MALAYSIA CULTURE

CULTURES HAVE BEEN MEETING IN AND MINING HERE SINCE ITS HISTORY 35 YEARS B.C. IN THE BUJANG CHINA AND INDIAN TRADERS BUDDISM AND HINDUISM ALSO CAME TO MALAYSIA WITH SILKS. A THOUSAND YEARS LATER ARAB TRADER BROUGHT PRACTICES OF ISLAM. PORTUGUESE CAME WHEN MALAYSIA WAS MORE AN URBAN CENTER THAN THEIR OWN. EAST INDIANS VISITED MALAYSIA FOR OVER 2000 YEARS BUT DID NOT SETTLE HERE UNTIL THE 19TH CENTURY. THEY WORKED AS RUBBER TAPPERS OR SOME BUSINESSMEN. 10% OF MALAYSIA IS IN INDIA. THEY HAVE BUILT HINDU TEMPLES AND RESTAURANTS.

A MALAYSIAN WEDDING CEREMONY USES HINDU TRADITIONS. THEY DRESS IN BROCADES. THEY FEED EACH OTHER RICE WITH HANDS PAINTED WITH HENNA. THE MUSLIMS HAVE ADAPTED THE CHINESE CUSTOM OF GIVING RED PACKETS OF MONEY AT FESTIVALS AND THEY AND THEY HAVE ARABIC WRITING ON THEM.

THERE ARE MANY CULTURES HERE. THE BEST WAY TO LOOK AT THE OPEN DOOR POLICY IS TO BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND THE HIGHLY COMPLEX CULTURAL INTERACTION WHICH IS MALAYSIAN IS DURING RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS. ALTHOUGH MANY CULTURES THEY ARE OPEN TO THE OTHER CULTURES AS WELL. IT BREAKS DOWN CULTURAL BARRIERS AND FOSTERS UNDERSTANDING. IT'S A POSITIVE CELEBRATION OF TOLERANCE. THAT HAS FOR MILLENIA FORMED MALAYSIA'S PROGRESS.

TRIBAL PEOPLE ARE THE OLDEST FOLKS HERE. THEY REPRESENT 5% OF THE POPULATION. MUSIC AND DANCE INSEPARABLE TO MALAYSIAN CULTURE. THEIR DANCES VARY WIDELY. MUCH OF THEIR MUSIC AND DANCE EVOLVED FROM MORE BASIC NEEDS INTO COMPLEX ART FORMS.

TRADITIONAL MUSIC IS A HYPNOTIC BEAT OF MALAYSIA. THEIR SONGS ARE MUSIC FOR COURT DANCES. THEY USED GIANT DRUMS TO COMMUNICATE FROM TOWN TO TOWN, ANNOUNCE A WEDDING AND WARN OF DANGERS. THEY HAVE AN ELEGANT DANCE FORM THAT ONCE WAS A MARTIAL ART.

THE CANDLE DANCE IS ONE OF MALAYSIANS BEST AND IS MOST BREATH TAKING ARTS. CANDLES ARE ON PLATES AND HELD IN BOTH HANDS AS DANCERS PERFORM! THE FLAMES BECOME A HYPNOTIC TRANCE.
THE JOGET IS THE MOST POPULAR DANCE WITH A POPULAR TRADITIONAL DANCE. IT IS FROM A PORTUGUESE TRADITIONAL FOLK DANCE. THEY HAVE OTHER DRAMA DANCES. MODERN SYNTHESIZERS ACCOMPANY THE DANCES.

ONE CRAFT TO FORGE A KRIS BLADE IS BY USING LAYERS OF IRON FROM A METEORITE. IT TAKES MONTHS AND THE CRAFTER CONTACTS THE SPIRIT OF KRIS BY A DREAM. THE HINDUS DYE FABRIC; THEY MAKE KITES. THEY MAKE THE WORLD'S FINEST PEWTER OBJECTS FROM TIN. THEY WORK THE RATTAN TREE AND SAGO FOR WEAVING CHAIRS.

THEY ALSO CARVE WOOD FORMS FOR HOUSES, ALTARS, AND TEMPLES, AND BOATS. THEY HAVE SOME NATIONAL PARKS AND PRESERVES. MUCH OF THEIR LAND IS IN RAIN FOREST WITH MANY ANIMAL SPECIES. SOME ARE RARE LIZARDS, SUN BEAR AND A LEOPARD. MEN HAVE LIVED HERE NOMADICALLY FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS. ARCHAEOLOGISTS HAVE JUST STARTED WORKING HERE. MALAYSIANS HAVE ABOUT 1/2 MILLION HECTARES OF CONSERVATION AREAS AND ARE PROTECTED BY LEGISLATION. THEIR LEGEND LIVE IN FORESTS AND PLANTS AND ANIMALS. THERE WERE BENEVOLENT SPIRITS AND LESS SO. THERE WERE MANY TALES. THE ORANG ASLI BELIEVE THEIR SOULS TRAVEL DURING SLEEP. THEIR FOOD IS A MIXTURE OF CHINA'S CANTON AND SOUTHERN INDIA. THEY HAVE MANY TROPICAL; FRUITS AND SEAFOOD MIXED WITH CURRIES AND CHILIES OF INDIA. THEY MAY HAVE MANY TROPICAL FRUITS AND SEAFOOD MIXED WITH CURRIES AND CHILIES OF INDIA. COCONUT MILK IS A DELICIOUS DRINK AND FOUND EVERYWHERE. THEY EAT RICE AT EACH MEAL. THERE IS NO BEEF. THEY HAVE MANY FAVORITE DISHES.

GEOGRAPHIA.COM