Madagascar: Kabary Oratory Circle to Launch Shifts

Kabary Oratory Circle to Launch Shifts, Madagascar

Context

Kabary, a widely practiced Malagasy oratorical art, features prominently in many public ceremonies and everyday speech, though usage varies by region, occasion, language, and generation. The island’s signature oratorical art, Kabary, is a highly structured public speech laced with metaphor and proverbs (ohabolana). Once the domain of rulers and community leaders, Kabary now appears across public life and family ceremonies, from inaugurations to funerals, and is increasingly practised by women and younger speakers. In 2021 UNESCO inscribed “Malagasy Kabary, the Malagasy oratorical art” on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, noting its function in “strengthening relationships between groups and communities” and creating a shared atmosphere of cohesion. * *

The form is not improvisation. A Kabary sequence typically opens with ritualised apologies (ala-tsiny) and a formal preamble (ala sarona), proceeds through a carefully crafted message rich in ohabolana, and often unfolds as a dialogue between two orators (mpikabary). This coded structure is why it is taught in universities and associations, and why it adapts well to professional settings that value respect, turn‑taking, and consensus. * *

Meet the Company/Cultural Tradition

Kabary’s contemporary organisation revolves around training and transmission. The national association FIMPIMA (Fikambanan’ny Mpikabary Malagasy), founded in the 1960s, runs courses and public “loabary an-dasy” oratory forums; its network spans Madagascar and a broad diaspora. In the last academic year, FIMPIMA reported 2,505 apprentice‑orators trained across 259 centres in 16 countries: evidence that Kabary is not a fragile remnant but a living practice scaling in modern life. * * *

Universities also carry the torch. The University of Antananarivo offers Kabary training, with weekly beginner sessions and monthly “takalo” exchange workshops with master speakers, teaching etiquette, the role of the two‑orator format, and how to adapt Kabary to modern occasions like inaugurations and emceeing. *

Since 2022, Madagascar’s Ministry of Tourism and Handicrafts has gone further by supporting Kabary training for professionals, including guides and operators, and workplace use should be scheduled on paid time in coordination with HR, Legal, and any Works Council to respect overtime and break rules and to avoid peak customer windows. The fourth cohort ran in March 2024, signalling a sustained, sector‑wide adoption. * In parallel, several large urban employers host recurring public‑speaking clubs as a staff ritual, as Toastmasters groups now meet inside Airtel Madagascar, AXIAN’s headquarters, BNI Madagascar and Catholic Relief Services, illustrating that oratory habits exist in some corporate settings without implying a national norm. * * * *

Taken together, these strands set the stage for a workplace ritual rooted in Malagasy practice—the Kabary Circle—while recognising that regional traditions differ and that some practitioners support adaptation whereas others object to shortening or corporate use.

The Ritual

Phase	What happens	Who participates	Purpose
0–2 min	Opening preamble: the facilitator lifts a simple “hazolava” (baton of speech) and offers brief apologies (ala-tsiny) and respectful greetings	Rotating facilitator (any team member)	Signals a formal yet warm micro‑ceremony; everyone’s attention gathers
2–5 min	Two‑orator setup: today’s paired speakers announce a shared theme (service value, safety, or guest welcome)	Two volunteers (the day’s “mpikabary”)	Practises Kabary’s dialogic structure; flattens hierarchy by pairing roles
5–10 min	Proverb exchange (ohabolana takalo): each orator advances the theme with one proverb and a concrete workplace link; brief call‑and‑response from the circle	All, with the baton passing hand‑to‑hand	Translates cultural wisdom into action; builds shared language
10–13 min	Commitment line: 3–4 teammates step into the circle and state a one‑sentence intention for the shift in Kabary style	Volunteers from different functions	Public commitment elevates accountability and pride
13–15 min	Closing formula and thanks; baton returns to facilitator; quick clap	Whole team	Marks closure; transitions to work with a unifying cue

Notes: a neutral speaking token is optional and may be used purely as a turn‑taking cue, and it should not be presented as a traditional Kabary object. Sessions stay short and non‑religious, focusing on respect formulas and proverbs relevant to work. * * *

Why It Works

Kabary Circles convert a deep national practice into an everyday bonding mechanism. UNESCO’s inscription highlights Kabary’s role in “strengthening relationships” and building a shared atmosphere, which is consistent with mechanisms that can matter for cross‑functional teams, such as structured turn‑taking that supports coordination and smoother handoffs. The dialogue format (two orators, then open responses) can distribute voice and may support psychological safety if facilitated well, with status cues softening when everyone is invited to contribute a proverb‑anchored insight. *

The ritual’s codified etiquette, including apologies, greetings, and precise turn‑taking, models respect without stiffness. Because it is delivered in Malagasy and grounded in ohabolana, the Circle also nourishes identity at work: teams reconnect to values like solidarity (fihavanana) using language that employees’ families recognise. That resonance is why universities teach Kabary technique and why associations like FIMPIMA scale training; the same properties make it a durable, repeatable workplace practice. * * *

Outcomes & Impact

Since 2022, cohorts of guides and operators have been trained to integrate Kabary into visitor experiences, and when used in workplaces it should remain secular, avoid sacred or ceremonial formulas, provide clear credit to Malagasy practitioners, and ensure fair compensation when performed for clients or visitors. The fourth intake convened in March 2024 at the Ministry of Tourism, confirming continuity beyond a one-off pilot. *

FIMPIMA’s network trained 2,505 apprentice orators in the last academic year across 259 centres and 16 countries, supplying a steady stream of employees who can lead a Circle with confidence. That scale lowers barriers for employers who want an authentic ritual but lack in-house experts. *

A practical way to test the mechanism is to track a simple chain—coordination and synchrony leading to smoother handoffs—by measuring handoff defects per shift alongside a brief voluntary pulse on belonging or psychological safety. Teams that share proverbs and make voluntary commitments often report feeling more aligned and energised at the start of their shifts. The rise of workplace public-speaking clubs at Airtel Madagascar, AXIAN and BNI Madagascar underscores how oratory practice is already linked to employee development and belonging. * * * *

Lessons for Global Team Leaders

Principle	Why it matters	How to translate
Codify respect	Ritual greetings and turn‑taking lower friction	Open with a consistent micro‑preamble and hand a “baton of speech”
Pair the voices	Two‑orator setup balances airtime and models dialogue	Rotate pairs across functions weekly
Anchor in proverbs	Short, vivid lines make values memorable	Invite each Circle to surface one local proverb and a concrete action
Keep it brief	Energy rises when time‑boxed	Cap the Circle at 15 minutes; close with a shared cue
Build capability	Skills multiply when training is accessible	Tap local associations or universities for short courses and demos

Implementation Playbook

Pilot with two to four teams for six to eight weeks at a cadence of two to three sessions per week with groups of no more than twelve, set success thresholds such as at least 70% voluntary participation and a 0.3‑point improvement on a five‑point belonging pulse with a 15% reduction in handoff defects, and stop the pilot if any safety incident occurs, opt‑in falls below 40%, or the safety pulse turns negative, then partner locally to refine. Invite a FIMPIMA trainer or university Kabary instructor for a one‑hour paid demo, designate accountable owners for facilitation, communications, and data, estimate cost as 15 minutes of paid time per participant at the loaded rate plus modest trainer and materials fees, and offer an MVP 10‑minute variant without an external trainer and with an optional token to reduce cost by roughly one‑third. * *
Publish a one‑page communication covering purpose and strategic link, voluntary participation and opt‑out, time and place and norms, how anonymous feedback will be used and retained, and cultural credit for Malagasy partners, and then name the ritual. Use names like “Kabary Circle” or “Ohabolana 15” in Malagasy‑led teams, and in non‑Malagasy or international teams adapt the form as a “Proverb Circle,” crediting Kabary and Malagasy sources and avoiding use of Kabary labels or symbols without Malagasy leadership.
Use a one‑page run sheet that scripts a brief apology and greeting, two‑orator exchange, voluntary commitment round, and timed close, specifies group size of 6–18 with large crews split, offers in‑person or remote options with captioning or sign language interpretation where relevant, and ends with a two‑minute debrief prompt. A two‑line apology and greeting, then pass a simple baton or token to cue speaking turns. *
Form pairs. Publish a rota of two orators per week; brief them to pick one proverb and tie it to a current goal. *
Practise the “takalo.” Once a month, run an extended exchange round (10–12 minutes) mirroring university practice, where colleagues volley proverbs and examples. *
Close with commitment. Invite 3–4 teammates to offer a one‑sentence voluntary pledge for the shift with no linkage to performance evaluation, and provide alternatives such as remaining seated, using a visual token on a stand, or submitting a written or chat message instead of speaking.
Refresh quarterly. Use minimal, anonymous pulse measures such as two or three items on belonging or psychological safety, do not record speeches, retain only aggregated data for up to 90 days with Legal and HR reviewing all communications and surveys, and invite an external mpikabary for feedback while rotating in new proverbs and themes.

Common Pitfalls

Over‑length. Letting speeches sprawl turns ritual into meeting. Keep it crisp.
Exclusion by formality. Make participation voluntary with a socially safe opt‑out, provide seated or virtual options and chat‑based or written contributions with Malagasy, French, or English as needed, provide an asynchronous alternative for night or remote teams, avoid archaic or religious references and any alcohol or dietary elements, and focus on work‑safe themes and inclusive language.
One‑way monologues. Without the two‑orator structure and exchange, the circle loses its dialogic power.
Cultural tokenism. Credit and fairly compensate Malagasy practitioners such as FIMPIMA or university instructors, avoid sacred or ceremonial registers like weddings and funerals, do not export Kabary outside Malagasy‑led contexts without local co‑leadership, and document permission and trainer acknowledgments in materials.

Reflection & Call to Action

Madagascar offers a reminder: the words we choose can strengthen team cohesion as effectively as many conventional team‑building activities. A Kabary Circle is not a meeting; it is a mini‑ceremony that makes values speakable and shared. If your team works in Madagascar, or with Malagasy colleagues, begin next week with a five‑minute preamble, one proverb, and two voices in dialogue. Keep it short, use a neutral speaking token or simple hand‑raise if helpful, and listen for the moment when smiles ripple around the circle. That’s cohesion taking root in the local language of respect.

Start where you are. Borrow one ohabolana. Let it steer the day.