The Forest and the Camp. Pierre clastres’ Ethnology in Light of the Writings of Hélène Clastres

This article explores Hélène Clastres’ contribution to ethnology, often overshadowed by that of her husband, Pierre Clastres, showing the influence of their respective works on political anthropology and the understanding of Amerindian societies. Hélène Clastres played an active part in field missions and made a significant contribution to ethnological research, particularly in the fields of prophetism, funerary rituals, mythology and language. Among her many interests, she delved into Amerindian conceptions of religion, the sacred without gods, and Tupí-Guaraní prophetism, emphasizing the endogeneity of these spiritual phenomena. Unlike Pierre, who focused on politics and war, she paid particular attention to funerary rites and the historical dynamics that run through societies. The article highlights their complementary approach, in which Hélène Clastres shed light on aspects that are often invisible in Pierre’s work, such as the role of women and the relationship between war and ritual. Through a detailed analysis of myths and funerary practices, she enriched the anthropology of religion and questioned the conceptualization of power and memory in stateless societies. Jointly, their work shaped an original perspective on political anthropology and the hypotheses surrounding the emergence of centralized power.