Musical Malaysia

Malaysia is a multiracial country and as such any description of Malaysian music should describe the music of the various major ethnic groups, which according to statistics compiled by the Malaysian Department of Statistics (1993) comprise of Malays (54.5%), Chinese (29%), Indians (8%), indigenous peoples (8%, the largest groups being the Iban of Sarawak and the Kadazan of Sabah with the Orang Asli of the Peninsula comprising only 0.5% of the total population of Malaysia) and others (0.5%, mainly Arabs, Sinhalese, Eurasians and Europeans).

Malaysian Population Distribution Pie Chart

Culture may be narrowly defined as the aesthetic or intellectual achievement of a group of people, in a designated area, within a specified time. To define an integrated Malaysian culture is not easy as Malaysia’s multiethnic community maintains a diversity of artistic tradition which interacts and yet remains tangential to one another (Rahmah Bujang 1987). The Information Malaysia 1994 YearBook (1994) describes Malaysia as having 5 different cultures within its boundaries - Islamic, Chinese, Indian, Western and Indigeneous (which includes Malay and various other indigeneous minorities) - and argues that the very existence of these 5 cultures and the fact that in their existing and growing they have assimilated characteristics uniquely Malaysian means that a distinctly Malaysian culture does indeed exist. The reason that such a general information book is quoted here is to indicate to the reader some assumptions commonly held by the general public about Malaysian culture.

To understand the rich diversity of musical tradition which exists in Malaysia one must first become acquainted with how this relatively young nation evolved into its present multi-racial state.

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MALAYSIAN MUSIC IN CONTEXT: Geographical Location Social and Political Background: People \| History \| Economics Trends and Developments in Music Malaysia is a multiracial country and as such any description of Malaysian music should describe the music of the various major ethnic groups, which according to statistics compiled by the Malaysian Department of Statistics (1993) comprise of Malays (54.5%), Chinese (29%), Indians (8%), indigenous peoples (8%, the largest groups being the Iban of Sarawak and the Kadazan of Sabah with the Orang Asli of the Peninsula comprising only 0.5% of the total population of Malaysia) and others (0.5%, mainly Arabs, Sinhalese, Eurasians and Europeans). Culture may be narrowly defined as the aesthetic or intellectual achievement of a group of people, in a designated area, within a specified time. To define an integrated Malaysian culture is not easy as Malaysia’s multiethnic community maintains a diversity of artistic tradition which interacts and yet remains tangential to one another (Rahmah Bujang 1987). The Information Malaysia 1994 YearBook (1994) describes Malaysia as having 5 different cultures within its boundaries - Islamic, Chinese, Indian, Western and Indigeneous (which includes Malay and various other indigeneous minorities) - and argues that the very existence of these 5 cultures and the fact that in their existing and growing they have assimilated characteristics uniquely Malaysian means that a distinctly Malaysian culture does indeed exist. The reason that such a general information book is quoted here is to indicate to the reader some assumptions commonly held by the general public about Malaysian culture. To understand the rich diversity of musical tradition which exists in Malaysia one must first become acquainted with how this relatively young nation evolved into its present multi-racial state. NEXT Musical Instrument Index \| MIDI Archive Original Malaysian SoundFonts \| SEARCH Musical Malaysia		Musical Context Music by Genre Music by Region Bibliography Author Credits SITE MAP Guestbook
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