The Culture of Malaysia

The country’s culture is a combination of Chinese, Indian, Thai, and several native tribes. According to the report of census in 2000, over half of the populations in Malaysia are Islam. Other religions practiced in the country are Buddhism, Christianity, Daoism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Shamanism. The national language of the country is Bahasa Malaysia. Other languages practiced in the country are English and Malay slang words, which are spoken in the urban areas.

The usual handicrafts of the country are the textiles, which are natural fiber produced by the Punan tribes, woodcarvings, patterned mats, basketwork and batik cloth. "Batik" is the traditional formal attire of the Malay male and "Baju Kebaya" for female. Malaysian music is greatly influenced by Islamic and Chinese styles. It is based on the drum (gendang) and other instruments like gongs, flutes and trumpets. Some of the traditional dance was originated by Indian, Portuguese and Thai.

One of the oldest sports in the country is Kite-flying, which started during the period of Melakan court. Silat is a Malaysian art of defense and popular sport for both men and women. Other recognized sports in the country include badminton, baseball, car racing, cricket, field hockey, football, golf, horse racing, ping pong, powerboat racing, squash, soccer and tennis.

Malaysian cuisine is a mixture of Thai, Indian, Chinese and other cultures to create a fruitful and new cuisine of their own. The primary foods of the Malayans are noodles, rice and seafood. The Malaysians usually like hot food with lots of spices. The main ingredient in Malaysian cuisines is belachan, prepared with baby shrimps and used to make curries and sauces to give flavor to any food.