Presentation of the book "Rituel et société à Madagascar. The Antemoro of the southeast coast" by Philippe Beaujard

Presentation of the book

Ritual and society in Madagascar. Les Antemoro de la côte sud-est, written by Philippe Beaujard (Maisonneuve & Larose - Hémisphères éditions, August 2020).

In northern Madagascar, cosmopolitan ports welcoming migrants from various regions of the Indian Ocean developed from the 10th century onwards. In the 15th century, Muslims from the northeast settled at the mouth of the Matatàna River in the island's southeast. At the beginning of the 16th century, they formed an aristocracy in the "antemoro" kingdom, the first state founded on the Big Island, which disappeared in the 19th century following revolts by commoners.

From a religious point of view, the antemoro developed a "pseudo-caste" society unique to Madagascar. This society is characterized by the separation of political and religious powers, and by the existence of a group of outcasts. The aristocrats use Arabic script and magico-religious manuscripts, which were once the basis of their pre-eminence. A comparative study of ceremonies observed at the end of the 20th century reveals the unity of the great rituals, which form a system, inscribed in analogical thought.

The author shows the universality of ritual devices at the same time as their cultural particularities, and develops a general reflection on sacred royalty. Through an "archaeology" of ritual, P. Beaujard also sets out to understand the influences at work in the construction of the Antemoro politico-religious edifice. Coming from Southeast Asia, the Muslim world and East Africa, they bear witness to Madagascar's singular place at the confluence of various Indian Ocean exchange networks at different times.

After Princes et paysans (1983) and Mythe et société à Madagascar (1991), this book is the latest in a trilogy that aims to shed light on the relationships between myths, rituals and political organization.

Philippe Beaujard is an anthropologist and historian, director of research emeritus at the CNRS. He is the author of numerous works on Madagascar and the Indian Ocean, including Les Mondes de l'océan Indien (2012) and Histoire et voyages des plantes cultivées à Madagascar avant le XVIe siècle (2017).