Obsession and Exorcism Rituals in Madagascar
In Madagascar, the interpretation of the smallest everyday events through dreams, sacrifices, and possession creates a constant dialogue between the deceased and their descendants.
The phenomena of possession, known under the generic name Tromba, have always had a primordial place in royal institutions, therapeutic rituals, and certain lineage ceremonies.
This term of Sakalava origin refers to the state of possession, the invocation ritual, the invoked spirit, and the subject it inhabits.
It is an exorcism ritual performed by a Tromba medium, who acts as a mediator between the living and the dead. These rituals are deeply rooted in Malagasy culture and play a crucial role in maintaining the spiritual connection with ancestors.
Possession and Royalty
Possessed spirits are most commonly deified ancestors, usually of royal blood – whose genealogy is traceable. The possession of commoners by the spirits of deceased kings was once one of the most effective instruments of power.
These rituals gained special prominence at certain “dynastic” festivals – such as the Fitampohana Festival in the Land Sakalava.
These institutions experienced With the disappearance of the monarchy at the end of the 19th century, there was a relative decline.
Reconquest of the “Tromba” and the Crisis of Society
Despite the importance of Christianization movements and the collapse of old political systems, possession cults have continued.
We are even witnessing the proliferation of “brotherhoods” or families of the possessed, to which a large clientele, recruited from all social strata, comes to seek advice on various issues.
Faced with the collapse of the old economic balance, the breakdown of line organizations, and the resulting weakening of traditional religious solidarity and values make every brotherhood appear as a new place of discourse, mutual aid, and sociability.
In their quest for a better future for themselves and their loved ones, each of them often oscillates between these communities and the Christian churches.
Ritual of the “Tromba”
Offerings are made to the invoked spirit according to its personality (cloth, bottle of rum, money).
It is accompanied by singing and hand clapping.
The spirit manifests itself and gives its advice through the voice of the possessed person, who is not supposed to remember anything after the session.
Ritual of the “Bilo”
An exhausted, melancholic, even desperate patient driven by evil, who resists any treatment, is said to be inhabited by an evil spirit.
The ancestors of the lineage will manifest themselves in a dream to one of his parents and the sick person will be declared as “bilo” (in great danger).
To save him, he must be “elevated” to the rank of the ancestors by placing him on a platform made for this occasion.
Expelling Evil
The “Bilo” ritual in Madagascar involves choosing an ox from the lineage herd, a symbol of affection from ancestors and a guarantee of survival, which will become his lifelong companion. A statuette is then made, the image of the “bilo”, onto which the evil inhabiting it is transferred before being abandoned at a river.
Affection for Healing
Southern Ritual in Madagascar
The week-long Bilo ritual brings the whole family together. The patient dances each day to the sounds of an accordion or a zither, a drum, and women’s songs. He is honored and celebrated like a prince. He must do nothing, but simply…
Everyone is at his service.
Healing and Restoration of the Order
On the last day, an ox is sacrificed to the ancestors and its cooked liver is offered to the “Bilo” on the platform
.
He eats a part of it and distributes the rest to the family members gathered at his feet, like the living at the feet of their deceased relatives during prayer. The family gathered around the “bilo”, honoring the ancestors.
As social rules were reaffirmed, the illness of the “bilo” dissipated – an expression of tensions that. The lineage of descent was disturbed – and the balance of the group was restored.
