Overview

The Sakalava are one of the Malagasy ethnic groups of Madagascar. In this work, Michael Lambek starts from the basis of the mediumship and ritual which is the basis of an ancestral religious cult in Sakalava a cult that survives (controversially in some cases) alongside Christianity and Islam. These religious practices are more than mere religion. They are the site at which Sakalava historical memory, politics, and the economy are developed, generated, and extended. Ultimately, Lambek traces the concentric circles outward to provide a look at how subjectivity, the citizen, and a sense of identity is generated in a very different manner than the 'possessive individualism' of the West. The book makes contributions to the study of mediumship, religious practice, historical consciousness, psychological anthropology, and postcolonial politics. Its exploration of the distinct notion of the Sakalava self can be read as an implicit critique of Western culture.

Full Product Details

Author:   M. Lambek
Publisher:   Palgrave USA
Imprint:   Palgrave Macmillan
Edition:   2003 ed.
Dimensions:   Width: 15.50cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 23.50cm
Weight:   0.521kg
ISBN:  

9781403960689

ISBN 10:   1403960682
Pages:   319
Publication Date:   07 March 2003
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Awaiting stock  
The supplier is currently out of stock of this item. It will be ordered for you and placed on backorder. Once it does come back in stock, we will ship it out for you.

Table of Contents

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

Reviews

Author Information

MICHAEL LAMBEK is Professor of Anthropology at the University of Toronto. He is the author of Human Spirits: A Cultural Account of Trance in Mayotte.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions