Andriana

Historically, many Malagasy ethnic groups lived in highly stratified caste-based social orders in which the Andriana were the highest strata.

The use of the word "Andriana" to denote nobility occurs among numerous other Malagasy ethnic groups such as the Betsileo, the Betsimisaraka, the Tsimihety, the Bezanozano, the Antambahoaka, and the Antemoro.

Linguistic evidence suggests its origin is traceable back to an ancient Javanese nobility title, although alternate theories have been proposed.

In Malagasy, the term became Rohandryan and later Roandriana, mainly used in the Southeastern part of the island among the Zafiraminia, Antemoro, and Antambahoaka ethnic groups.

Following the end of the monarchy in Imerina, many parents have chosen to give their children names that include the "Andriana" prefix, despite lacking any family connection to the former aristocracy.

[10][15] The term Hova originally applied to all members of the Merina people who arrived in the central highlands around the 15th century and absorbed the existing population of Vazimba.

This class was subdivided into four groups by his son, the King Ralambo[21] (1575–1600): The descendants of these three princes (Andriantompokoindrindra, Andrianamboninolona and Andriandranando) were called Andrianteloray.

The caste was further divided into six groups by Ralambo's great-great-grandson King Andriamasinavalona[22] (1675–1710), based on locality and genealogical proximity to the ruling family.

In rank order, these groups were:[23][24] The Andriana caste was originally the source of nobility, and specialized in the rituals and warrior occupations in the Merina society.

In the 19th century, when Merina conquered the other kingdoms and ruled most of the island, a much larger army was needed; soldiers in this time were drawn from the Hova caste as well.

The populace under the rule of an Andriana lord owed him, as well as the king, a certain amount of free labor each year (fanompoana) for public works such as the construction of dikes, rice paddies, roads and town walls.

[28] The valiha featured heavily in the music of the Merina royal court performed at palaces such as Ambohimanga or the Rova at Antananarivo.

According to the colonial era missionary William Ellis's memoir of 1838, an Andriana in the Malagasy society was prohibited from marrying a Hova or an Andevo.

[30] The exception, stated Ellis, was the unmarried Queen, who could marry anyone from any strata including the Hova, and her children were deemed to be royal.

[citation needed] In 2011, the Council of Kings and Princes of Madagascar promoted the revival of a Christian Andriana monarchy that would blend modernity and tradition.