communes. We featured cultural events, including traditional ‘ringa’ wrestling, to show that this district possesses significant economic and cultural wealth deserving of national attention,” the deputy explained. However, a notable absence was the lack of participation from mining operators, despite the district’s abundance of gold, graphite, and precious stones.
Captured & Published at: 2026-10-13 06:08:45 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/10/atsimo-andrefana-les-realites-mahafaly.html