▁of ▁much ▁virtue ") ▁of ▁the ▁sout he astern ▁An tem oro ▁eth nic ▁group , ▁who ▁trace ▁their ▁ancest ry ▁back ▁to ▁early ▁Arab ▁sett lers . ▁ ▁The ▁diverse ▁orig ins ▁of ▁Mal ag asy ▁culture ▁are ▁evident ▁in ▁its ▁tang ible ▁expressions . ▁The ▁most ▁em blem atic ▁instrument ▁of ▁Mad agas car , ▁the ▁val i ha , ▁is ▁a ▁b am bo o ▁t ube ▁z ither ▁carried ▁to ▁Mad agas car ▁by ▁early ▁sett lers ▁from ▁southern ▁Bor neo , ▁and ▁is ▁very ▁similar ▁in ▁form ▁to ▁those ▁found ▁in ▁Indones ia ▁and ▁the ▁Philippines ▁today . ▁Trad itional ▁houses ▁in ▁Mad agas car ▁are ▁like wise ▁similar ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁southern ▁Bor neo ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁symbol ism ▁and ▁construction , ▁featuring ▁a ▁rect angular ▁layout ▁with ▁a ▁pe aked ▁roof ▁and ▁central ▁support ▁pill ar . ▁Ref lect ing ▁a ▁w ides p read ▁v ener ation ▁of ▁the ▁ancest ors , ▁tomb s ▁are ▁cult ur ally ▁significant ▁in ▁many ▁regions ▁and ▁tend ▁to ▁be ▁built ▁of ▁more ▁dur able ▁material , ▁typically ▁stone , ▁and ▁display ▁more ▁elaborate ▁decor ation ▁than ▁the ▁houses ▁of ▁the ▁living . ▁The ▁production ▁and ▁we aving ▁of ▁sil k ▁can ▁be ▁trac ed ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁island ' s ▁earliest ▁sett lers , ▁and ▁Mad agas car ' s ▁national ▁dress , ▁the ▁w oven ▁l amba , ▁has ▁evol ved ▁into ▁a ▁varied ▁and ▁ref ined ▁art . ▁ ▁The ▁S out heast ▁Asian ▁cultural ▁influence