Zafimaniry: these houses hold without nails

One nail is missing, then all the others: in traditional zafimaniry architecture, the rooms of the houses fit together in tenons and mortises. This community in the mountains of south-eastern Madagascar has a knowledge of wood that combines construction, choice of species and decoration. The precision of the assembly replaces the metal fasteners.

The carved surfaces add a second reading. Geometric motifs carry social meanings: the spider web can evoke family ties, the honeycomb the collective life. Doors, windows and everyday objects thus become mediums of expression. A shared repertoire does not prevent each craftsman from developing his own variations and his way of composing.

UNESCO recognized this body of knowledge in 2008, after a proclamation in 2003. Its notice also highlights deforestation and economic adaptations, including the sale of decorative objects. The work is therefore not limited to preserving old houses: it depends on available trees, transmitted gestures and the possibilities of living from his job.