Malaysia

Having had an interesting past and being a part of the international spice route many hundreds of years ago, Malaysia has turned into a mosaic of cultures. Everything from its people to its architecture reflect a colourful heritage and an amalgamated culture. From magnificent tribal head-feathers with bark body-covers to antique gold-woven royal songket fabric, the array of Malaysia s traditional costumes and te!tiles are stunningly diverse and colourful. "n the early days, the aboriginal tribes wore native bark costumes and beads. #ith the advent of the ancient kingdoms, hand-loomed fine te!tiles and intricate Malay batik were used by the Malay royalty. $s foreign trade flourished, costumes and te!tiles such as %hinese silk, the "ndian pulicat or plaid sarong and the $rabian &ubbah a robe with wide sleeves were introduced to the country. 'oday, traditional attire such as the Malay ba&u kebaya, "ndian saree and %hinese cheongsam are still widely worn. 'wo integral aspects of the culture of Malaysia are music and dance. (oth of these evolved from more basic needs into the spellbinding, comple! art forms that they are today. Music in Malaysia was born out of necessity. "n order to live comfortably in an age without phones, computers and fa! machines, musical instruments like such as the rebana, or giant drums, were used as essential tools of communication Malaysia boasts a delightful variety of traditional handicrafts. %hoices range from priceless authentic antiques to e!quisite modern hand-made crafts. $s most artisans are Muslims, Malaysian handicraft designs are heavily influenced by "slam. 'he religion prohibits the depiction of the human form in art. Hence, most designs are based on natural elements such as the interlacing of leaves or vines, flowers and animals. )opular items of traditional design include )erak s labu sayong, geluk, belanga, %hinese dragon kiln ceramics and *arawakian tribal motif pottery. %ontemporary items include vases, flower pots, decorative pottery, sculpture and kitchenware. Malaysia+s culinary tradition reflects the waves of immigration, settlement and assimilation that brought uniquely delicious flavours from its multicultural Malay, "ndian, %hinese and Eurasian population. $ Malay meal always revolves around rice, accompanied with assorted curries, fried chicken or fish, vegetable dishes, and small portions of condiments, calledsambal. *ome of these condiments can be harsh to the #estern palate, particularlysambal belacan, which is made with e!tremely pungent fermented shrimp paste. $s all Malays are Muslim, you won t find pork on the menu and most restaurants are halal. #here mutton is listed, most times it is goat, which is preferred over lamb for its less musty taste and aroma. )robably one of the most famous Malay dishes is satay, delicious barbecued skewers of marinated chicken, beef, or mutton dipped in a peanut sauce. $nother culinary favourite is ikan bakar, which is fish covered in chilli sauce and grilled in foil over an open flame.

-ariety is the spice in Malay food. 'he traditional culinary style has been greatly influenced by the early traders from other countries, such as "ndonesia, "ndia, the Middle East, and %hina. Malay food is often described as spicy and flavourful as it utili.es a melting pot of spices and herbs. 'he most widespread holiday is Hari /ebangsaan 0"ndependence 1ay2, otherwise known as Merdeka 0Freedom2, on 34 $ugust commemorating the independence of the Federation of Malaysia.'his, along with 5abour 1ay, 04 May2, the /ing+s birthday 0first *aturday of 6une2, and some other festivals are ma&or national public holidays. Federal 'erritory day is celebrated in the three federal territories. Marking the end of 7amadan 0which is a month-long period where fasting takes place from sunrise to sunset2 is the biggest event of the Muslim calendar. 'he Hari 7aya $idilfitri festivities take centre stage and it is worth visiting areas where this is celebrated to take in the &oyous nature of the Muslim celebrants. 'his is a time when you will see Malay families dressed up in their best traditional outfit to mark this special occasion. *imilar to the %hinese during %hinese 8ew 9ear, the Malays also have the tradition of giving Hong (ao 0red packets containing money2 but on this occasion it is known as duit raya and is given in green packets. 'he culture in Malaysia is as varied as the diversity of its people. Malaysians are viewed as polite and helpful people with a sunny disposition that matches the hot tropical climate. -isitors behaving courteously stand little chance of unintentionally giving offence, but if visiting rural areas and especially someone+s private home, it helps to know something about the local norms. Malaysia is a multicultural society with "slam as the dominant religion, whose followers make up :4 per cent of the population, but the constitution guarantees religious freedom for many other faiths. $lthough the country has a secular constitution, debate continues about whether Malaysia should be a secular or "slamic state, with politics often becoming entwined with religion.