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Antaisaka or Antesaka literally means ''People of the valley''. The small tribe of Antaisaka constitues about 5.3% of the population of Madagascar. They are descendants of the western [[Sakalava]] tribe and live south of [[Farafangana]] on the southeast coast of the island. In the 19th century the Antaisaka were fearsome warriors.
The Antaisaka cultivate coffee, bananas banana and rice. Their houses are made of [[Ravinala]] and built on stilts. Often the houses have two doors. One door functions as a normal entrance. The second one is usually located on the east side and is only used for taking out corpses. The Antaisaka bury the their dead in cummunal burial houses ([[kibory]]) situated on slopes. Before the final funeral, the corpse has to dry out at a hidden place in the forest.
