Madagascar, land of spirits
Rijasolo
In Madagascar, spirituality - continuous dialogue between the living and invisible forces – is a bedrock of the culture. Despite the apparent domination of Christianity, traditional beliefs are still very much alive, such as the tromba, a possession ritual in which the spirits of the ancestors are invoked. The mpanazary, a type of shaman, continues to play a crucial role, particularly in rural regions where modern medicine struggles to gain a foothold. Odet Rafaralahy, a major figure in Ambatondrazaka in eastern Madagascar, regularly draws crowds of people who want advice or to be healed. His ceremonies involve the hasina, the sacred breath which is considered to be a vital energy that circulates between people and places.
However, the path to the sacred is becoming increasingly fragile. Modernity and the erosion of biodiversity are weakening the hasina. As forests, sacred rivers and emblematic species disappear, a spiritual bond is breaking down. Can the sprits of nature still be honored when nature itself is collapsing?
Preview
Throughout Madagascar, places with spiritual power, such as doany (sacred places), waterfalls, or thousand-year-old trees, continue to be frequented for prayers, purification or to speak with the invisible world. But for how long? Even in Antananarivo, where you can find ody (amulets) to promote abundance and goodwill in the markets, the sacred sometimes appears to be stifled by urban hustle and bustle, and consumerism.
The sometimes-conflictual attempt to preserve a unique spiritual identity is embodied in religious syncretism, through the combination of ancestral trances and Christian masses.
Even the political elites continue to discreetly consult the mpanazary to protect their power. Though it is hidden from view, the invisible world is still there, underneath modernity. If the Malagasy came to forget this sacred bond, and rituals were lost to memory, the invisible world would not disappear, but the door to it would close.
Rijasolo
This exhibition received technical support from the Yavarhoussen Fund.
