Culture of Malaysia The culture of Malaysia is quite varied and sees influences from other cultures as well.

Here's an overview about the Malaysian culture. Family life is of utmost importance and holds a strong place in this culture. The Malay culture is native to Malaysia. It is a place which boasts of a rich cultural heritage. The country sees a healthy mix of various tribes such as the Malay, the Chinese and even the Indians. The Malaysian culture has also witnessed heavy influences from the other cultures as well. Malaysia also offers you loads of things to do and beautiful sights to see and one can notice that its culture is as beautiful as the place. Here's a look at the culture of Malaysia and factors associated with it.

Glimpses of the Culture of Malaysia

The People Malaysia is a country that is known for its rich and cultural heritage. Here, people strongly believe in respecting each other's culture and religion. Here, one can find a good mix of Malay, Chinese and even Indian communities. The Malay people cover more than half of the population of Malaysia. As per the laws of the Malaysian Constitution, all Malays are basically Muslims and one can get a glimpse of the traditional Malay culture in the village areas.

The Malaysian culture also includes the Chinese and they were known to have adopted the Malaysian culture since the ancient days. With the practice of intermixed marriages there emerged a whole new group where the males were called the babas and the females were known as the nyonyas. The Chinese therefore are the second largest group out here.

The Indians are the third largest group of people that form a major part of the Malaysian culture. The Indians had always visited this place since the ancient days.

Thus we see how different races have formed a part of the culture of Malaysia. The unity in diversity can be seen in the celebration of various festivals by all races that reside here. Apart from this, there are also certain tribes that form the oldest inhabitants of Malaysia. This forms to be at least 5 percent of the total population.

The Lifestyle The Malaysian culture shows a lot of modern influences that is seen in the western culture today. Today, we can see many influences even in the native families, which speak the

English language and follow a modern culture of pubbing and are a party going lot. This does not mean that they do not follow their customs and traditions. Today, young girls still use a piece of cloth that covers their head which is called Tudung. Family values forms still have a strong foothold in the culture of Malaysia.

The Music The Malaysian music has seen influences from the Indonesia, Portugal and even has influences from Thai forms and Chinese styles. The pop scene has seen many developments in Malaysia and the more traditional kind of music was popularized in the 1920s-1930s. Yet another genre, the Pop Yeh-Yeh ruled the Malaysian music scenario in from the year 1965 to 1971. Malaysian bands were heavily influenced with bands such as Scorpians and Def Leppard before the mid 1980s.

The Artwork and Handicrafts A lot of influences can be seen in Malaysian art. External influences have made their presence felt in music, dancing and even literature apart from art. The traditional handicrafts include the textiles which are woven by the Punan tribes, basketwork, woodcarvings, patterned mats, etc. The decorative art that belonged to the Malaysian art also includes batik cloth, which is dyed by hand with the help of a special technique.

Batik Art Designs. Batik today, is found not only in the form of paintings but the patterns are also used on garments as well. From the walls of the living room, traditional Batik has reached the urban markets as supermodels all around the world sashay in sarongs or caftans made from the unique Batik technique. Unfortunately, a lot of fabrics have cropped up which only resemble Batik but are not actually made employing the traditional techniques. Batik and Tie and Dye can also go hand in hand to create beautiful works of art. This may not always be possible if you employ the old methods and techniques. Let us take a look into the old and new techniques of Batik and how this form has added so much color into our lives. History of Batik Batik and Tie and Dye are the most popular and attractive forms of art. Individuals have shown a major inclination towards this art right from the olden days. Batik has carved a niche for itself in the field of arts and craft. One can easily recognize a Batik item as it has established its own identity. This process has been used to create various designs and patterns on dress materials, home furnishings etc., not only in Indonesia, but all around the world. This art has thus played an important part in creating designer garments and decorative items for your homes. As a result over the years the popularity of Batik and Tie and Dye has increased. Batik has its origins in Indonesia. This word is derived from the Javanese word "amba" (to

write) and "titik"(for dot or point). This ancient art originated more precisely in the famous island of Java. The Europeans were the first and foremost to learn this art. They took it on from here and introduced it in their own countries. The Persians and Egyptians have also been known to use colorful materials made from Batik later on. The Batik process and techniques gained prominence when it gradually spread to other countries. Countries like Japan, India, China and Africa have used their own style and interpretations of this art. This resulted in Batik being known as a decorative form of art. A lot of experiments have been carried out till date, in this regard. The Indians first realized the importance of this art form once they visited Indonesia. The development of Batik and Tie and Dye reached its peak in Rajashtan wherein the women made items like dress materials (bandhani's), bed sheets, wall hangings in Batik and tie and dye. Of late though, Batik is also recognized more as handicraft. Initially Batik and Tie and Dye were popular only as a hobby but in recent times, it has gained a status as an independent profession. A lot of people have turned it into a lucrative business. Although it is a very old art form, Batik has gained impetus only over the last few years. A number of colleges and educational institutes are also offering courses in this regard. Artists are using these techniques to translate their own ideas not only into patterns designed for useful materials, but also as an art form to produce two-dimensional decorative wall hangings and paintings. It is also a craft that is well within the capabilities of the nonspecialists. Old Batik Techniques and Process Batik constitutes the process wherein a line or a patch is drawn with wax on cloth. This is done so that the surface is protected from the color. When it is dipped in the dye, the color does not penetrate the area that has been waxed. The wax resists the color therefore the surface is divided into dyed and un-dyed areas. This is what makes the pattern. Similarly in Tie and Dye process, the pattern is achieved, as the dye does not penetrate the tied areas of the cloth. Here, you substitute the wax with a string to tie the cloth. Sometimes tools like the tjanting (container with a long slender spout) or even a simple brush can be used to apply the wax. The colors or dyes used have to be prepared only in containers made of enamel, steel or plastic. (The properties of the material of the container can affect the dye). After waxing, the material is dipped in a dye bath. The first color is the lightest tone to be used. The old process of Batik does not allow the artist to apply many colors in one go. However, the modern techniques have advanced and have made it easy for the artist, wherein one can use the brush to apply many colors in one go! Next, the cloth is again covered with wax on areas that have to retain the first color. This process continues till the darkest shade is achieved. Always maintain the color scale as the old process involves many steps to obtain a particular shade. After the last dyeing, the material is dried and placed between two layers of absorbent

papers. The wax needs to be ironed out of the material into the paper. This would reveal the pattern or picture that has been permanently dyed into the cloth. In Batik, whether you employ the old or even the new process, the end result is always an exciting moment as one can never be sure of the perfect separation of colors. The characteristic of the Batik process is the cracks in the design due to the wax. The wax being brittle, cracks and the dye penetrates the waxed area. This results in the beautiful spider web design wherever the wax has been applied. The Batik fabric being used should generally be a pure form of fabric, like pure cotton or pure silk. Any blend in the material can interfere with the way the colors look after washing.

The Cuisine Rice is always the main food ingredient in Malaysian cuisine. Rice and noodles are a most favored combination. This cuisine also includes many dishes that use an array of seafood. One can even see an influence of the Indian cuisine such as naan, puris, idlis and even rotis that form a part of breakfast in the Malaysian cuisine.

Thus we can see that the Malay culture is really varied with influences from various other cultures as well. This is one place, which sees an equal amount of respect for all races and religion. Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/culture-of-malaysia.html