Origin of the Malays - Thinkquest.org

Introduction

Malay is the race of the people who inhabit the Malay Peninsula (now known as Peninsular/West Malaysia) and portion of adjacent islands of Southeast Asia, including the east coast of Sumatra, the coast of Borneo and smaller islands that lie between these areas.

Origin of the Malays

The Malays originated in Yunnan, China. They Proto-Malays were also known as Jakun.

They were seafaring people. Probably because of their seafaring way of life or trading, they were believed to have lived in coastal Borneo. They then expanded into Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. A Portuguese historian, Godinho de Eredia, referred to the Malays as Saletes (Orang Selat, or People of the Straits).

The Malays played a major part in the Making of great Malay empires of Malacca and Johor. Present day Malays of the Peninsula and the coasts of the Malay Archipelago are described anthropologically as deutero-Malays. They are descendants of the tribal proto-Malays mixed with modern Indian, Thai, Arab and Chinese blood.

Malay culture has been strongly influenced by that of other people. They include the Siamese, Javanese, Sumatrans and the Indians.

Hindu Influence

Hindu influence on Malay culture was historically very great. A large number of the Malays were Hindus before they were converted to Islam in the 15th century.

For nearly two thousand years, there was intense traffic of traders between the Malay Archipelago and India. This had resulted in the frequent intermarriages along the whole of the west coast of the Peninsula, especially Tamils and Gujeratis.

Only some Hindu rituals survive in Malay culture e.g. the second part of the marriage ceremony and in various ceremonies of state.

The Malays also preserved some of their ancient, animistic beliefs in the spirits of the soil and jungle etc. Some of them still consult medicine men or shamans (also known as bomohs) for the treatment of ailments.

Other Influences

In the northern states of Perlis and Kedah, intermarriages with Thais were common.

East-coast of Kelantan still has traces of Javanese culture that date back of the era of the Majapahit Empire of the 14th century. Sumatran kingdom of Aceh dominated Perak for over a century.

The Bugis (for the Celebes Islands) colonized Selangor and fought for rulers in States along the length of the Peninsula from Kedah to Johor.

The Minangkabaus from Sumatra had their own independent chiefdoms in what is today Negeri Sembilan.

When traders from other countries (e.g. Arab) came to trade in the Malay Archipelago, intermarriages often occur. This mix of different races to form what is the modern Malay can clearly be seen on the lineage of, for example, Malacca royalty. Sultan Muhammad Shah married a Tamil from South India. Sultan Mansur Shah married a Javanese, Chinese and a Siamese, where the Siamese wife gave birth to two Sultans of Pahang.

It was this diversity of races, cultures and influences that has the given the modern Malay race the rich and unique historical heritage it has today.