▁traditional ▁Mal ag asy ▁communities . ▁This ▁tradition ▁was ▁continued ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century ▁by ▁such ▁artists ▁as ▁Jean - Jose ph ▁Rab ear iv elo , ▁who ▁is ▁considered ▁Africa ' s ▁first ▁modern ▁poet , ▁and ▁El ie ▁R aja on ar ison , ▁an ▁exempl ar ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁wave ▁of ▁Mal ag asy ▁poetry . ▁Mad agas car ▁has ▁also ▁developed ▁a ▁rich ▁musical ▁her itage , ▁emb od ied ▁in ▁do z ens ▁of ▁regional ▁musical ▁gen res ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁coast al ▁sale gy ▁or ▁high land ▁hi rag asy ▁that ▁en l iven ▁village ▁gather ings , ▁local ▁dance ▁flo ors ▁and ▁national ▁air w aves . ▁Mad agas car ▁also ▁has ▁a ▁growing ▁culture ▁of ▁classical ▁music ▁fost ered ▁through ▁youth ▁academ ies , ▁organizations ▁and ▁orch est ras ▁that ▁promote ▁youth ▁invol vement ▁in ▁classical ▁music . ▁ ▁The ▁pl astic ▁arts ▁are ▁also ▁w ides p read ▁throughout ▁the ▁island . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁the ▁tradition ▁of ▁sil k ▁we aving ▁and ▁l amba ▁production , ▁the ▁we aving ▁of ▁ra ff ia ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁plant ▁materials ▁has ▁been ▁used ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁wide ▁array ▁of ▁practical ▁items ▁such ▁as ▁floor ▁m ats , ▁b ask ets , ▁purs es ▁and ▁h ats . ▁Wood ▁car ving ▁is ▁a ▁highly ▁developed ▁art ▁form , ▁with ▁distinct ▁regional ▁styles ▁evident ▁in ▁the ▁decor ation ▁of ▁bal con y ▁rail ings ▁and ▁other ▁architect ural ▁elements . ▁S cul pt ors