The Sakalava train people of Madagascar occupying the major part of the Western coastal fringe of the island, since the area of Toliara in the south until in the area of the Sambirano in north. In fact, the Sakalava do not constitute really homogeneous people but a whole of various ethnos groups having belonged to an old empire appeared in second half of the 17th century.

According to the traditions, the founders of the kingdom sakalava were the princes Maroseraña or maroseranana (those having of many ports) of the area of Fiherenana, current Toliara. The latter would be themselves resulting from the clans Zafiraminia of the south-east of the island that much regards as Blancs , perhaps of Arab origin . Always it is that in contact with treating European of which they obtain weapons, exchanges some above all the slaves, they quickly subject the other princes of the vicinity, to start with those of the south, in zone Mahafaly. The true founder of the power sakalava was Andriamisara whose son, Andriandahifotsy (“the white Prince”) extends then the authority towards north until - beyond Mangoky. In their turn, the two successors of this last, Andriamanetiarivo and Andriamandisoarivo continue their conquest until in the area of Tsongay, current Mahajanga. As of however this time, the unit of the empire breaks, with a kingdom of the south or Menabe is opposed the Boina north. Thereafter, the parcelling out still continues, in spite of an extension of the power of the princes of Boina until in extreme north, in country Antankarana.

Its formation process thus makes it possible to explain the great diversity of the world sakalava of which the various parts continue everywhere to perpetuate the characteristics of origin of each area, that it is from the cultural or linguistic point of view. From this last point of view, the only true factor which unifies the different ones “dialects” sakalava is their common membership to the sub-group Western of the languages of Madagascar, distinguishing them from the languages of the center and the Eastern littoral.

The origin even of the name sakalava , thus besides that its true significance, is the subject still of controversy. Thus, the traditions Merina give a report on multiple harassing of bands sakalava against their villages as of the XVIIe century and during all the 18th century, but without one being able to make sure that these last had a direct relationship with the inhabitants of the kingdoms of the coast. In fact, it would seem especially that in this case, this term was used as generic name to designate all the populations nomadisant in the territories little inhabited between the country merina and the Western littoral of the island.

See too