The Roakemba, guardians of a living heritage
Roakemba are the Antandroy women. In Ambondro, in the village of Terakabo, they weave wild cotton as their mothers and grandmothers did before them. Without them, Ain'Ampela would not exist.
An encounter
It all began in the South, between Ambovombe and Tôlanaro. There, Aina Luciana met the weavers of Ambondro and discovered the lamba firaka, a fabric few people know outside Androy. She saw in it an exceptional material, and behind it, women of rare strength.
From that encounter came a collaboration, then a first collection that bears their name.
Their craft
The weavers spin the wild cotton and then weave it by hand on traditional looms. This gesture is passed down from generation to generation, from woman to woman, in a landscape of raketa cacti and sisal. Weaving supports their families.
Their daily life, our inspiration
Day to day, Antandroy women today wear affordable second-hand clothes paired with the lambahoany: simple, practical garments suited to work and to the rhythm of the village. This spontaneous mix of second-hand and heritage inspired our city outfits. Our evening dresses, for their part, reinterpret the traditional attire of the great festivities.
The Association Mpanenona d'Androy
The weavers who partner with Ain'Ampela are grouped within the Association Mpanenona d'Androy.
“This trophy is for our whole community, and especially for these women weavers of the South, whose craft and resilience inspire us every day.”