Madagascar

The compositions are anchored in uniquely Malagasy forms, where the fan-shaped silhouette of the Ravenala (Traveller’s Tree) spreads across backgrounds like a natural emblem, its geometric symmetry echoed in the structure of the designs themselves. In stark contrast, the jagged limestone formations of Tsingy de Bemaraha introduce a sharp, almost sculptural rhythm — vertical, irregular, and visually striking, forming one of the most unusual landscape motifs in world banknotes.

Human presence is expressed through lived culture rather than portraiture. Scenes of Zebu cattle herds move across open terrain, their curved horns and steady formations reflecting the agricultural backbone of the island. Alongside them, the carved Aloalo funerary poles of the Mahafaly people bring narrative depth, their stacked figures and symbolic engravings translating oral history into visual form. This cultural layer is further enriched by the presence of the Valiha, the traditional bamboo zither, whose linear strings and cylindrical body subtly echo the graphic structure of the notes.