Lost People: Magic and the Legacy of Slavery in MadagascarBetafo, a rural community in central Madagascar, is divided between the descendants of nobles and descendants of slaves. Anthropologist David Graeber arrived for fieldwork at the height of tensions attributed to a disastrous communal ordeal two years earlier. As Graeber uncovers the layers of historical, social, and cultural knowledge required to understand this event, he elaborates a new view of power, inequality, and the political role of narrative. Combining theoretical subtlety, a compelling narrative line, and vividly drawn characters, Lost People is a singular contribution to the anthropology of politics and the literature on ethnographic writing. |
Contents
1 Betafo 1990 | 1 |
2 Royal Authority | 33 |
3 Negative Authority | 53 |
4 Character | 73 |
5 A BriefHistory of Betafo | 87 |
6 AntiHeroic Politics | 127 |
7The Trials of Miadana | 183 |
8 Lost People | 201 |
11 Catastrophe | 329 |
12 Epilogue | 379 |
Glossary of Malagasy Terms | 393 |
Personal Names in Text | 397 |
Important Places Named in Text | 401 |
Notes | 403 |
| 437 | |
| 447 | |
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Common terms and phrases
able action actually already ancestors ancient andriana appear Arivonimamo Armand asked astrologer Augustin authority became become began Betafo body buried called carried claimed considered continued course created descendants died effect entirely example fact father fields first force former give groups hand happened head heard Imerina important interest kind kings knew knowledge land largely later least living look mainty Malagasy married matter means medicine Miadana moved named never once one’s ordeal origins perhaps person play political probably Rainitamaina Ratsizafy Ratsizafy’s reason referred relations represented result rice ritual seemed seen Sely sense slaves social someone sort spirits started story talk tampon-tanana tell tend thing told tomb took town trying turn ultimately usually Vazimba village woman women