National Anthem Comparison
Madagascar vs Mauritius
2
Shared themes
✓
Same mood
10
10 years apart
✓
Same continent
Mauritius
Motherland
Comparison Analysis
Madagascar and Mauritius, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Madagascar's "Oh, Our Beloved Fatherland!" was written in 1958, while Mauritius's "Motherland" dates to 1968.
Both anthems share themes of love of homeland and god / faith. Madagascar additionally explores ancestors / heritage and hope, while Mauritius also touches on unity, peace and freedom.
Both anthems carry a hopeful tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
Shared themes
Madagascar
❤ Love of homeland 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage ✝ God / Faith 🌅 Hope
Mauritius
🤝 Unity ☮ Peace ❤ Love of homeland ✝ God / Faith 🕊 Freedom
Shared themes:
❤ Love of homeland ✝ God / Faith
Metadata
| Madagascar | Mauritius | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1958 | 1968 |
| Adopted | 1959 | 1968 |
| Lyricist | Pasteur Rahajason | Jean Georges Prosper |
| Composer | Norbert Raharisoa | Philippe Gentil |
| Language | mg | en |
| Region | East Africa | East Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Madagascar
Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô!
Original
Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô!
Ry Madagasikara soa.
Ny fitiavanay anao tsy miala,
Fa ho anao ho anao doria tokoa.
Fiverenana:
Tahionao ry Zanahary
'Ty Nosindrazanay ity
Hiadana sy ho finaritra
He! sambatra tokoa izahay.
Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô!
Irinay mba hanompoana anao
Ny tena sy fo fanahy anananay
'zay sarobidy sy mendrika tokoa.
Fiverenana
Ry Tanindrazanay malala ô!
Irinay mba hitahiana anao,
Ilay Nahary izao tontolo izao
No fototra ijoroan'ny satanao.
Fiverenana
Translation
Oh, our beloved Fatherland!
Oh, beautiful Madagascar.
Our love will never leave you,
For you, for you forever.
[Chorus]
Bless, O Creator,
This island of our ancestors,
That it may live in peace and joy.
Oh! How truly happy we are.
Oh, our beloved Fatherland!
We wish to serve you
With the body, heart and spirit we possess,
Which are precious and truly worthy.
[Chorus]
Oh, our beloved Fatherland!
We wish that you be blessed;
The Creator of this whole world
Is the foundation on which your existence stands.
[Chorus]
Mauritius
Motherland
Original
Glory to thee, Motherland
O Motherland of mine.
Sweet is thy beauty,
Sweet is thy fragrance,
Around thee we gather
As one people,
As one nation,
In peace, justice and liberty.
Beloved Country,
May God bless thee.
For ever and ever.
Interesting facts
Madagascar
- 1. Madagascar is the fourth-largest island in the world and home to unique biodiversity found nowhere else on Earth
- 2. The anthem is written in Malagasy, an Austronesian language more closely related to languages of Southeast Asia than to African languages
- 3. The lyrics join love for the homeland to prayer: the refrain asks the Creator to bless this island of the ancestors, and there are no military or revolutionary themes
Mauritius
- 1. Composer Philippe Gentil was a violinist, trumpeter and saxophonist in the Mauritius Police Band; he set Prosper's words to music once they had been chosen.
- 2. When the anthem was published in a national newspaper, the Police Band's bandmaster, Philippe Oh San, was wrongly credited as its composer.
- 3. The words were chosen through an open competition launched in 1968. Their author, Jean Georges Prosper, a doctor of letters of the Sorbonne, is a leading name in Mauritian literature in French, although he wrote the anthem in English.
- 4. 'Motherland' was played for the first time at the independence ceremony on 12 March 1968, straight after 'God Save the Queen' was played for the last time.
Listen
Madagascar
Mauritius
