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Madagascar Coat of Arms

Madagascar CoA
Madagascar CoA (detail)

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Madagascar

Madagascar CoA

by Martin Grieve, 1 Sep 2002, after image from Album 2000.

The Malagasy Republic has for motto 'Tanindrazana - Fahafahana - Fandrosoana". ['Fatherland, Liberty, Justice', according to Dorling-Kindersely Pocket Flagbook].
The Seals of the State and the arms of the Republic are prescribed by law. Malagasy is the national language.
Ivan Sache, 22 Feb 2001

Very strange. I have the image of COA adopted in 1993.
The motto is "TANINDRAZANA. FAHAFAHANA. FAHAMARINANA".
What is wrong? My image or text?
Victor Lomantsov, 14 Mar 2001

However, article 4 must have been amended at some point. In addition to the government website bearing the new motto to which I previously posted a link, the following site has a copy of the constitution showing the motto "Tanindrazana - Fahafahana - Fandrosoana" (Patrie - Liberté - Progrès) under article 4. I have seen reports saying the constitution was heavily amended following a referendum in 1998, but nothing specifically linking any change in article 4 to that.
Ned Smith, 16 Mar 2001

Well, the text seems to be wrong, because the image in Dorling-Kindersley Pocket flagbook has FAHAMARINANA.
I don't think I could have 'created' FANDROSOANA by wrongly copying the original text because the two words are quite distinct.
Ivan Sache, 15 Mar 2001

According to Flags Through the Ages and across the World, 1975 (p. 275), the seal of Madagascar (then known as the Malagasy Republic) bore the motto Fahafahana, Tanindrazana, Fandrosoana, and translates that as "Liberty, Fatherland, Progress", rather than "Liberty, Fatherland, Justice".
If Fahafahana = Liberty, Tanindrazana = Fatherland, and Fandrosoana = Progress, then it appears that Madagascar may now use the motto 'Tanindrazana - Fahafahana - Fandrosoana'. At the website of the Republic of Madagascar's permanent UN Mission there is an image of the seal. The resolution is way too poor for me to read it, but displayed prominently below it in large letters is "Patrie-Liberté-Progrès". Perhaps the word 'Fahamarinana' in the 1993-95 motto translates as 'Justice' and Dorling-Kindersley mixed up the Malagasy wording of the current motto with the '93-'95 translation.
Ned Smith, 16 Mar 2001

The relevant article from the Third Republic of Madagascar constitution adopted on 24 March 1993 is as follows:
Article 4:
1. The Republic of Madagascar shall have for its motto "TANINDRAZANA - FAHAFAHANO - FAHAMARINANA" ("Homeland, Revolution, Liberty").
2. Its national emblem shall be a tricolour flag, white, red, and green, consisting of three rectangular bands of equal dimensions. Starting from the edge closest to the flagpole, the first band shall be vertical and white; the other two shall be horizontal - the upper one red and the lower, green.
4. The State Seals and armorial bearings shall be defined by law.
Source: Constitutions - What they tell us about national flags and coats of arms by Pascal Vagnat and Jos Poels (Published by SAVA, Dec 2000)
Bruce Berry, 16 Mar 2001

Don't know, but according to my notes (unfortunately, without quoted sources :-( the mottoes were changed together with the presidents, so:
1959-1972 Philibert Tsiranana - Fahafahana Tanindrazana Fandrosoana = Freedom, Fatherland, Progress -
1972-1975 Gabriel Ramanantsoa - Fahafahana Tanindrazana Fandrosoana -
1975-1993 Didier Ratsiraka - Tanindrazana Tolompiavotana Fahafahana - Fatherland, Revolution, Liberty
1993-1995 Albert Zafy - Tanindrazana Fahafahana Fahamarinana -
1995- Didier Ratsiraka - " -
Zeljko Heimer, 16 Mar 2001

Madagascar CoA (detail)

scan from DK complete flags of the World (1998)