Hiaña as a Moral-Ecological System

Chameleons, Sacred Potency, and Human–Animal Relations in Maroantsetra, Madagascar

Abstract

This study examines hiaña, a form of sacred potency linked to chameleons and specific spaces among the Northern Betsimisaraka of Maroantsetra, Madagascar. Based on twenty interviews (August–September 2025), it explores how hiaña functions as a moral-ecological system guiding human-environment relations. Six dimensions emerged: (1) chameleons possess inherent spiritual power; (2) hiaña enforces ecological norms with consequences for harming animals; (3) reciprocal suffering demonstrates moral proportionality; (4) corrective rituals restore balance; (5) Christians reinterpret hiaña theologically, affirming its cultural role while denying causal efficacy; and (6) younger generations increasingly emphasize ethical care without supernatural fear. Hiaña reveals how ancestral moral systems adapt across generations, integrating sacred potency, relational ethics, and ecological sensibilities. It sustains respect for nature while accommodating religious and generational shifts, contributing to anthropology of religion, moral ecology, and conservation by demonstrating how local cosmologies support culturally grounded environmental stewardship.