view ▁is ▁sh aped ▁by ▁values ▁that ▁emphas ize ▁f ih avan ana ▁( sol id ar ity ), ▁v int ana ▁( dest iny ), ▁to dy ▁( kar ma ), ▁and ▁has ina , ▁a ▁sacred ▁life ▁force ▁that ▁traditional ▁communities ▁believe ▁im b ues ▁and ▁thereby ▁legit im ates ▁authority ▁figures ▁within ▁the ▁community ▁or ▁family . ▁Other ▁cultural ▁elements ▁commonly ▁found ▁throughout ▁the ▁island ▁include ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁male ▁circum c ision ; ▁strong ▁kin ship ▁t ies ; ▁a ▁w ides p read ▁belief ▁in ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁magic , ▁div in ers , ▁ast ro log y ▁and ▁w itch ▁do ctors ; ▁and ▁a ▁traditional ▁division ▁of ▁social ▁classes ▁into ▁nobles , ▁common ers , ▁and ▁slaves . ▁ ▁Although ▁social ▁cast es ▁are ▁no ▁longer ▁leg ally ▁recognized , ▁ancest ral ▁cas te ▁affili ation ▁often ▁continues ▁to ▁affect ▁social ▁status , ▁economic ▁opportunity , ▁and ▁roles ▁within ▁the ▁community . ▁Mal ag asy ▁people ▁tradition ally ▁consult ▁M pan andro ▁(" M akers ▁of ▁the ▁Days ") ▁to ▁identify ▁the ▁most ▁aus p icious ▁days ▁for ▁important ▁events ▁such ▁as ▁wed d ings ▁or ▁fam ad ih ana , ▁according ▁to ▁a ▁traditional ▁ast ro log ical ▁system ▁introduced ▁by ▁Arab s . ▁Similarly , ▁the ▁nobles ▁of ▁many ▁Mal ag asy ▁communities ▁in ▁the ▁pre - colon ial ▁period ▁would ▁commonly ▁employ ▁advis ers ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁om b ias y ▁( from ▁ol ona - be - has ina , ▁" man