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The
Malay are Malaysia's
largest ethnic group, accounting for over half the population and
the national language. With the oldest indigenous peoples they form
a group called bumiputera, which translates as
"sons" or "princes of the soil."
Almost all
Malays are Muslims, though Islam here is less extreme than in the
Middle East.
Traditional Malay culture centers around the kampung,
or village, though today one is just
as likely to find Malays in the
cities. |
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The
Chinese traded with
Malaysia for centuries, then settled in number during the 19th
century when word of riches in the Nanyang, or
"South Seas," spread across China.
Though perhaps a
stereotype, the Chinese are regarded as Malaysia's businessmen,
having succeeded in many industries. When they first arrived,
however, Chinese often worked the most grueling jobs like tin mining
and railway construction.
Most Chinese are Tao Buddhist and retain
strong ties to their ancestral homeland. They form about 35 percent
of the population. |
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Indians had been visiting
Malaysia for over 2,000 years, but did not settle en masse until the
19th century. Most came from South India, fleeing a poor economy. Arriving in Malaysia, many worked as rubber tappers, while others
built the infrastructure or worked as administrators and small
businessmen.
Today ten percent of Malaysia is Indian.
Their culture -- with it's exquisite
Hindu temples, cuisine, and colorful
garments -- is visible throughout the
land. |
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The oldest inhabitants of Malaysia are
its tribal peoples. They account for about 5 percent of the total
population, and represent a majority in Sarawak and Sabah. Though
Malaysia's tribal people prefer to be categorized by their
individual tribes, peninsular Malaysia blankets them under the term Orang
Asli, or "Original People."
In Sarawak, the
dominant tribal groups are the Dayak, who typically
live in longhouses and are either Iban (Sea Dayak) or
Bidayuh (land Dayak).
In Sabah, most tribes fall under the
term Kadazan. All of Malaysia's tribal people
generally share a strong spiritual tie to the rain forest. |
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