Sacred wood of Madagascar's Zafimaniry

　　The Zafimaniry of Madagascar do more than sculpt wood. They inscribe their entire cosmogony on this sacred material. In 2003, UNESCO proclaimed their tradition a masterpiece of oral and intangible heritage.

　　Deep in the heart of the Tanala forest in southeast Madagascar, Antoetra lives in drizzle and fog for much of the year. The village has no particular charm. Yet the region's inhabitants are willing to walk for as long as four hours to get to its weekly market.

　　Once there, throngs of kids guide the visitor around the houses and workshops where the famous sculpted rosewood chairs are sold, and also stools, honey pots and diverse sculpted chests, renowned as far away as Scandinavia and Japan.

　　Antoetra is the main gateway to Zafimaniry country, an area of 700 square kilometers encompassing about 100 villages, the most remote of which is a 10 hour hike away. This community of 25,000 is the last to practice woodcraft, previously widespread on the island.