Traditional Culture In Malaysia

 IDENTIFICATION

Malaysia is a multiracial country living in a safe and peacefully. Major races in Malaysia are Malays, Chinese and Indians. Malays are the biggest community in Malaysia, followed by Chinese and Indians.

TRADITIONAL ATTIRES

"Baju" is the term for clothing in Malay language. Since Malaysia comprises three major cultures; Malay, Chinese and Indian, each culture has their own traditional and religious articles of clothing all of which are gender specific and maybe adapted to local influences and conditions.

Baju Melayu And Baju Kurung

Baju Kebaya

• MALAY

Traditional Malay attire for men is the baju melayu, a loose tunic which is worn over trousers and usually accompanied with a sarong called a sampin which is wrapped around the hips. It is also often accompanied with a songkok or a kopiah.

Malay women wear the baju kurung, a knee-length blouse worn over a long skirt. The blouse is long sleeved and collarless, while the skirt is called a kain, has pleats on one side. A headscarf is sometimes worn with this. Another popular traditional costume is the kebaya. A more tight-fitting two-piece dress. This is often considered less formal.

            

Cheongsam 

       

Samfoo

           

• CHINESE 

The Chinese women wear the Cheongsam, a one-piece dress with a high collar, diagnolly closed with small clips or toggles. It sometimes can have slits at the side, as is made with a soft fabric such as silk. The cheongsam is especially popular around the time of Chinese New Year and other formal gatherings.

Samfoo means 'shirt and pants' in Cantonese dialect. It is a favored attire by older well-respected men. This samfoo looks like pajamas with a separate loose fitting top fastened by toggles and ankle lenghth, or above the ankle, pants.

Sari

Dhoti

     

• INDIANS

The sari is the traditional dress that is the favored attire for women in India. Sari is the traditional dress for women and can also be used as a everyday clothing or during the festive season. Sari consists of sheets of fabric that are half of two meters width. The long of the fabric is between five to fifteen meters according to size of the women who wore the Sari. The fabric is rare and soft, bright hued, and decorated with beads.

Dhoti is the clothing for men. This dress is made of white colour material. This dhoti can only be seen on the wedding day. Dhoti made of a sheets of white cloth wrapped around. The another material is tied around the hips and thighs and then then slit on the shoulder. Then, it will be add at the fabric decorated with tiny beads that make the dhoti looks more intresting.

CELEBRATION

Malaysia culture is multi-faceted. Each of these facets is adorned with a celebration of it's own. Celebration in Malaysia are celebrated with much splendour and enthusiasm. Malaysians have embraced each and every culture with open arms, and this is why they celebrate festivals from accross the world with so much exuberance.

HARI RAYA / EID MUBARAK

• Hari Raya is one of the most prominent festivals celebrated in Malaysia. As the majority of the population residing in Malaysia follows Islam. Hari Raya is celebrated during the 6th month of the lunar calendar for a period of one month. Muslims observe daily fasts from dawn to dusk and refrain from consuming food and wrong-doing. Hari Raya is celebrated on the last day of Ramadan. It`s marks the end of the fasting period for muslims.

DEEPAVALI

• Deepavali is a festival celebrated by Indians living in Malaysia. This is the festival of lights. It is signifies the victory of light and hope over darkness. House and streets of Malaysia are adorned with colourful lights and oils lamps. The day starts off by taking a bath with oil and praying. Later, during the day processions, street fairs, fireworks and get-togethers take place. The aromas of a variety of dishes lingering across the streets is one of the things that truly symbolises the festivies of Deepavali in the areas where Indians live in a large number.

THAIPUSAM

• Thaipusam is largely celebrated by the Tamil community in Malaysia. Thai means the month, and pusam means star. Thaipusam is celebrated in January/ February when the star is at the highest. The celebrations in Malaysia starts off by visitting the Sri Mahamariamman Temple and proceeds to Batu Caves. This festival sees a footfall of over a million devotes from across the globe. Some devotees go to an extent of piercing their bodies and carrying sacrificial burdens called Kavadis to beseech their blessings.

CHINESE NEW YEAR

• This is the time when Malaysia turns red. All the Chinese living in Malaysia decorate their houses and streets with traditional red decorations, they do so in order to ward off evil spirits. As a part of the 15 day long celebration lion and dragons dances accompanied by fireworks are performed across Malaysia. Family get togethers, cooking of numerous dishes on the same day, and decorating houses are a few things that happen during the Chinese New Year