Stealing the sacred: Why ‘global heritage’ discourse is perceived as a frontal attack on local heritage-making in Madagascar

This article analyses Malagasy notions of land as heritage through the concept of fomba gasy , known as ‘Malagasy customs’, within the context of foreign land acquisitions for mineral extraction. Fomba gasy is a concept intimately tied to land – as it provides a social, economic, existential, cultural, and ontological web, which ties past, present and future generations. Global or ‘western’ conceptualizations of heritage generally adopt a more static definition of land as their point of departure, wherein biodiversity or clearly demarcated ‘heritage sites’ become objects of frontier conservation. This vision directly conflicts with Malagasy conceptions and ontologies of fomba gasy – a concept inherently anchored in dynamic, material and intangible uses of land. The model of heritage as universal patrimony does not sit easily with beliefs held by local (land-based) groups within Madagascar. On the contrary, it challenges a core tenet of Malagasy power and belief: their sovereign right to define fomba gasy and heritage through land, and to harness the powers of the sacred. The contested nature of heritage claims in Madagascar is discussed using a case study concerning a mining/biodiversity protection project where international and local stakeholders are vying for the same land. Resume Cet article analyse la notion des terres malgaches en tant que patrimoine a travers le concept de fomba gasy ('coutumes malgaches'), dans le cadre de l'acquisition de terres par des compagnies etrangeres pour les extractions de mineraux. Fomba gasy est un concept etroitement lie a la terre car il fournit une toile environnementale, sociale, economique, existentielle, culturelle et ontologique, qui relie les generations passees, presentes et futures. Les conceptualisations globales ou occidentales du patrimoine tendent generalement a adopter une definition plus statique de la terre comme point de depart. Cette vision se heurte necessairement a celle de fomba gasy : un concept fondamentalement ancre dans la dynamique materielle et immaterielle d'exploitation des terres. Au contraire, il remet en cause un principe fondamental et sacre du pouvoir malgache : le droit souverain de definir le fomba gasy et le patrimoine a travers la terre. Cet article discute un differend foncier a Madagascar ou un projet minier et de protection de la biodiversite locale met en opposition divers intervenants revendiquant tous des interets dans les memes terres.