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The tompon-tany and the tompon-drano in the History of Central and Western Madagascar*
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 May 2014
Extract
At some undefined time in the fairly recent past central and western Madagascar witnessed a conceptual 'revolution' which had far-reaching political consequences. The religious beliefs and symbols which constituted the main ingredients of this 'revolution'--and probably also the people who propagated them--were in some way connected with the Zafindraminia-Antanosy and the Anteimoro of the southeastern and eastern coast. It is quite clear that these and similar groups had been strongly influenced by Islam and that they practiced what could perhaps be described as a corrupt or diluted Islam or a syncretic 'pagan' Muslim religion. (It is significant that as their name indicates the Zafindraminia claim descent from Raminia who they hold to have been the mother of Muhammad.) One of the main ingredients of this religion was the cult of the ody or guardian amulets, objects usually made of wood which are strikingly reminiscent of the so-called “charms” or “gris-gris” sold by Muslim clerics over much of Africa. Another ingredient is represented by the institution of ombiasy. The ombiasy (the main manufacturers of ody) whom the Frenchman Etienne de Flacourt at Fort-Dauphin in the seventeenth century took to be Muslim clerics were originally the “priests” (or the “devins guérisseurs,” according to Hubert Deschamps) of the Anteimoro and the Zafindraminia-Antanosy. Subsequently this institution was disseminated throughout nearly the whole of Madagascar. Yet another ingredient was the system of divination known as sikidy, which also spread to other parts of Madagascar, including Imerina and the Sakalava country.
These beliefs, symbols, and institutions deeply influenced the people of the west coast (the present-day Sakalava country) and of central Madagascar (Imerina and Betsileo country).
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- Copyright © African Studies Association 1982
Footnotes
This manuscript is a distant relative of a paper presented to the African History Seminar of the School of Oriental and African Studies, 28 February 1979 and entitled: 'The Vazimba and the History of Imerina (Madagascar): A Reconsideration'. I came away from that somewhat animated meeting with the impression that I had missed the target owing to poor aiming, but that the target was still there; that I was on the track of a hitherto neglected but important aspect of Malagasy history. Since then I have taken the precaution to enlist the assistance of Stephen Ellis to help me steer clear of the many, pitfalls Malagasy history presents to a non-specialist such as myself. I am indebted to the participants in the above-mentioned meeting--especially Maurice Bloch--for their critical comments. Thanks are also due to Françoise Raison, Gerald Berg and especially Gillian Feeley-Harnik, who all read and commented on one or another of the previous versions of this manuscript. I owe a special debt of gratitude to Professor Richard Gray of SOAS for his comments and especially his encouragement. Professor Gray and Mr. Ellis also kindly corrected my English.
References
NOTES
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