This chapter introduces the pastoralist community of Menamaty in southern Madagascar. It begins by situating the community within the broader context of Madagascar, along dimensions such as ethnic identity and cultural diversity, its relationship to the Malagasy state and the urban world and their influences, ongoing efforts to introduce formal education and Christianity, as well as historical change and continuity. It then turns to my own position within the community by describing my integration through quasi-kin relationships and introducing my adoptive family, research assistants, and key informants. This leads into an outline of the composition and internal divisions of Menamaty, with a particular focus on aspects of social organization and the ways in which it structures social relationships.