Coat of arms of Madagascar
The name of this island state became well known in the Slavic countries after the hit performed by Elena Vaenga. In the song, the singer wished everyone and everyone the sun even brighter than on the island. If you look at the coat of arms of Madagascar, you can note the symbolic presence of the main heavenly body.
Country emblem
In fact, the official name of the main symbol of Madagascar is «emblem», not a word familiar to many «coat of arms». Although its meaning does not change from this. There are various elements on the emblem of the state:
- schematic representation of the island of Madagascar with two small islands that are part of the state;
- zebu head;
- green and red rays around the white disc;
- ears of corn;
- lettering.
The color palette of the country's coat of arms is quite interesting, since a combination of green and red colors is used. It is quite rare in world heraldic practice. At the same time, on the emblem of Madagascar, the combination looks harmonious.
The emblem itself is a yellow (gold) disc, the islands, the rays of the sun, the head of a zebu, a paved platform extending to the horizon are depicted in red. Symbolic rays and ears are painted in green.
The current emblem of Madagascar is quite young, since it was approved in 1992, when the socialist regime fell in the country. In part, the state's desire for democracy was expressed in the motto written on the emblem, which can be translated as «Fatherland, freedom, progress».
Symbolic animal
The centerpiece of Madagascar's emblem is the zebu's head. This interesting animal lives in many countries of Asia and Africa, but it is the Madagascar people who are most loved. The symbolic image of the head of an animal is present on the coats of arms of Botswana and Niger.
In Madagascar, it is considered sacred. As the locals joke, the number of zebu now exceeds the number of the indigenous people of the country. When an islander leaves the world, another zebu is sacrificed so that the deceased «did not starve» en route and was adopted by previously deceased ancestors.
Although the zebu is considered a sacred animal among the inhabitants of the islands, they treat it without much reverence. Zebu meat is eaten, the animal itself quite often becomes the object of sacrifice. In sacred rituals, using zebu as an offering to ancestors, residents try to communicate with them, look for answers to burning questions of life.
