History

Situated in the heart of Southeast Asia at one of the world's major crossroads, Malaysia has always been pivotal to trade routes from Europe, the Orient, India and China. Its warm tropical climate and abundant natural blessings made it a congenial destination for immigrants as early as 5,000 years ago when the ancestors of the Orang Asli, the indigenous peoples of Peninsular Malaysia, settle here, probably the pioneers of a general movement from China and Tibet. They were followed by the Malays, who brought with them skills in farming and the use of metals. Around the first century BC, strong trading links were established with China and India, and these had a major impact on the culture, language and social customs of the country. Evidence of a Hindu-Buddhist period in the history of Malaysia can today be found in the temple sites of the Bujang Valley and Merbok Estuary in Kedah in the north west of Peninsular Malaysia, near the Thai border. The spread of Islam, introduced by Arab and Indian traders, brought the Hindu-Buddhist era to an end by the 13th century. With the conversion of the Malay-Hindu rulers of the Melaka Sultanate (the Malay kingdom which ruled both side of the Straits of Malaka for over a hundred years),, Islam was established as the religion of the Malays, and had profound effect on Malay society.
 
The arrival of Europeans in Malaysia brought a dramatic change to the country. In 1511, the Portuguese captured Malaka and the rulers of the Melaka Sultanate fled south to Johor where they tried to establish a new kingdom. They were resisted not only by the Europeans but by the Acehnese, Minangkabau and the Bugis, resulting in the sovereign units of the present-day states of Peninsular Malaysia. The Portuguese were in turn defeated in 1641 by the Dutch, who colonized Melaka until the advent of the British in the Dutch exerted any profound influence on Malay society. The British acquired Melaka from the Dutch in 1824 in exchange for Bencoolen in Sumatra. From their new bases in Malaka, Penang and Singapore, collectively known as the Straits settlements, the British, through their influence and power, began the process of political intergration of the Malay states of Peninsular Malaysia.                            

After World War II and the Japanese occupation from 1941-45, the British created the Malayan Union 1946.This was abandoned in 1948 and the Federation of Malaya emerged in its place. The Federation gained its independence from Britain on 31 August 1957.In September 1963, Malaya, Sarawak, Sabah, and initially Singapore united to form Malaysia, a country whose potpourri of society and customs derives from its rich heritage from four of the world's major cultures - Chinese, Indian, Islamic and Western.

Arts & Crafts

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multicultural country where people of different religion, country and race live in a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. The eclectic culture of the country is reflected through the Arts and Crafts in Malaysia.
Music, dance, painting and sculptors are integral components of arts in Malaysia.

Music in Malaysia is also diverse; music of the country bears the influences of Indonesian, Thai, Portuguese, Filipino and Chinese music. Different provinces of the country are resided by people from different cultural backgrounds and musical taste. As the result of this, the music of the country varies from region to region. For example Ghazals from Arabia are popular in Kuala Lumpur and Rongeng and on the other hand a kind of folk music, is favored in Malacca. But then at the same time some forms of music are popular throughout the country like Zapin music and dance originating from Arabia and Donadang Sayang. Besides these, Malaysian music has also been considerably influenced by European and American music as a result of which Malaysia has witnessed the rise of numerous pop singers and rock bands in the recent years.

As far as dance is concerned, there is no shortage of traditional dances in Malaysia. Joget is a traditional dance form that is generally accompanied by flute and dance, Inang is a Malay folk dance performed in front of royal guests. Other performing arts include Shadow Plays performed to celebrate special occasions like marriage and birth. Silat is a form of martial art but then, it is also considered as a performing art as it is accompanied by drums and gongs and performed during weddings and other significant occasions. Painting and sculpture in the country also showcases a similar variety, the country boasts of a number of art colleges, art galleries and museums where you can witness some enthralling artifacts, made by Malaysian painters and sculptors.

Crafts of Malaysia are varied and it reflects the multiculturalism of the country. The major crafts of the country are Batik, Songket, Woodcarving, Menkuang, Kite Making, Keris, Boat Making and Ratan Weaving. Batik features colored designs on cotton or silk, produced by using wax to the parts of the textile left uncolored. Songket is a form of craft that descends from the Pattani courts and it is used generally on special occasions. This form of craft is knsown as the “cloth of gold” and is created by interweaving threads with gold and silver strands. Woodcarving is one of the oldest traditional crafts in the country and is applied in the designs of supports, balustrades, doors, window shutters, and furniture of houses and palaces. Menkuang previously used to be a leisure activity of the village women of coastal parts of the country but now it has become transformed into a full fledged cottage industry. The craftsmen use the tall thorny leaves of mengkuang to make colorful mats, beach bags, hats, fans, purses, and slippers. Kite making is also a part of the traditional crafts of the country along with boat making, keris and rattan weaving.