On being present to history: Historicity and brigand spirits in Madagascar

Abstract

This paper explores the unexpected arrival of new spirits in possession of young spirit mediums at an annual ceremony in Majunga, Madagascar. I explore the significance of the event for local politics but also use it to exemplify a form of historicity different from that of Euroamerican historicism, with respect to both the structure of historical temporality and the nature of historical truth/knowledge, experience, responsiveness, and action. I argue further that the action of the spirits or mediums is simultaneously an interpretation of circumstances and that we might think more broadly of historical action as interpretive.