Spiritual values in Madagascar: The starting point for endogenous conservation initiatives

Ancestors, taboos, spirits, rice, and cattle are Madagascar's strongest traditional foundations—indispensable "food" for most, if not all, rural Malagasy people. On the other hand, nationalism, "development," private enterprise, and conservation of biodiversity are unavoidable modern spin-offs of globalisation that influence Malagasy life, even in the most remote mountain areas. How do Malagasy people deal with these opposing forces, and can they negotiate ways of life that integrate both traditional and modern values? As illustrated in the present article, experience shows that members of rural civil society, proudly upholding traditional values and remaining strongly rooted in natural and spiritual worlds such as ancestors, spirits, and sacred sites, can become committed actors and promoters of Voluntary Protected Area (VPA) initiatives. Ancestral spirituality, local knowledge and traditional practices, previously seen as obstacles to conservation and development, can—in partnership with scientific ecological and economic understanding—become effective tools and offer solutions for biodiversity conservation and sustainable mountain development.