As part of the traditional oral literature and poetry of Madagascar, there is a form of poetry called hainteny (pronounced hajn"tenj), characterized by its use of metaphorical expressions. It is most commonly associated with the Merina people of Madagascar.
Using metaphors and allusions, the poem resembles another type of literature, the Malay pantun. It is suggested that the Merina brought with them a Malayo-Polynesian poetic tradition with them when they arrived in Madagascar.
Whenever a Malagasy speaker makes an audience part of the presentation, it's called kabary which is a poeticized version of what the speaker says. Despite its complexity, it has been highly structured and consists of proverbs, maxims, rhetorical figures, and wordplay.
Community leaders used a style of speaking known as a ritualistic style of speech when they addressed the community about matters such as administration and social life. In the past, this style of speech was used by communities for a variety of purposes, including communication and social gatherings.
Thus, the violin became inseparable from social life in Madagascar and was used to celebrate various holidays and cultural festivals, as well as for official ceremonies and festivals. The purpose of this is to express values and thoughts that give meaning to material facts in a collective way.
It has been observed that in practice, malagasy kabary does take place as a conventional dialogue, which usually consists of, at least, two orators, or mpikabarys, discussing a point before a group of people. As a general rule, there can be a long procession, but in certain situations (such as during funerals, for example), a shorter procession is followed that would usually last around ten minutes.
While it is traditionally performed by older, more elite men, nowadays it is increasingly performed by women because one of the benefits of performing this kind of performance is that it contributes to family cohesion, particularly when performed at gatherings where all generations are present and are participating in the actions and performance.
There is a perception that it will enhance the relationships between groups and communities, by creating an atmosphere in which people will feel as though they are a part of something larger than themselves.