NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Malay people

Malays (Dutch, Maleiërs, ultimately from Malay: Melayu) are a diverse group of Austronesian peoples inhabiting the Malay archipelago and Malay peninsula in Southeast Asia. The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. ... The Javanese language is the spoken language of the people in the central and eastern part of the island of Java, in Indonesia. ... Tetum (also written as Tetun) is an Austronesian language, and one of its forms, Tetum- Praca, is one of the national languages of East Timor. ... Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Hinduism (Sanskrit: eternal law; in several modern Indian languages[1] also known as ), is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. ... Known in India as the Lotus Temple, the Bahai House of Worship attracts an average of three and a half million visitors a year. ... Animism is the belief in personalized, supernatural beings (or souls) that often inhabit ordinary animals and objects, governing their existence. ... The Cham people are descendants of the kingdom of Champa. ... The Jarai are an ethnic group based primarily in Vietnams Central Highlands. ... Total population 2006: 458,000 [2] 2004: 454,600 [13] Homelands in Taiwan Mountainous terrain running in five ranges from the northern to the southern tip of the island Narrow eastern plains Orchid Island (LÃ¡n YÇ”) Languages 14 living Formosan languages. ... Carving from the ridgepole of a MÄori house, ca 1840 This article is about the wider region in the Pacific. ... The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. ... The Austronesian people are a population group in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke one of the Austronesian languages. ... World map depicting Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is a vast archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Semenanjung Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ...

They constitute the dominant ethnic group in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, the Pattani region of Thailand and East Timor, which together with Singapore make up what is called the Malay archipelago. Outside this area, Malay people inhabit Palau, Guam and the Northern Marianas, most of Madagascar, and the Cham areas of Cambodia, Vietnam, and Hainan Island (the remnants of the Champa kingdom which covered central and southern Vietnam). This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... World map depicting Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is a vast archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ... The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is a commonwealth in political union with the United States of America at a strategic location in the West Pacific Ocean. ... The Cham people are descendants of the kingdom of Champa. ... South East Asia circa 1100 C.E. Champa territory in green. ...

In Singapore, Malays comprise a minority, as much of its current population is composed of recent Chinese and South Asian immigrants and their descendants. Also, while not considered a part of the Malay archipelago, the southernmost part of Thailand — the Pattani region — is also primarily inhabited by Malays who are the indigenous group of what is called southern Thailand. These are the descendants of migrations from the neighbouring Malay archipelago which later founded the Pattani kingdom, which replaces the Langkasuka kingdom. Pattani came into the Thai sphere of influence through the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 whereby Pattani was retained by Thailand, then Siam, and the British retained control of Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Perlis. Map of South Asia (see note on Kashmir). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Kingdom of Patani (Pattani) was a Malay state approximately covering the area of the modern Thai provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat. ... The Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1906 (in which the Malays were not represented) effectively dissected the northern Malay states into two parts: Pattani, Narathiwat, Songkhla, Satun and Yala remained under Siam, but Siam relinquished its claims to sovereignty over Kedah, Kelantan, Perlis, and Terengganu to Great Britain. ...

Malays are linguistically related to the Polynesian and Micronesian groups of the mid-Pacific, as members of the Austronesian family of languages. Evidence also suggests that Polynesians and Micronesians may be descended - at least in part - from seafaring ancestors that originated in and around the Malay racial stock stronghold along with Melanesians. Malay peoples have black hair and their skin color ranges from light tan to dark brown complexions. The Polynesian languages are a group of related languages spoken in the region known as Polynesia. ... Pacific redirects here. ... The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia. ... Melanesia (from Greek black islands) is a region extending from the west Pacific to the Arafura Sea, north and north-east of Australia. ... Historical data for native populations collected by R. Biasutti prior to 1940. ...

History

The first one is that the Austronesian-speaking ancestors of the Malays came from mainland Asia, settled around southern Vietnam, Indochina, the Malay peninsula and sailed towards the Malay archipelago until reaching the Philippines. The Austronesian people are a population group in Oceania and Southeast Asia who speak or had ancestors who spoke one of the Austronesian languages. ... Indochina, or the Indochinese Peninsula, is a region in Southeast Asia. ... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Semenanjung Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... World map depicting Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is a vast archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ...

The other is that Austronesian-speakers from southern China sailed towards Taiwan. From there, they reached the northern Philippine island of Luzon and eventually spread southwards to the rest of the island group and reached Indonesia and the Malaysia with some outliers reaching sothern Vietnam and Indochina. Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ...

However there is another emerging school of thought that says that the Malays originated from Sumatra and then expanded outwards including into the peninsula which today bears their name. The main foundation of this school of thought lies in the fact that the oldest Malay settlements have been discovered in Sumatra and not in the Malay peninsula. This suggests an upward - south to north - migratory route. This opinion thus contends that if the Malays had came from the north - whether from the way of Indochina or Luzon - then the oldest Malay historical relics would be found in these places.

Origin of the word Malay

According to the History of Jambi, the word Melayu originated from a river with name Melayu River near to Batang Hari River of today's Muara Jambi, Jambi province of Sumatra, Indonesia. The founder of Malacca, Parameswara was a prince of Palembang which was once owned by a nation called "Malayu" back in the 7th century. Yi Jing (635-713) clearly recorded in his journal book a nation of name 'Ma-La-Yu' existed. According to archaeological research of Jambi, large numbers of ancient artifacts and ancient architectures of Melayu have been found with photo evidence. Jambi is a province of Indonesia located on the east coast of central Sumatra, which contains a city also named Jambi, located at . ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 kmÂ²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... State motto: Bersatu Teguh State anthem: Melaka Maju Jaya Capital Malacca Ruling party Barisan Nasional - Yang di-Pertua Negeri Mohd Khalil Yaakob - Ketua Menteri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam History - Malacca Sultanate 13th century - Portuguese control 24 August 1511 - Dutch control 1641 - British control 17 March 1824 - Japanese Occupation 1942-1946... People by name Parameshwara: The fourteenth century Indian mathematician. ... Location of Palembang Palembang is a city in the south of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. ... An artist impression of Yi Jing ä¹‰å‡€(635ï½ž713), Tang dynasty Buddhist monk. ...

The word "Malay" was adopted into English via the Dutch word "Malayo", itself from Portuguese "Malaio", which originates from the Malay word "Melayu". According to one popular theory, the word Melayu means "migrating" or "fleeing", which might refer to the high mobility of these people across the region. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Another theory holds that the name refers to the Sanskrit word Malai Yur which means "Land of Mountains" (malai means mountain and yur means land), a reference to the hilly nature of the Malay Archipelago. World map depicting Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is a vast archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ...

In his 1775 doctoral dissertation titled De generi humani varietate nativa (On the Natural Varieties of Mankind), anthropologist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach outlined four main human races by skin color, namely Caucasian (white), Ethiopian (black), American (red), and Mongolian (yellow). This article is about the thesis in dialectics and academia. ... Johann Friedrich Blumenbach Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (May 11, 1752 - January 22, 1840) was a German physiologist and anthropologist. ... It has been suggested that Caucasoid race be merged into this article or section. ...

By 1795, Blumenbach added another race called Malay which he considered to be a subcategory of both the Ethiopian and Mongoloid races. The Malay race were those of a "brown color, from olive and a clear mahogany to the darkest clove or chestnut brown." Blumenbach expanded the term "Malay" to include the inhabitants of the Marianas, the Philippines, the Malukus, Sundas, as well as Pacific Islands such as Tahitians. He considered a Tahitian skull he had received to be the missing link; showing the transition between the "primary" race, the Caucasians, and the "degenerate" race, the Negroids. Look up Malay in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Mariana Islands (also the Marianas; up to the early 20th century sometimes called Islas de los Ladrones meaning Islands of Thieves) are a group of islands made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the western Pacific Ocean. ... The Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas, Moluccan Islands or simply Maluku) are an archipelago in Indonesia, and part of the larger Malay Archipelago. ... The Sunda Islands are a group of islands in west part of the Indonesian Archipelago. ... The Pacific Ocean has an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 islands; the exact number is unknown. ... Map of French Polynesia Map of Tahiti and Moorea Tahiti is the largest island of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean at . ...

Since Blumenbach, many anthropologists have rejected his theory of five races, citing the enormous complexity of classifying races. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Race. ...

The term is used as a form of ethnic self-identification. It is both generic and specific.

For example, in the Philippines, many Filipinos consider the term "Malay" to refer to the indigenous population of the country as well as the population of neighboring countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. This misconception is due in part to American anthropologists H. Otley Beyer who proposed that the Filipinos were actually Malays who migrated from Malaysia and Indonesia. This idea was in turn propagated by Filipino historians and is still taught in schools. However, the prevalent consensus among contemporary anthropologists, archaeologists, and linguists actually proposes the reverse; namely that the Malays of Malaysia and Indonesia originally migrated south from the Philippines during the prehistoric period. Among these are scholars in the field of Austronesian studies such as Peter Bellwood, Robert Blust, Malcolm Ross, Andrew Pawley, and Lawrence Reid. Henry Otley Beyer (July 13, 1883-1966) was an American anthropologist, who spent most of his adult life in the Philippines teaching Filipinos and other scholars about Philippine indigenous culture. ...

Malay domain

Generically, the name "Malay" is used to describe all the numerous related groups inhabiting the Malay Archipelago, and which are not of older aboriginal stock. These include the Aceh, Minangkabaus, Bataks and Mandailings who live in Sumatra ; Java and Sunda in Java ; Banjars, Ibans, Kadazans and Melanaus in Borneo ; Bugis and Torajas in Sulawesi ; the various dominant ethnic groups in the Philippines such as the Tagalogs, Ilocanos and Igorot of Luzon island, the Bisaya of the central Philippines, the Maguindanao, Tausug and Bajau of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago ; and the people of East Timor (again, excluding those of older Papuan stock). World map depicting Malay Archipelago The Malay Archipelago is a vast archipelago located between mainland Southeastern Asia (Indochina) and Australia. ... The Achinese (also Acehnese) a people in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam in Indonesia. ... The Minangkabau ethnic group (also known as Minang or Padang) is indigenous to the highlands of West Sumatra, in Indonesia. ... Batak designates two distinct peoples, one living in Indonesia, the other in the Philippines. ... Kappa 09:19, 20 September 2005 (UTC) External links Horas Mandailing Categories: Possible copyright violations | Indonesia ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 kmÂ²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... Javanese is a term used to describe a native of the Indonesian island of Java. ... The Sundanese are an ethnic group in the western part of the island of Java in Indonesia. ... Java (Indonesian, Javanese, and Sundanese: Jawa) is an island of Indonesia, and the site of its capital city, Jakarta. ... Banjar (or Banjarese) is the name of a native ethnic group which consists of a mixed majority of Islamized tribes settled in the Banjar region and in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, Indonesia, the biggest city on the island of Borneo. ... A Modern Iban Longhouse in Kapit Division The Ibans were formerly known during the colonial period by the British as Sea Dayaks and are a branch of the Dayak peoples of Borneo. ... The Kadazan is the largest ethnic group in Sabah (a state in Malaysia) making up about one third of the population. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Borneo (left) and Sulawesi. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Carved wooden Torajan art - each panel is a stylised representation of a wish for goodwill of some form. ... Sulawesi (formerly Celebes ) is a large island in Indonesia. ... The Tagalogs are the largest indigenous Filipino ethnic group next to the Visayans. ... The Ilocano or Ilokano people are the third largest Filipino ethnic group. ... Igorot (pronounced ) is the general name for the people of the Cordillera region, in the Philippines island of Luzon. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ... The Bisaya people or Visayans are a group of people of Malay ancestry who originate from the central and southern regions of the Philippines. ... Maguindanao is a province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ... Tausug is spoken in Sulu province in the Philippines It is a member of the Visayan language family. ... The Bajau are an indigenous ethnic group residing in Sabah, eastern Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, the Philippines and parts of Sarawak. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. ... Sulu is an island province of the Philippines located in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). ... Papua is: Another name for New Guinea Papua (Australian territory): A former Australian territory comprising the southeastern quarter of the island of New Guinea, now the southern part of Papua New Guinea Papua (Indonesian province): An Indonesian province comprising the western half of the island of New Guinea Related Words...

Specifically, this name is also proper to the subgroup which is native to the eastern part of Sumatra but migrated to the Malay Peninsula and the Riau Archipelago over the past thousand years or so. Sometimes, but very rarely, this subgroup is called "Riau Malays" to distinguish it as a specific group. This group is descended from the Temuan aborigines of Selangor and Malacca. Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 kmÂ²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... The Malay Peninsula (Malay: Semenanjung Tanah Melayu) is a major peninsula located in Southeast Asia. ... The Riau Islands (Kepulauan Riau (Kepri for short) or sometimes Riau Kepulauan in Bahasa Indonesia) are a province and a group of islands in Indonesia, located south of Singapore, off the eastern coast of Riau province on Sumatra island. ... State motto: Dipelihara Allah (English: Under Gods (Allah) Protection) Capital Shah Alam Royal Capital Klang Sultan Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Chief Minister Dato Seri Dr Mohd Khir bin Toyo Area 7,956 km2 Population - Estimated 4,100,000 State anthem Duli Yang Maha Mulia Selangor (Jawi: Ø³Ù„Ø§Ú ÙˆØ±, population 4. ... State motto: Bersatu Teguh State anthem: Melaka Maju Jaya Capital Malacca Ruling party Barisan Nasional - Yang di-Pertua Negeri Mohd Khalil Yaakob - Ketua Menteri Mohd Ali Mohd Rustam History - Malacca Sultanate 13th century - Portuguese control 24 August 1511 - Dutch control 1641 - British control 17 March 1824 - Japanese Occupation 1942-1946...

The term Melayu (Malay Person in Malay Language), in the Federal Constitution of Malaysia, refers to a person who practices Islam and Malay Cultures, speaks Malay Language, and whose ancestors are Malays. Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. ...

Other groups classified as Malays which live outside what is called the Malay archipelago include the Cham who live in Cambodia and Vietnam and the Utsuls who live on the island of Hainan. Descendants of the Malays could be found today in Sri Lanka, South Africa (the "Cape Malays"), Australia and Madagascar. In the latter, they are known as the Merina and constitute one of the dominant ethnic groups in that country. The Cham people are descendants of the kingdom of Champa. ... The Utsuls are a tiny ethnic group which lives on the Chinese island of Hainan. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Cape Malay community is an ethnic group or community in South Africa, taking its name from what is now known as the Western Cape of South Africa and the Malay people who started this community in South Africa. ... The Merina is the largest ethnic group in Madagascar. ...

Situated in the north-eastern coast of South America, the small Caribbean nation of Surinam also harbours a large Malay population, descendants of fairly recent ethnic Javanese immigrant workers. South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... World map depicting Caribbean : West Indies redirects here. ...

Malays Worldwide

American Samoa

Andorra

Aruba

Australia

Austria

Bahrain

Belgium

Bermuda

Brunei

Cambodia

Canada

China

Christmas Island

Cocos Islands

Comoros

East Timor

France

French Guiana

Germany

Guam

Hong Kong

Iceland

India

Ireland

Italy

Japan

Jordan

Kuwait

Laos

Macao

Marshall Islands

Mayotte

Micronesia

Myanmar

Nauru

Netherlands, The

New Caledonia

New Zealand

Northern Mariana Islands

Norway

Oman

Qatar

Reunion

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Africa

Spain

Sri Lanka

Suriname

Taiwan

Thailand

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Vietnam

Yemen

Ethnic group vs. cultural sphere

The term Malay can refer to the ethnic group who live in the Malay peninsula (which include the southernmost part of Thailand call Patani and Satun) and east Sumatra as well as the cultural sphere that encompass a large part of the archipelago. The Malay ethnic group is the majority in Malaysia and Brunei and a sizable minority in Singapore and Indonesia. This people speak various dialects of Malay language. The peninsular dialect is the standard speech among Malays in Malaysia and Singapore. Meanwhile, the Riau dialect of eastern Sumatra is adopted as a national tongue, Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia), for the whole Indonesian population. The ethnic Malay are predominantly Muslim in Brunei, Singapore, southern Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia, while those of the Philippines and East Timor are mostly Christian. In Malaysia , the majority of the population is made up of ethnic Malays while the minorities consist of southern Chinese (e.g. Hokkien and Cantonese), southern Indians (mainly Tamils and Malayalis) as well as Eurasians. Patani or Patani Raya is a region in Southern Thailand known in the history as thePatani kingdom. ... Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island of the world (approximately 470,000 kmÂ²) and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two larger islands, Borneo and New Guinea, are partially in Indonesia). ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, central eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, and parts of the coast of Borneo. ... Map of Indonesia showing Riau province Riau is a province of Indonesia, located in the center of Sumatra island along the Strait of Malacca. ... A Muslim (Arabic: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…, Turkish: MÃ¼slÃ¼man, Persian and Urdu: Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…Ø§Ù†, Bosnian: Musliman) is an adherent of Islam. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Christianity. ... Hoklo (pronounced Holo; Chinese ; Mandarin pronunciation--pinyin: Fulao) can refer to an ethnic-cultural group originating in Fujian province, China. ... Cantonese people (Traditional Chinese: å»£æ±äºº; Simplified Chinese: å¹¿ä¸œäºº; Pinyin: GuÇŽngdÅng rÃ©n; Jyutping: gwong2 dung1 yan4), broadly speaking, are persons originating from the present-day Guangdong province in southern China. ... Tamil New Year Ethnic problems In India After independence, Tamilians felt they and their dravidian race were ignored by the North Indians. ... Malayali or Malayalee is the Malayalam word used to denote a person (usually Dravidians) from the state of Kerala. ...

Malay cultural influences filtered out throughout the archipelago, such as the monarchical state, religion (Hinduism/Buddhism in the first millennium AD, Islam in the second millennium), and the Malay language. The influential Srivijaya kingdom had unified the various ethnic groups in southeast Asia into a convergent cultural sphere for almost a millennium. It was during that time that vast borrowing of Sanskrit words and concepts facilitated the advanced linguistic development of Malay as a language. Malay was the regional lingua franca, and Malay-based creole languages existed in most trading ports in Indonesia. Hinduism (Sanskrit: eternal law; in several modern Indian languages[1] also known as ), is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. ... Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Map of Southeast Asia at end of 12th century. ... Lingua franca, literally Frankish language in Italian, was originally a mixed language consisting largely of Italian plus a vocabulary drawn from Turkish, Persian, French, Greek and Arabic and used for communication throughout the Middle East. ... The Malay language, through its history, also experiences pidginization and creolization processes. ...

In a broader sense, the term Malay also includes most ethnic groups in the Philippines and Indonesia west of Papua. It is best understood as a cultural, not racial grouping. For example, people of the Maluku and Nusa Tenggara islands up to Timor have darker skin but are more readily described as Malays than the Dayaks of inner Borneo. Papua is: Another name for New Guinea Papua (Australian territory): A former Australian territory comprising the southeastern quarter of the island of New Guinea, now the southern part of Papua New Guinea Papua (Indonesian province): An Indonesian province comprising the western half of the island of New Guinea Related Words... This page is about the geography and history of the island group in Indonesia — for the political entities encompassing the islands, see Maluku (Indonesian province) and North Maluku. ... Categories: Islands of Indonesia | Southeast Asia geography stubs | Indonesia geography stubs ... Map of Timor Timor Island from space, November 1989. ... The Dayak people are indigenous occupants of the Kalimantan region of Borneo. ... Borneo (left) and Sulawesi. ...

Culture

Languages

The languages spoken by Malays are classified as members of the Malayo-Polynesian family of languages, which is a one of the many branches belonging to the Austronesian language family. This large family of languages includes all the native languages spoken by Malays across the Malay Archipelago, including Javanese, Indonesian/Bahasa Melayu, Tagalog and all the other native languages of the Philippines, Tetum (East Timorese), and the Malagasy language of Madagascar. The Malayo-Polynesian languages are a subgroup of the Austronesian languages. ... The Austronesian languages are a language family widely dispersed throughout the islands of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, with a few members spoken on continental Asia. ... Javanese is a term used to describe a native of the Indonesian island of Java. ... The Malay language, also known locally as Bahasa Melayu, is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people who are native to the Malay peninsula, southern Thailand, Singapore and parts of Sumatra. ... Tagalog (pronunciation: ) is one of the major languages of the Republic of the Philippines. ... There are over 170 languages in the Philippines; almost all of them belong to the Austronesian language family. ... Tetum (also written as Tetun) is the national language of East Timor. ...

Far-flung members of this large family of languages, on the Polynesian branch, are the languages spoken by Polynesians; such as Samoan, Hawaiian, Rapanui and Maori in New Zealand. The Hawaiian language is an Austronesian language that takes its name from that of the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. ... The Rapanui or Rapa Nui (Big Rapa) are the native Polynesian inhabitants of Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean (the island itself is also called Rapa Nui). ... Māori (or Maori) is a language spoken by the native peoples of New Zealand and the Cook Islands. ...

The Malay language borrows certain words from other languages, in the same way English borrows words from Latin for example.

Indonesian Malay, or the official language of Indonesia, borrows a lot from English even though there are perfectly Malay words for them. For example, the word'cancer' is rendered as 'kanker' even though the Malay word for it is 'barah'. Other examples include 'cost - kos - harga', 'contradiction - kontradiksi - pencanggahan' and 'criminal - kriminal - penjenayah'.

Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines is distantly related to the Malay language spoken in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Due to the geographic nature of the Malay Archipelago, several hundred other languages and various dialects are spoken on different islands.

Religion

In terms of religion, most Malays had converted from Hinduism, Buddhism and animism to Islam in the early 15th century; influenced by Arab, Chinese and Indian Muslim seafarers during the Islamic Golden Age. Today, Muslims form the dominant religious group among Malays of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Their conversion to Islam from Hinduism and Theravada Buddhism began in the 1400s, largely influenced by the decision of the royal court of Malacca. Most Malays in Thailand, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Surinam — being descendants of those who had already been Islamised in Malaysia, Indonesia, etc — are also Muslims. Hinduism (Sanskrit: eternal law; in several modern Indian languages[1] also known as ), is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. ... Animism is the belief in personalized, supernatural beings (or souls) that often inhabit ordinary animals and objects, governing their existence. ... Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Photo taken from medieval manuscript by Qotbeddin Shirazi (1236â€“1311), a Persian Astronomer. ... Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Hinduism (Sanskrit: eternal law; in several modern Indian languages[1] also known as ), is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... Theravada (PÄli: theravÄda; Sanskrit: sthaviravÄda; literally, the Way of the Elders) is the oldest surviving Buddhist school, and for many centuries has been the predominant religion of Sri Lanka (about 70% of the population[1]) and continental Southeast Asia (parts of southwest China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. ...

Golden images of Garuda, the phoenix who is the mount of Vishnu have been found in the Philippine island of Palawan. A 4 lb., 1 foot-high, gold Hindu-Malayan cult figure of a goddess, now resting in the Field Museum, was discovered in the Philippine island of Mindanao, in 1917. However Islam forbids images and idols, which indicates clearly that this idol existed in Mindanao before the arrival of Islam. Many Malays in Mindanao were also Muslim, but are recounted to have been the 23rd and last group in the waves of migration, to have arrived in the Philippines from the south. Garuda according to Ida Made Tlaga, an 19th century Balinese artist. ... The phoenix from the Aberdeen Bestiary. ... Vishnu (IAST , Devanagari , with honorific Shri Vishnu; , ), (also frequently referred to as Narayana) is the most popularly worshipped form of God in Hinduism [1]. Within the Vaishnava tradition he is viewed as the Ultimate Reality or Supreme God (similarly to Shiva within Shaivism). ... Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the Mimaropa region. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... A cult figure or cult icon is a person who attracts the attention of a small band of aficionados. ... Statue of Ceres, the Roman goddess of the agriculture A goddess is a female deity, in contrast with a male deity known as a god. Many cultures have goddesses, sometimes alone, but more often as part of a larger pantheon that includes both the conventional genders and in some cases... Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago The Field Museum of Natural History, in Chicago, Illinois, USA, sits on Lake Shore Drive next to Lake Michigan, part of a scenic complex called known as the Museum Campus which includes Soldier Field, the football stadium that is the home of the Chicago... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. ...

In the Philippines, as a result of Spanish colonization spanning just over three centuries, Islam is not predominant, and most contemporary Filipinos (regardless of which Malay sub-group they belong to) are Christians, primarily Roman Catholics. However, a significant number of Filipinos in the southern island of Mindanao and the Sulu chain - that had resisted Spanish colonial encroachment, and still continue struggle against assimilation and Christianization - are to this day Muslim. This article is becoming very long. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. ...

Like most Malays of the Philippines, those of East Timor are also Christian, though this time as a result of Portuguese colonial rule. These two countries represent the only Christian-majority nations in Far East Asia. The far east as a cultural block includes East Asia, Southeast Asia, Northeast Asia and South Asia. ...

Hinduism is the dominant religion in the island of Bali. Smaller groups scattered throughout the entire Malay archipelago, who managed to avoid first the spread of Islam then the rise of Christianity through European colonization, practice animism. Buddhism is also present. Hinduism (Sanskrit: eternal law; in several modern Indian languages[1] also known as ), is a religion that originated on the Indian subcontinent. ... This is the current Indonesian Collaboration of the week. ... Islam (Arabic: ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (Ù…Ø³Ù„Ù…), believe God (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù„Ù‡ ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Animism is the belief in personalized, supernatural beings (or souls) that often inhabit ordinary animals and objects, governing their existence. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, a philosophy, and a life-enhancing system of psychology. ...

Weapons

The most iconic weapon to the Malays is Keris. It is known as "Malay Dagger" in the Western world. It has double-sided blade. The blade has various size and length, commonly from 5 inch to 30 inch long. During the reign of Malacca Sultanate, Keris became the symbol of power. The Sultans had his official Keris that symbolize the power to rule over the land and sea. All cabinet members of the Sultanate had their own Keris. A keris or spelled as kris in English is a symbolic weapon that is mainly used in Southeast Asian countries. ...

The military commander had their own Keris as well. The Laksamana (equivalent to the Admiral in modern navy), Panglima (equivalent to the Chief-of-Staff in modern army), and Temenggung (equivalent to the Inspector General in modern police force)used their official Keris as the authority to command their respective troops.

Common people bring along Keris with them when they travelled across the country as a self-defense weapon. Normally, people practicing Silat (Malay form of martial arts) like to use Keris during duel with his or her opponent. Those being stabbed using this weapon felt excruciating pains and eventually died due to the poisonous blade.

In modern days, the Keris still symbolize the integrity and fighting spirit of the Malays.

Another important weapon of Malay origin is sword. People of Malay world throughout history used their swords for two main purposes: as a weapon and as a utility tool. Various Indonesian, Malaysian and Philippine swords have different shapes. Swords of Malay world can be grouped into four categories. These are: Parang, Pedang, Klewang and Golok. Look up Malay in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Parang is a characteristic of all single edged weapons used for chopping. It is a generic term used in different languages around the archipelago. It can be called a Malay machete because people use it for the same reasons: moving through the jungle and hunting. Parang weapon can be classified into: Dayak Parang, heavily convex blades and other Parang. The former is a type of sword which is transmitted from one Dayak generation to another with a belief that it has supernatural powers. Parang is a musical style which fuses together Venezuelan and Calypso influences to create up beat tempos with a Spanish style and is popular in Trinidad & Tobago and various areas of Venezuela. ... This does not cite its references or sources. ... Swiss longsword, 15th or 16th century Look up Sword in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Dayak (or Dyak) are indigenous natives of Borneo. ...

Pedang represents another type of sword used by Malay world. The term "pedang" describes a blade weapon used for cutting and thrusting. Some examples of a Pedang are: Pedang Suduk and Pedang Sabet. The former is used in Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. Its main purpose is thrusting. Its possessors were warriors of the central Java courts. The latter is a weapon used for slashing in the same region of Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines as Pedang Suduk. The blade of the sword is wide. Pedang Sabet has a cutting edge and its back is blunt.

Klewang is a type of sword used in Malay world. The weapon has a straight cutting edge as well as a straight back. The former widens towards the point and the latter bring the blade to the tip at a slant. An example of a Klewang sword is Kampilan. It is used in Moro, Mindanao and Philippines. The klewang is a traditional single-edged machete-style sword from Indonesia. ... A blade is the flat part of a tool or weapon that normally has a cutting edge and/or pointed end typically made of a metal, such as steel used to cut, stab, slice, throw, thrust, or strike. ... Moro may refer to: Moro Islamic Liberation Front Moro reflex Moors The term Moro (pl. ... Map of the Philippines showing the island groups of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. ...

Kampilan is an example of a long Klewang sword originally from Moro. Its length is usually from 85 to 100 cm. Although this type of sword is very famous on the Philippine archipelago, the name Kampilan describes different types of swords that can be found in other Malay regions. The hilt of the Kampilan is called "sundi". Most hilts are wooden and they all same similar shapes. The blade is called tungo. A Kampilan. ...

Golok is a weapon that serves as a cleaver. The blade of this type of swords is short and heavy. Golok has a cutting edge. The back of such type of sword could be whether straight or concave. The main characteristic about a Golok is that it has a heavy blade in the central part of the sword and then the blade curves to the sword's sharp point at the tip. Some examples of Golok are Golok Lurus and Golok Lenkung. Golok is the name given to a range of large knives and short swords originating from Indonesia, most notably from Myanmar (Burma). ...

Arts and music

Pottery and body modification art was the predomiannt forms of art during prehistoric times until the arrival of Hinduism and Islam later.

In the Philippines, contemporary art is influenced by the Spanish and American colonial roots. Indonesia to a lesser degree was influenced by the dutch.

Architecture

Malay architecture varies by region but a few characteristics are common across the archipelago and the peninsula.

A common feature usually includes stilts, the use of wood and other indigenous materials, ornate wood carvings and in some cases, highly angular and sloping roofs.

Malaysian and Indonesian architecture usually uses wooden roof tiles, and are more heavily influenced by both India and Islam.

Philippine architecture is usually characterized by use of lighter materials than those in the eastern Malayan Archipelago. Use of fibrous instead of woody roofing predominates and lighter materials for walls are also common.

Contents

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