The search for knowledge among the Seventh-day Adventists in the area of Maroantsetra ...

321 Pages·2014·11.64 MB·English

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The search for knowledge
among the Seventh-day Adventists
in the area of Maroantsetra, Madagascar
Eva Salome Keller
London School of Economics and Political Science
Doctor of Philosophy
2002
UMI Number: U615598
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Abstract
The thesis is an ethnographic inquiry into the nature of Seventh-day Adventism in
Maroantsetra, a small town on the northeast coast of Madagascar, and Sahameloka, a
nearby village.
The Seventh-day Adventists in Maroantsetra and Sahameloka do not participate
in traditional practices through which local people communicate with their ancestors,
because they consider such practices to be the work of the devil. This is highly
significant in the context of Madagascar and causes serious tension between Adventist
and non-Adventist kin. The thesis examines whether the members of the church form a
discrete community, but finds that they remain firmly embedded in existing kinship
networks despite the difficulties involved.
The main body of the thesis is concerned with the nature of the commitment of
local church members to Seventh-day Adventism. It is argued that the core of their
commitment, and what they value most, is the practice of Bible study and the pleasure
which derives from that activity. Moreover, it is suggested that Adventist Bible study is
similar to certain aspects of scientific practice. The thesis further examines the ways in
which Bible study is conceptually linked to an image of clarity, an image of dis-covering
the truth from beneath Satan’s many deceptions and of acquiring a clear vision of reality.
In conclusion, it is argued that while other studies of phenomena labelled
‘religious fundamentalism’ have tried to understand what kinds of people join
movements such as Seventh-day Adventism, and why they do so, insufficient attention
has been paid to the nature of converts’ commitment beyond initial conversion. Finally,
it is suggested that Seventh-day Adventism in Maroantsetra and Sahameloka does not
correspond to the modem concept of Christianity based on belief as an inner state.
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Contents
List of maps and photographs 6
Note on the orthography of Malagasy words 7
Acknowledgements 8
1 Introduction 12
Outline 12
The anthropology of Madagascar 18
The Christian missions in Maroantsetra 24
Introduction to Seventh-day Adventism 31
A brief review of the literature on Seventh-day Adventism 42
and religious fundamentalism
Part One People, and their social context
2 People in search of a living 54
Maroantsetra: People on the move 54
Sahameloka: People becoming rooted 70
3 Profiles: Diversity and commonalities 84
Impressionistic portraits of selected informants 84
Conversion stories 93
Ethnic and religious background, and age 96
Socio-economic status 97
4 Organisation, participation, seniority and authority 103
Organisation 103
Participation 104
Seniority 108
Authority 113
5 From day to day, from week to week 119
From day to day 120
From week to week 123
From month to month 123
From year to year 125
In a lifetime ... 128
... and after death 131
Decision-making processes 131
Conclusion 133
6 Social relations 134
Living within the wider society 134
Negotiating kinship 137
Conclusion 154
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Part Two Study and Dis-covery
7 The Great Controversy 158
God’s and Satan’s angels 159
Denise’s baptism 169
Satan’s omnipresence 161
God’s apprentice 162
The written word 164
God and Satan as moral persons 165
A matter of choice 166
Clarity of mind 168
Conclusion 169
8 The ambiguous ‘ways of the ancestors’ 172
and the construction of ancestral religion
The ambiguous ‘ways of the ancestors’ 173
The construction of ancestral religion 179
9 Studying and learning 186
Studying and learning at home 189
Studying and learning in church 196
Conclusion 219
10 Knowing and seeing clearly 224
“Adventists are people who know the Bible” 224
Incorporating and doing science 229
Incorporating science 231
Transmission of information 232
Doing science 234
Looking through Adventist-tinted spectacles ... but not always 240
Bible expertise and school knowledge 242
The question of emotional commitment 250
11 Literacy, books and potency 257
The significance of writing in Madagascar 257
Studying and potency 260
Selling books 264
Conclusion 267
12 Conclusions 268
Glossary 295
Bibliography 296
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in memory of Bodo
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Maps and photographs
Maps
1. Map of Madagascar 18
2. Location of Antongil Bay 56
3. Map of the area of Maroantsetra 70
Photographs
1. Kiki studying the Bible 11
2. Kiki studying the Bible 194
3. Papan'i Fredel and his nephew discussing a Biblical issue 195
4. People taking notes during Sabbath School 198
5. People taking notes during Sabbath School 198
All photographs were taken by the author between 1998 and 2000.
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Note on the orthography of Malagasy words
The dialect spoken in Maroantsetra and Sahameloka contains numerous velar nasals.
Following other studies of coastal populations of Madagascar, among whom this sounds
is common, I have spelt it as /n/ (local people also spell it as /gn/).
In official Malagasy language, spoken [u] is spelt /o/. For example loholona
(head of people) is pronounced [luhuluna]. However, in the area of Maroantsetra, the
vowel /o/ is mostly pronounced as a closed [o], which I have spelt as 16/. Thus in the
local dialect, loholona, for example, becomes loholo, pronounced [loholu].
Acknowledgements
Any ethnographic study is made possible, above all others , by the local people among
whom fieldwork is conducted. Therefore, I wish to thank first of all those people in
Maroantsetra and Sahameloka, to whom I feel particularly indebted. Those with whom I
lived, and many others, knew that I was going to write a ‘book’ about them, and I think
they felt proud that their names would appear in it. For this reason, it would have been
inappropriate to disguise people’s real identities, or change the names of locations, as is
often done in anthropology for the sake of privacy, and sometimes, protection.
My host family in Maroantsetra, with whom I have been friends since my first
visit to Madagascar in 1987, introduced me to Seventh-day Adventism and looked after
me, in all matters, from the beginning to the end of my fieldwork for which I am deeply
grateful. Papan' i Beby (Dimilahy Maurice) was my teacher, Maman' i Beby (Arlette
Rasoamalala David) my most intimate friend, their children Kiki (Dimilahy Chrispin
Odilon) and Beby (Beatrice Adoree Razafindratelo) my little brother and sister. To me,
the four of them feel like family, and I hope I do to them as well.
In Maroantsetra, I also wish to thank many other people all of whom I cannot
mention here by name, but in particular Pastor Ranala Isaac who was always extremely
helpful, as well as his wife Lalao Alexandrine. Maman1 i Omino (Zandry Marie Laure)
took me along on many of her church related activities in and around town, and she
became a good friend. And so did Mandina Eleonore Laurent who helped me with
understanding recorded conversations.
In Sahameloka, I lived with a family whom I had not previously known.
Nevertheless, they welcomed me into their household and let me take part in their daily
lives. For their hospitality and generosity, I am grateful to Papan' i Claude (Dahy Justin),
Maman' i Claude (Claire Mahefa), Claude (Mahefa Claudien) and Mazavatiana; for their
tolerance towards a bizarre intruder, I must also express thanks to the two little boys of
the family, Mezaquei and Ezakela. The father of Maman' i Claude (Mahefa) and her
brother Papan’ i Emilie (Bemanively) also welcomed me warmly.
Many members of the village’s Adventist congregation have become not only
invaluable informants, but also close friends. Among them, Papan' i Fredel (Bemitompo
Christoph), Maman' i Fredel (Soazafy Martine), Papan’ and Maman’ i Vange (Joseph