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Culture
 Malaysia
is home to a diverse culture that has been marked
by many external and internal influences throughout
its history. The cultures of the original Malays,
the Chinese and the Indians have had a lasting
influence on the country. In addition, there has
also been a large array of indigenous tribes in
Malaysia. Even with their maintained traditions
and structures, the different cultures have blended
together to create a unique Malaysian heritage.
The original Malay are Malaysia's largest ethnic
group and account for over half of the population.
Almost all of them are Muslims. Their cultural
center is usually around villages. The Chinese
form more than one-third of the population and
are generally regarded as Malaysia's businessmen.
Most of the Chinese in Malaysia are Tao Buddhist.
About 10 percent of the Malaysian population in
Indian. Although the Indians have been visiting
Malaysia for over 2,000 years, they really only
began to settle in Malaysia during the 19th century.
Many of the Indians have worked as rubber tappers
while others have built the infrastructure or
worked as administrators and small businessmen.
The Indian culture in Malaysia is visible throughout
with its exquisite Hindu temples, cuisine, and
colorful garments. The tribal peoples make up
about 5 percent of the total population. They
represent the majority in both Sarawak and Sabah.
They are the oldest inhabitants of Malaysia and
prefer to be categorized by their individual tribes.
They all generally share a strong spiritual tie
to the rain forest.
Due to the maintaining of the traditions and community
structures of the different cultures in Malaysia,
it is possible to travel through several different
locations within the country and feel as if you've
traveled through different nations or you can
visit a single city such as Kuala Lumpur and find
a little bit of everything.
Cultural activities that can be found include
music, dance, theater, crafts, cuisine and games
and pastimes. Music and dance have become almost
inseparable, as it has evolved into a complex
art form. The wayang julit a shadow puppet play
is the best known Malaysian theater event. It
draws its inspiration fro the Ramayana, the Hindi
epic, comprised of a potpourri of immortal tales.
The more popular crafts in Malaysia include batik
the art of dying fabric, kite making, pewter making,
knife making, weaving and wood carving. Malaysia
produces what many people consider to be the most
delicious cuisine in the world with fresh tropical
fruits and succulent seafood as featured ingredients.
Much of Malayisa's leisure time is occupied by
elaborate competitions such as kite flying. Some
such competitions bring people from around the
world to Malaysia. |
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