The Weight of the Past: Living with History in Mahajanga, Madagascar

Abstract

PART I: A POIESIS OF HISTORY Bearing Sakalava History: A Glossary of Some Key Terms Into the Maze: Surface and Centre, Place, Person, and Potency The Sakalava Poiesis of History: Realizing the Past through Spirit Possession PART II: STRUCTURAL REMAINS: CONTEMPORARY DIVISIONS OF HISTORICAL LABOR Mechanical Division: Structure and History in the Northwest The Legacy of Lord Diviner, Ndramisara: Organic Division, Kindedness, and Sakalava Subjects Personal Particularism, Mediumship, and Distributive Memory PART III: SERVING THE ANCESTORS Popular Performances: Paying Homage and Gaining Respect The Great Service (Fanompoa Be) PART IV: PRACTICING HISTORY Kassim's Burden: The Practice of an Exemplary Spirit Medium Answering to History: Conflict, Conscience, and Change The Play of the Past: Historicity in Daily Life Conclusion: Imagined Continuities