From blessing to violence : history and ideology in the circumcision ritual of the Merina of Madagascar / Maurice Bloch.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bloch, Maurice.

Series:

Cambridge studies in social anthropology ; no. 61.

Cambridge studies in social anthropology ; 61

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Merina (Malagasy people)--Rites and ceremonies.

Merina (Malagasy people).

Circumcision.

Merina (Malagasy people)--History.

History.

Physical Description:

x, 214 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1986.

Summary:

The circumcision ritual of the Merina of Madagascar is seen by them primarily as a blessing involving the transfer of the love and concern of the ancestors to their descendants. Yet the ritual ends in an act of violent wounding of the child. Similarly while the ritual involves a symbolic assault on women. It is nonetheless welcomed by them as a mark of receiving the blessing of the ancestors. In this book, Maurice Bloch provides a detailed description and analysis of the Merina circumcision ritual today, offers an account of its history, and discusses the significance of his analysis of anthropological theories of ritual general.

Pursuing the theme of the combination of religious joy and illumination with violence. Professor Bloch explains how, at various times, the circumcision ceremony can be a familial ritual as well as a glorification of a militarist and expansionist state, or associated with anti-colonial nationalism. Describing changes that have occurred in the form of the ritual over two centuries. Professor Bloch argues that in order to understand the properties of ritual in general it is necessary to view it over a longer time scale than anthropologist have extended to do previously. Adopting such an historical perspective enables him to identify the stability of the Merina ritual symbolic contents, despite changes in its organization and dramatically changing politico-economic contexts.

As well as presenting an original historical approach to the anthropological study of ritual, Professor Bloch discusses a range of general theoretical issues, including the nature of ideology and then relationship between images created in ritual and other types of knowledge. The book will appeal widely to scholars and students of anthropology, history and African studies and comparative religion.

Contents:

1 The social determination of ritual 1

2 Background politico-religious history of the Merina, 1770-1970 12

3 Background to Merina Social organisation and religion 34

4 Description and preliminary analysis of a circumcision ritual 48

5 The symbolism of circumcision 84

6 The myth of the origin of circumcision 105

7 The history of the circumcision 113

8 The circumcision ritual in history: towards a theory of the transformation of ideology 157.

Notes:

Includes index.

Bibliography: pages 200-205.

ISBN:

0521306396

0521314046

OCLC:

12103383