at both ends of the Southeast Asian sea diaspora, Rapa Nui and Madagascar, ancestor worship prevails. The primary function of children is to keep alive the memory of their ancestors.

In an interesting corollary to this practice, Malagasies have no sense of history outside of geneaology. Beniowski, one of the most vivid Europeans to influence Malagasy history, was respected by the Malagsies of his time and was elected by them to kingship of a tribal coalition designed to fend off attacks by slave-taking raids from the west coast. He later returned to Europe for a decade, and upon returning was still greeted as king.

Yet a century later no trace of him or his story was known among the tribes that had once honored him, and lived around the mountain that bears his name. "He did not found a Malagasy family", explained a Malagasy teacher. "What can you expect?"