Plant-words and the transformation of personhood in Masikoro healing practices in Madagascar
This Marie Curie project has its roots in a tradition of research that has sought to understand the relationship between biological processes, agricultural techniques, and local thought processes. Originally formulated by C. Levi-Strauss, it has been pursued in France by Andre-Georges Haudricourt, and Philippe Beaujard in relation to Madagascar, as well as in England by Roy Ellen, Laura Rival or Elisabeth Hsu.
This research project focuses on healing practices and their transformation in south-western Madagascar. Following Roy Ellen (2006), it aims at understanding “phytomedical reality” through medical anthropology. Yet some studies have shown that healing practices in Madagascar have long employed not only indigenous species of plants but also newly introduced ones. Thus “traditional medicine” in south-western Madagascar utilizes many plants that are native to the island as well as introduced plants. These introduced plants, sometimes pantropical, are often considered as pests by international organizations as well as by some local farmers. However, traditional healers regularly use them, appropriating and integrating these new resources. The naming and utilization of these plants can be spontaneous and local or come via one of several intermediaries.
The first step requires establishing an overview of the known invasive plants that potentially constitute integrated elements in therapeutic systems. This work will be done through an analysis of bibliographic, Herbarium and database resources. Analysis of the information on plants integration in “traditional medicine” will be done in the light of Dr Gabriel Lèfevre’s working hypotheses on the logic of local therapeutic practices in Madagascar conceptualized as Plant-words. More precisely, this will be done by identifying physical traits of plants that the Malagasy are likely to draw upon when naming and using them.