Ethnic Project: Malaysia

Malaysia consists of three major ethnic groups: Malay, Chinese, and Indian. My model, along with myself, is Malaysian-Chinese. For clarification: Malay --> ethnic group. Malaysian --> nationality.

Islam is the state religion, but freedom of religion for non-Muslims is allowed. Malaysia is one of seventeen mega-diverse countries.

The Baju Kebaya is a traditional blouse-dress combination that is worn by women in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. The bottom dress is called sarong with batik print on it.

The top, kebaya, is usually made from sheer material, such as silk or semi-transparent nylon/polyester, and is decorated with floral patterns or brocade.

Holding the right hand over the left chest means "I greet you with my heart," a sign of sincerity after greeting someone.

Family and food seem to be the main things people miss from their home country. Because of the diversity in cultures and people groups in Malaysia, they grow up having a variety of food- Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, and more! Malaysians, like most other countries, take pride in their food. My model loves Nasi Lemak (coconut milk rice served with sambal- a spicy chili paste) wrapped in banana leaves and newspaper for breakfast. Then fish ball noodles or beef noodles in the afternoon for lunch and then full-on Chinese dishes at her family’s favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner, or simply, her mother’s home-cooked food.

As a Chinese-Malaysian, her favorite festival would have to be Chinese New Year, with loud Chinese New Year music everywhere and red Chinese New Year decorations on the streets and in homes. As part of the tradition of wearing something new on the first day of the new year, she loved shopping for new clothes. Families and relatives gathered from far away at her father’s hometown, Sungai Pelek.

She also likes Ramadan and loves singing the song “Suasana Hari Raya”- a song that describes the atmosphere and scenes of the celebration. The bazaars offer a variety of street food, usually prepared by the Malays specifically during the month of fasting. They sell the food to the people in the neighborhood and to break fast together.

Being multilingual is the main thing that she's proud of. She learned Malay, English, and Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese) when she was young. In addition to retaining her fluency, she also understands the two different dialects her parents speak: Hakka and Hokkien.

Her grandparents were from China and eventually made their home in Malaysia. She appreciates the sacrifices they made and the tough times they have been through to survive in that land. She is a proud Malaysian because simply, as the Malay phrase goes "Malaysia tanah airku" ("Malaysia, my homeland"). This doesn't mean she has forgotten the Chinese tradition that runs through her family; instead she wishes to do her best in preserving both in the uniqueness of Chinese-Malaysian culture for future generations.

The Malaysian flag is called Jalur Gemilang, “Stripes of Glory.” The 14 stripes of equal width represent the equal status of the 13 member states and the federal government. The 14 point-star represents the unity among those 13 member states and government. The crescent moon represents Islam, the official religion of the country. Blue symbolizes the unity of the people, yellow is the color of royalty, red means courage, and white represents purity.