The Zarabe: Madagascar's Muslim Slave Descendants

In this episode of The Story of Madagascar, Lucas and Luna explore the history of the Zarabe, a community of Muslim slave descendants on the island's east coast. Unlike the Antaimoro or Antalaotra, who arrived as traders and scribes, the Zarabe trace their roots to African slaves brought from the Swahili coast and Mozambique during the 18th and 19th centuries. They were settled in villages around Vohipeno and Manakara, where they maintained Islamic practices while speaking Malagasy. The episode covers their distinct identity under the Merina kingdom, their role in the slave trade, and how they were often caught between coastal polities and the expanding Merina state. We also discuss the legacy of the Zarabe today, their cultural preservation, and the ongoing debate about their origins—some scholars argue they descend from free Muslim merchants rather than slaves. Through this lens, we examine Madagascar's complex relationship with Islam, slavery, and ethnicity. #Zarabe #Madagascar #Slavery #Islam #SwahiliCoast #Mozambique #Vohipeno #Manakara #MerinaKingdom #SlaveTrade #Antaimoro #Antalaotra #AfricanDiaspora #MuslimSlaves #18thCentury #19thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #Austeronesia #IndianOcean Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo