Gods and Ancestors: Society and Religion among the Forest Tribes in Madagascar

Jørgen Ruud worked in Madagascar from1934 to 1954 as a Lutheran minister sent out by the Norwegian Missionary Society. However, he followed the rather unusual tradition of combining his missionary activities with the intensive study of the language and customs of the indigenous population. The relationship between the Malagasy and their ancestors is quite exceptional. The Madagascan believes in the invisible and lives in a mysterious world in which the living and dead are in perpetual confrontation. The author introduces us to this hidden domain where one must always be on guard against the forces of evil and seek to attract favorable influences. The book touches on ideas and religious practices of extreme importance to the Tanàla tribe.