The performance is a combination of a very interesting presentation and a musical act. It concludes with the crowd actively participating in the event. In the lecture I tell short, yet interesting stories from my own experiences (‘Živa knjiga’ – ‘The Living Book’). Through these I convey basic characteristics and peculiarities of Madagascar, which can only be told by a person whose beloved homeland this island is. In the future I wish to add the ‘knowledge of words’ or hain teny to my ‘word’ part of presentation. It is also known as wisdom, morals of ancestors.
Traditionally, 2 parties ‘compete’ in hain teny. A subject matter is selected (usually romantic), which includes a riddle. The opposing party has not only to solve the riddle, but also develop and continue the wordplay. Then the parties exchange arguments and subtle wordplays as they create art. Thus, an exchange of words is started between the parties and with it their creation.
A most important fact of hain teny is that traditionally people identify with natural elements or animals. Therefore, hain teny are represented with names of animals (such as birds) and plants, which serve as metaphors for human behaviour. This practice also includes traditional proverbs, sayings and phrases. Commonly, hain teny is concluded with an educational moral, the moral of ancestors.
A didactic character is immensely common. In a traditional community, hain teny had a very important social role. Not only did it pass on the poetic expression, but it also allowed every individual to create and adapt their own, new and unique hain teny.
The reading and comprehending of hain teny is generally hard. The meaning is hidden if the reader isn’t well versed and doesn’t know the proverbs, folk practices, etc. Words with several meanings are one of the foundational elements of hain teny. One must be able to decipher meaning through double reading and find literal and symbolic meaning behind the words. That is the schematic nature of hain teny. We could classify hain teny as elaborate riddles.