There is a wide diversity in ethnicity, culture, and religion, making it an attractive spot for tourists. Malaysia's varied culture enables the country to host multiple festivals throughout the year. Thus, the country is listed at the 9th position among the most visited places in the world.
Almost 7% of the world's economy is contributed by tourism. Besides the history, religion, and culture, the lifestyle of different groups of people is different despite living in the same country. In this article, you'll learn about the facts about this culture and traditions.
Facts About Malaysian Culture
There is a big influence on Malaysia from both the East and the West. It makes the country a favorite spot for tourists from all over the world. From the history to the traditions, sports, arts, and languages, you can enjoy a variety of things here. Following are the facts about Malaysian culture and lifestyle that you must know.
History Of Malaysia
The first group of people who started to live here are the Indigenous tribes that are still present in the country. In ancient times, trading enabled other ethnicities, like Indian, Chinese, British, Arabic, etc, to enter the country. These different ethnicities then start to practice their culture and traditions separately.
In the 15th century, the Malacca Sultanate brought Islam into this region and took over most of modern Malaysia. About half of the Malaysian population is occupied by Malays, who are the dominant people of the country.
Tradition Of Malaysia
Some people think it is a hub of weird traditions in Malaysia throughout the year. For Muslims, the major tradition is the fasting holidays, Eid UL Fitr and Eid UL Adha. Buddhists celebrate the Wesak day, the Chinese celebrate the New Year's Day, and Hindus celebrate the Diwali festivals.
In the same way, Christians celebrate Christmas as a traditional activity in Malaysia. The whole year is spent with these traditions at different times. Thus, Malaysia's traditions are unique and interesting all over the world.
Malaysia Culture Food
As a tourist, you'll find many options to eat your favorite cuisines like Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Thai, Laksa, Roti John, vegetarian, etc. This country is blessed with the most amazing food culture all over the world.
You can also try cost-effective street foods and local cuisine. These are the highlighted foods that you can enjoy as a tourist if you have a tight budget.
Sports And Games
Malaysia is a famous country in Southeast Asia and a favorite destination for tourists. It is also famous for various sports and games like football, badminton, and hockey. There are also small-scale traditional sports to exhibit the culture of the country.
These include Way, Sepak Takraw, Dragon dancing, Dragon boat racing, etc. However, in 1953, the Federation of Malaya Olympic Council was introduced to participate in the Olympic games.
Malaysian Languages
Like its traditions and food, Malaysia is also famous for its different languages. The native language is Bahasa Malaysia, which is also the country's national language. However, the Indian group of people is the smallest among the three main ethnic groups, making up 10% of the overall population.
This Indian group speaks different South Indian languages like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalees, etc. Moreover, there is a mixture of European and Malay people who adopt the Malay culture but speak their own language.
Malaysian Religion
The most dominant religion in Malaysia is Islam, which covers about 63.5% of the population. Other religions include Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, etc. All Malay Muslims exhibit a major position of 17.6 million people, as per 2023 stats.
Other religions that include the 0.9% of the population are Animism, Folk religion, Sikhism, Baha'i faith, etc. Every person has freedom in their religion, but Islam is recognized as the religion of the Federation.
Architecture Of Malaysia
Different architectures exhibit the tradition and history of Malaysia. Vernacular architecture is the traditional style that you'll mostly see there. However, new materials like glass were brought by Europeans, which changed the old architecture. There are traditional houses with high roofs and large windows.
Also, it exhibits the history of this country. Different architectures include Candi, Malay houses, Baba Nyonya, longhouses, colonial buildings, modern architecture, etc.
Art And Craft
There is a variety of arts and crafts that exhibit the traditions of this country. This includes embroidery, silver and bronze statues, carpets, textiles, woodwork, deities, etc. However, traditional art includes handmade baskets, silverwork, kris, beetle nuts, etc.
As each group of people in Malaysia has a different ethnicity, they have different art skills as per their traditions. There are traditional masks, pottery, and ceramics that people love to buy. Many people from different ethnic groups also merge themselves with the local culture and live a life different from their ethnic groups.
Shopping In Malaysia
Shopping in Malaysia will also help you to explore its culture. There are various shops where you can see different interesting and beautiful things to buy. These include textile arts, embroidered cloths, printed cloths, simple fabric, etc. These beautiful clothes and artworks are sold throughout the country.
The East Coast is especially famous for these things to buy. If you want to see traditional or local clothes, artwork, or any other such thing, the East Coast will be the best option. On this side of the country, you can visit the Kota Bharu, where you'll explore different colorful kites. Other things include kris, vases, figurines, etc.
People Of Malaysia
With time, there have been many immigrants that make the country have different groups of people. The 50% Malays population was inhabited in the Malay Peninsula and Pacific Island, Kampuchea, almost 3000 years ago. This place is very close to Sumatra and Malay, where the Malacca Strait is present.
It served as a transition point for different ethnic groups for centuries. Before the advent of Islam here, the people were animists who believed in the healing power of nature. Some parts of Malaysian society still hold such beliefs as bomoh and pawang.
Conclusion
We have explained the overall culture of Malaysia with unique styles, but it is up to you what you want to see among these as a tourist. With different styles, traditions, arts, festivals, and religions, Malaysia is a fabulous place to visit if you love to explore the history of anything.
