Malaysia Culture

CULTURE Malaysia is a multi-racial country with a rich cultural heritage. The base of the national culture is Malay culture, which is native to this region. Islamic values are embedded in Malay Culture. The Malay culture emphasises values on courtesy, moderation, tolerance, harmony and cordial relations among family members, neighbours and community. As Malaysian respect each other\'s beliefs and faiths, cultural and religious festivals such as Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Christmas, Gawai Day and other auspicious occasions are given due importance. One of the unique features of Malaysia is its multi-racial population which practises various religions such as Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism and Christianity. Each ethnic group has its own beliefs. Under the Federal Constitution, Islam is the official religion of Malaysia but there is freedom of worship. The Malay Language is the national language of the country. However, the people are free to use their mother tongue and other languages. English as the second language is widely used in business.

Malaysia reflects different cultural traditions, including those of China, India, the Middle East, Europe, and the entire Malay Archipelago. Early Malay empires absorbed Indian influences, such as Hindu epics and the Sanskrit language. The kingdom of Malacca, centered in the present-day state of Melaka, developed as an Islamic state, or sultanate, in the 1400s. Later, new cultural influences from Europe and China mixed with Hindu and Islamic traditions. A collective but distinctively Malay cultural pattern has emerged out of all these influences, with artistic expressions in literature, music, dance, and art forms. External cultural influences have made the least impact in music, dancing, literature, and the decorative arts. In East Malaysia the indigenous cultural background includes no written history or literature. Architecture is little developed, and the principal art forms are dancing and handicrafts, represented notably by the textiles handwoven by the Punan tribe, cloth made by the Bajau people, patterned rattan mats and basketwork, and wood carvings. Particularly on the peninsula, the artistic manifestations of Malay culture are mainly in literature, music, dancing, and the decorative arts. Painting and sculpture are poorly developed, primarily because Islam does not encourage the representation of the human form. Examples of Malay decorative arts include batik cloth (cloth hand-dyed by using a special technique), silverware, the handmade kris (a short sword or heavy dagger with a wavy blade), wood carving, and basketwork. Malaysian Chinese culture is derived from Chinese civilization and is represented by literature, drama, music, painting, and architecture. Some Malaysian artists—of Malay, Chinese, and Indian origin—also have begun to produce new, synthesized, and distinctively Malaysian art forms, especially in painting and architecture.