Étude de la sociologie des exploitants de bois de rose malgaches

At the start of 2009, there were 13 rosewood traders in Madagascar. By early 2012 their number had increased to 103 traders in the SAVA region alone. It has been in Antalaha that the growth of these traders has been the most explosive: the ‘original’ traders were joined by family members and also by their former wood collectors. These people were followed by newcomers, the result of which is a current total of 63 traders residing in just this urban centre. Notably, this is despite a ban on the exploiting of rosewood having been implemented in March 2010. Because of the rosewood trading community’s ongoing and concentrated activities in Antalaha, this small port could be cited as an urban centre where a faction of the community is actively challenging the State. The State dare not apply the laws implemented towards prohibiting trading of rosewood, but of course, there is a are common interests between the State and the operators. The current situation described here is not unique: it has recurred through various periods: pre-colonial, colonial and post-independence. RESUME Les exploitants de bois de rose etaient officiellement 13 au debut de 2009. Leur nombre est passe a 103 pour la seule region SAVA au debut 2012. Mais c’est a Antalaha que leur croissance a ete la plus remarquable : les operateurs historiques ont ete rejoints par les membres de leurs familles et leurs anciens collecteurs, puis par des nouveaux venus, pour atteindre le chiffre record de 63 operateurs dans cette seule ville, malgre l’interdiction d’exploiter le bois de rose depuis mars 2010. Cette communaute a fait d’Antalaha une ville a part a Madagascar car elle y fait jeu egal avec l’Etat qui n’ose lui appliquer les lois de la Republique, a moins qu’il n’ait conclu avec elle un mariage d’interet. Cette situation s’avere en outre etre un invariant historique qui a remarquablement traverse les epoques precoloniale, coloniale et postindependance.