Tromba- Partying with the dead

The Kabosy (traditional guitar) could barely be heard as the clapping, singing, and screaming (in a musical sort of "aeeaeeaeeaee" way) reached a feverish peak. Wind whipped into the small hut frustrating the single lit candle in it's meager attempt to light the proceedings. Lightning flashes in the sky and rain begins to fall on the palm-leafed roof. Quickly, the rain cooled air circles through the room forcing out the stale air and smell of 100 villagers.

Thunder strikes- loud roaring thunder, the kind that sends sharp pains deep inside your ears- makes you close your eyes, tight, while you wait for nature's anger to dissipate. Another flash, anxious silence, CRACKACKAKKK- and I'm injured.

 Now I'm confused. Where am I? Why can't I see? And who is flailing widely about ontop of me? I hear somebody say, "Hey get her up, Shawn's under there!" A rush of bodies around me pull the offender off of me. They pick her up and I see that it is my friend's wife, except it isn't really her. She's screaming and kicking, swearing and fighting. Then she stops. Stands still, and patiently and docilely accepts the help of the other women as they wrap traditional clothing around her. Soon she is sitting politely with the other "possessed" villagers, answering questions regarding her health and happiness. Apparently, she is good on both counts.

Really, this was more excitement than I ever could have expected from my calm and quite natured villagers. This night, however, because of the council of one of the village elders, a Tromba has been called, the spirits have been invited, and spontaneous possession can happen at any moment.

The Tromba is a ancient Malagasy custom not unlike a séance. In response to sickness (as in this case), mysterious death, or any kind of social anxiety an elder skilled in "sikidy" (divination) can prescribe a Tromba. A Kabose player is called for, along with several other sacred objects from the forest, most notably the seed of a certain tree which, when burned releases a pungent smell that is said to attract the spirits of the dead.

The ceremony starts with music and a prayer welcoming the spirits of the dead. The spirit of the "Topontrano" (founder of the household) is invited first. The spirit will then enter one of the family members sitting near the "alter" (the small table holding the incense). The moment of possession is a spontaneous and, as I described, rather frantic affair, but soon develops into a calm and formal interaction between the spirit, acting through a medium, and the community. After a generous time spent with the spirit, he or she is asked to sit tight while another spirit is invited. After an initial orderly procession of spirits come and go, the fun starts. The spirits take control of the event and are no longer respect invitations to come and go. They jump into unsuspecting bystanders (thereby causing them to jump up and fling themselves backwards into the crowd and especially, onto Shawn). These poorly behaved spirits often act in strange ways causing laughter and sometimes anger. It is not uncommon for them to say unpopular or offensive things.

The Tromba lasts well into the morning, giving even the shiest of spirits ample opportunity to make themselves known. I suspect that the passing around of "Toka" (moonshine) helps to keep the process going, while also keeping it interesting.

I suspect that the tromba serves a social and perhaps political purpose beyond it's obvious spiritual and cultural meaning. It seems to me that the ceremony gives villagers a safe place to debate personal and community problems all the while consulting the memories of passed elders, leaders, and loved ones. Certainly, It would be disingenuous to recast the whole the ceremony as an elaborate game of "what would Gramma say about Fara getting pregnant?" but I couldn't help but peer behind the religious ceremony and wonder about a more practical side to the event. Sadly, the background noise of singing, clapping, and screaming combined with my still noobish language skills meant that most of the actual conversation with the dead was completely unintelligible to me.

Next time I'll be sure to get a better seat, closer to the spirits, but hopefully out of the way of their victims. Anyone have any questions they'd like me to put to the ancestors? Maybe your ancestors know my villagers' ancestors?