malay family tradition essay

Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity Report

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Introduction

Literature review, methodology, results and discussions, ethical issues, limitations, works cited.

The invitation to a wedding in Malay Muslims traditions not only impressed me but also opened my eyes too as it provoked me to enlarge my knowledge about Indian style of life, their preferences, and interests. A close friend Zainab later invited me to their own household within two days after attending their wedding ceremony for her sister.

At the wedding, I got interesting stories from Zainab’s grand mother, revealing for me several facts about their family mutual support and care, I was eager to learn more and observe how these friendly people, this one big family live in one house, share their troubles, and improve their lives. For sure, how could more than ten people live in one house collectively? All my life, I think that it is so impossible and so incorrect for a family to live together; especially, it concerns such huge family as my friend Zainab’s family. Even taking into consideration such deep love and care, each person has a need of own space and a bit of privacy. This is why I cannot help but wonder whether this family always lives in love, without quarrels and numerous discussions. Actually my interest became more than just enquiring about what the family did together, but how they did it so harmoniously.

When I entered the yard of their household, I was amazed with its neat and tidy. There was enough place for children to play, enough space for grown ups to have a rest, and enough place for a little garden. The house itself did not look too big, and this is why the yard, around the house, made it like a center of own universe to them. It was high time to enter the house and be amazed with its beauty, cleanness, and style. It was not similar to those houses, I watched on TV. Almost everything reminds the America style of life: huge kitchen with numerous products, spacious hall with a sofa and TV in its center, and the stairs, which lead to the second floor, where the bedrooms might to be. The only detail that reminded me that I was at the Malay Muslim’s household was numerous photos on the walls with one or two candles near each photo. I comprehended that this family respected each member of the family, and especially those, who were not alive any more. This very gesture should help other members of the family, and especially those, who are born in America, always remember about their roots, their past, and their family support.

The Malay Muslim traditions is one of the few cultural traces that still hold their culture so dearly that one may wonder how they do this in a society so dynamic. In the modern society, people talk of harmony and unity to be the bedrock of any society’s success and the way these societal tenets are displayed by Zainab’s family would indeed make anybody question the extent to which a cultural identity would bring people together.

Aims of the Study

I have attempted to deal with the issues that relate to cultural identity, albeit covertly. However, it became apparent that more and more interactions with different cultures would create more desire to promote a more overt approach to my curiosity. To begin with, the present global system perspective demands that the most unique identical cultural systems be deconstructed and merged into one. The very notion of cultural globalization should create a major concern as it has proved less harmonious in the recent past. This report outlines the specific finings in a quantitative research that seeks to unlock the specific tenets of maintaining a cultural identity even in an increasingly diverse American cultural orientation.

Expected Results

My expectations were vast. First I clearly expected that it if the parents and close family members who convey the identity to their children stayed together, then the conflict between mainstream expectations in the American way of life and the traditions of the Malay Muslim community would conflict, if not carefully handled. I expected to find a family that hated the American diverse and integrated culture that they are forced to stick to their own culture.

Furthermore, at the wedding ceremony, I knew these people lived a life of indigenous people similar to the ones I see everyday from documentaries, because for sure which family would still remember his heritage after 30 years in a foreign country with completely different culture and behaviors.

It has also emerged to the researchers in the human and social sciences that there is a very large and almost uncontrollable world system of which we are inextricable part. When early social researchers like Kajas Ekolm Friedman first suggested that the cultural identity would become the issue in the modern globalization, many fellow researches dismissed him and instead supported cultural unification. However today it has emerged that cultural identity has proved more than just a topic of study but an area to create a social concern in the constantly dynamic society of today. Assmann, & Czaplicka (125) states, “Of all the social facts we construct, identity is probably the most critical. And of all our identities, cultural identity is one of the most central to who we think we are”. We also realize that people tend to learn their “cultural identities first within families setting” (126). However, it is also a common question among the social science studies on how family members can manage work together to construct an identity so distinct; how they remember all these traditions in a society so distinct from theirs; and the significance of these traditions in the families.

Dettemore & Hay (141) observed a “widespread interest today in the way different people recreate the past. The facts from different vantage points can yield very different conclusions, and ……different constructions of the past”. They further argue that “for accurate cultural representation, the collection of data, proper access, and the need for preservation” when documenting cultural identity is necessary (189). Their observations give a clear framework which can be used to identify, define as well as locate an interaction between cultural memory and authenticity as they connected to the cultural identity (191). It is logical to identify the memories of the cultural identity through research that would validate the theories, considering what Jan Assmann identifies as the “concretion of identity or the relation to the group” (Assmann 125). Inquiries about how the community or a family keep their culture alive down to the coming generation is represented by different artifacts kept at a close range for everybody to have access to, what Assmann named “figures of memory” (127). These figures of memory are represented by photographs, stories, ballads, spoken words, documentaries, music etc. (128)

Good, Halpin & Halpin (376) further note that the potential of fragmentation comes where there is lack of strong structure such as strong family unit to mediate and insure the access to informational artifacts for the present and future generation. Marshall (270) observes that cultural identity theoretical perspective is on the documentation of the cultural identity information that is expressed in the programs such as ceremonies, where the senior members of the society tend to reinforce the knowledge of their past through the use of traditionally accepted facts of beliefs.

The study focused on the qualitative research methods. However, before settling on the qualitative research, I had to weigh the other option of quantitative research. Using the available literature, I came up with the following comparisons:

In qualitative research, there is no any information that is described as qualitative data since “everything is ether zero or one” (Schensul & LeCompte 21) or as I would call it, everything is either yes of no, with descriptive nature of explanation. Again on this type of research, I did only have a rough idea of what I wanted and as Nkwi, Nyamongo & Ryan (39) observe, it is normally recommended for early stages of research projects. On the other hand, quantitative research aims to classify some specific features, counting figures and leads us to construct statistical models in an effort to explain the observations we have made (40). In this case researcher tends to have specific information he or she wants.

Qualitative research is focused in understanding a given research problem from the perspective of a given population that has been involved (Denzin & Lincoln 181). According to Denzin & Lincoln (192) this type of research is more effective and important when inquiring about specific cultural information on values, opinions, behaviors, and most importantly the social context of the particular information (193). It also offers crucial information on a more personal perspective e.g. the existing contradictory behaviors, opinions, beliefs, motions and relationships between individuals (195).

From these explanations, I noticed that qualitative research has more ability to provide the description of people’s existence in a complex contextual manner, hence the cultural identity information that I eagerly craved for. I therefore resorted to use the two types of qualitative methods, i.e. participant observation and In-depth interviews. My own observations were critically important in collecting data on naturally occurring behaviors of the community in their normal contexts. At the same time in-depth interview proved even more useful in the collection of data on the individual’s and the family’s personal histories, perspectives, encounters, and experiences (from Zainab’s Grand Ma) through the discussion of some sensitive issues within the family. Even though Focus groups is a another very effective qualitative methods especially when it comes to eliciting data on a particular group’s cultural norms and the generation of a wide overview of certain issues that may relate to the group’s cultural identity, I did not use it for one major reason: the other family members of Ma are too busy at works that they could not find enough time to attend to my interview, not even enough time to cook for themselves.

The beginning of my data collection began immediately when I got an invitation to attend a wedding from my friend, Zainab. Zainab had invited me to attend the wedding ceremony of her elder sister who was getting married. Since I had not attended a ceremony of a Malay Muslim person, I was excited at the prospect of attending the wedding. In fact, I had the opportunity of attending all the important functions of my friend’s sister’s wedding and all of them were distinct and unique in their own ways. There were ceremonies like the “mehendi” ceremony in which the bride and her friends all gather together amidst much dancing and singing and apply henna on the hands and feet.

The mehendi ceremony was held 3 days prior to the final wedding day. There were also other important ceremonies and functions, which included rituals and religious traditions, which I found highly interesting to watch and experience, despite being unable to follow many things due to linguistic diversity. I took note of important issues that I actually needed, with the guidance from my research question.

Pleasantly surprised and amazed at the manner in which Malay Muslims strictly follow traditions and religious customs, I wondered how Zainab’s family continue to maintain their culture and traditions even while staying in an individualistic and completely different host country like America. Several questions struck my mind, such as how they manage to follow the questions and how they remember all these traditions in a society so distinct from theirs, and the significance of these traditions in Malay Muslim families. Taking this as an ideal opportunity, I carefully drafted an interview guide (See the attached) that I later used to interview some of the guests who I regularly met at the different ceremonies and to whom I had become quite close and friendly. One such guest was a 46 year old Abdul*, who even though did not give much detail, slightly highlighted the importance of such a ceremony in passing the cultural identity to the younger generation as they come. He stated that he could not afford to miss such ceremonies when he was young because their parents would take keen interest in every detail of their progress, prodding them everyday about their cultural progress. However, many activities coupled with fun made Abdul and some of my prospective interviewees not concentrate. So I resorted to interview the elderly, whose only role in the ceremonies seemed to be in charge of the smooth running of the ceremony as per the standards of cultural requirements. In other words, the elderly would only be consulted when a particular aspect was not clear to the active participants, the young and the middle aged. One such lady was Zainab’s grandmother, a lady of about seventy-five years of age, but with the strength, vigor and enthusiasm of a sixteen year old. I carefully planned interview session that was to be conducted later where I took the opportunity to ask questions over the several meetings which I had with her. I had become particularly close to the family and also addressed Zainab’s grandmother as Ma, like the other members of the family did.

The questions were systematic, beginning from their personal information like why the she came to America and for how long she has been staying in the country to the cultural identity questions on how and why they have retained their cultural questions. Even though I had most of the information in the interview guide in my mind, I found the document important in offering guidance on the flow of questions in a systematic manner. Whenever the respondent went off-track, I would refer to the guide to restructure my questions so as to make the information flow stay within the context of cultural identity. It is important to note that the guide was not restrictive to the questions I asked but were only used as a guide as such.

Family as an Institution and Cultural Identity

Malay Muslim family is the source of strength and cultural identity. It is the support from the first family that begins the sustainability of the cultural identity. Ma asserts this fact when she says, “…my husband is my first supporter. He realized that it was he, who made me move here. This is why when I want to remember some of our native traditions, he is always ready to help me and find all the necessary material, people, and time. My children are also eager to hear something about our native traditions, because they truly believe that our traditions are the ones, which help to support each member of the family and provide him/her with the necessary care and love”. She further states, “When I got married, my husband was so inspired with an idea of my parents to go to America, so, he tried to do everything possible to get promotion and change our location”, says Ma. Other than the ceremonies, the Malay Muslim community just do not just fancy the art of living together as huge but strongly nit family but also see it as away of keeping the flow of cultural passage smooth. This fact could be the reason why Ma says, “We came from India. For a long period of time, I lived in a joint family, where more than 35 people lived together”.

The family institution is headed by the elderly, who are accorded utmost respect. This could explain why most relatives and friends of the family who came for the ceremonies too addressed Zainab’s grandma informally as “Ma”. This tight family structure is what makes the family stronger and fosters the culture of love and care. Ma demonstrates this by saying that it is the love of her family including her children and grandchildren that keeps her strong and makes her functions continuously well. She states that she was extremely lucky to have a family, which loves and cares for her so much, especially her son and daughter in law, Zainab’s parents, whom she loved dearly. This concept brings us to another important aspect of family as unit in the development and maintenance of cultural identity, the role of the elderly in the maintenance of the cultural identity.

The Role of the Elderly in Fostering Cultural identity

According to the Malay Muslim community, it is the responsibility of the elderly to streamline the cultural identity stability. It is the moral duty of the elderly in a family unit to first show the passion for the maintenance of the culture, even if it calls for disciplinary actions on junior member of the family who does not follow the unwritten cultural guidelines. It is therefore an express obligation of the elderly and senior members of the families to teach and impart knowledge of the cultural values as well as morals to the coming generations. This is to ensure the family stay together and continue sharing the moral values and all aspects of life. This expresses the importance of unity, which accordingly could be interpreted as the source of strength and cultural identity, with the elderly as the “fulcrum” of strength in the family. The elderly and senior members of the community in a family unit are also tasked with offering the blessings to the individuals. For example, when the bride and bride groom form part of a new life, they need the blessings of the elderly in the presence of the relatives, friends, and family in order to begin the new chapter of life in a more harmonious manner. Again the elderly are known to be knowledgeable enough to impact the religious traditions on the family; it is their duty to ensure that all the religious customs and traditions are fulfilled.

The Role of Ceremonies

The Malay Muslim community value ceremonies so much. The fact that large number of people (comprised of all sorts of relatives) gather together to enjoy the ceremonies like the wedding is one way of strengthening and preserving cultural identity. Social gatherings included all-important relatives and friends and the elders and senior members of the house are given special importance. During such ceremonies, the environment is beautifully set and with amazing fragrance of the henna. For example, weddings that are considered the beginning of a new life are treated with such special designs. The value and significance of these ceremonies prior to marriage among the Malay Muslim community is critical and the family takes it upon themselves to ensure the ceremony run smoothly. Ceremonies take place in the presence of all distance relatives- a very important aspect in the preservation and extension of could be lost cultural values, in contrast to the western culture that only recognizes immediate family members. Such ceremonies are held primarily to celebrate the wedding and share the joys with relatives, friends and society. On the other hand, ceremonies act as reminders in to the attendants, who due to external cultural influence could have forgotten some aspects of the cultural values. This is why Ma states that customs and rituals play an important role in important matters like marriages, birth of a new child and even death.

During the ceremonies such as weddings, food and water are considered a good gesture in the community’s effort in remembering the poor and the underprivileged. This is why every member of the community is welcome in such ceremonies and they are served with food and water to their satisfaction.

Religion, Unity, Peace and Cultural Identity

Interestingly, the findings about the Muslim community about religion were contrary to the general perception of the rest of world or other religion. According to Ma, the religion emphasizes on communal harmony, peace and joy not in isolation but within the community in which they function. Islam as a religion necessitates that important functions and events should be shared with society and friends and although grand events are not necessary, rituals and customs are a compulsion.

Islam put strong foundation of great emphasis upon unity during celebrations and hosting meals is an important aspect of any ritual and tradition. In all religious events and wedding ceremonies, knowledge of traditions and customs are put to complete use during the wedding celebrations. In fostering the religious identity, the elderly and the senior members of the society are responsible for teaching the younger generations about the rituals and traditions in relation to Islam as a religious entity so that they would be able to continue the same with their children and pass on the knowledge to the newer generations. According to the Muslim community, the religion teaches unity and communal harmony and that is why religion is part as parcel of such events as marriage ceremonies, which are known to play a vital role in uniting families.

She asserted that even if there are differences, such moments and events are of crucial importance and it is expected that all differences are forgotten so that the ceremonies are conducted and accomplished peacefully and happily.

Muslim as a religion is not associated with terror and growth fanaticism, and instead it is a religion of peace. If Islam prohibits violence and unkindness even towards animals, so how could it propagate violence towards humanity? Ma explains that people are misusing and misquoting from the Koran for their political benefits.

Culture and Wellbeing

In the Malay community, culture is considered as a critical tenet of wellbeing. It is culture that ensures that each and every individual is respected and that is why all the rituals are processed in accordance with the customs, to ensure the mutual respect is bestowed on each and every member of the community. The senior most member of the house looks after all the younger members and plays the role of a responsible mother who looks after the wellbeing of her children. Culture and traditions are part and parcel of life and no member of the family can live without them. The elderly ensure that all the cultural values and moral are imparted to the children continuously, so that the cycle of culture would carry forward, since according to her, culture ensures happiness, love and unity among family members. The culture of staying together as a big family unit has helped the senior most members of the family acquire skills for managing and remember all the ceremonial traditions. Ma says that she was raised in a big family of ten and got married to an even bigger family. She says, “For a long period of time, I lived in a joint family, where more than 35 people lived together”. The Malay Muslim family cherishes the strength and sternness of the senior most members of the family and every young one would want to emulate them in order to create wellbeing to the family members and the community as a whole. It is also the culture of the Malay Muslim community to stay together in unity to help the underprivileged in the community. Serving food and water are considered to be the most virtuous deeds and that the poor are given supreme importance when it comes to distribution of food.

Love, Respect, Care and Cultural Identity

The Malay community love, care, and respect for each other and environment are amazing. Every member of the community is considered in designing the house and the compound which hosts the typically large families. They love maintaining the environment clean with cool ambience and style, with enough space for everybody, contrary to the western lifestyle of fragmented units of houses to fit one or two individuals. Naturally, people belief and take Muslims to live life with ruins just like what the media portrays on our television.

The respect is not limited to the living alone, but is also accorded the dead in a manner that is in tandem with the cultural orientation. The dead are constantly remembered with special artifacts like photos, placed conspicuously on the walls. These photos comprise of both the living family members and the dead. These artifacts are meant to remind the present and coming generation of their identity and their roots, past and the family support and care. This is specifically so for the ones who have been born in America. The senior most family members constantly underline the necessity of family support and care, which is shared by everybody in the family, including little boys and girls. These young ones demonstrate their respect for the family members including the dead in a unique way. For example when they come near the photos, they change their gestures and moves just to give the photos and their memories utmost respect. Ma affirms the love and care theme in their culture when she says, “my children are also eager to hear something about our native traditions, because they truly believe that our traditions are the ones, which help to support each member of the family and provide him/her with the necessary care and love”.

The Malay Muslim community is also quite respectful of other culture and they would not shy away from trying other ways of life. This is visible in the way their house is designed and, with all the American way of life in terms of furniture and house designs. As I observed, the only way you could separate the Malay Muslim house design and components are the photos ands other artifacts available on the rooms. Furthermore, Ma asserts this fact when she says, “…….Of course, it is possible to add something from American traditions in order to demonstrate our sincere respect to the Americans, however, at the same time, be able to show that we remember about our own traditions and can unite these different styles of life.”

One more thing that attracts attention is certain respect to food and drinks in the family of a Malay Muslim. For example it is impossible to find some alcoholic drinks in the household of a Malay Muslim except the medical ones in order to debride the wounds. The importance placed on food is seen in the type of foodstuff commonly used. In actual sense, they have a lot of respect for natural food and these foodstuffs dominate their food store. For example, tea, coffee, water, and juice complete the beverage section. suji ka halwa (a kind of semolina pudding) or yakhani (mutton with yogurt) and remain their favorite and the “taste” of their native country and their true or inborn preferences.

The children are oriented to the level that there is automatic respect and appreciation for every little thing they receive from the giver. For instance when one of the children takes some food, he/she says “Thanks mom or Ma” even if these people are not here right now. This is the way of how they are grateful to their parents, who provide them with some food. Even though in America it is not that famous to share food with poor people all the time; the Malay Muslim community still value a lot the sharing whatever little they have with the poor to extend love and care. According Ma, it is always necessary to be a human and realize that time could change everything very quickly, and one day you would be hoping that some people could share some food with you. Of course, her thoughts are rather philosophical and general; however, the community holds this philosophical view so dearly that they use it to extend love to other members of the society.

Since I was to interact with the community that is so distinct and respect their cultural values, I had to maintain the ethics that are necessary in the qualitative research. As a researcher I had to consider the concerns of the people we study, even if they don’t show the concern. I therefore made sure that all the processes of research were done in appropriate manner in tandem with the laid down guidelines and procedures of conduction qualitative research. From this perspective and view, I followed the following fundamental research ethics:

• Respect for the persons interviewed: one step I took to do this is to outline specific questions that were not offensive to the respondents of that which would go against their cultural disrespect. This is one of the reasons why the interview guide was carefully drafted in order to give a specific direction that interview process would take. It was also meant to ensure that I don’t just use my respondents to achieve my research objectives but to also to maximize their benefits out of the research.
• Beneficence; from the settings of the interview place to the names of the respondents, I placed some concepts of risk minimization to the participants. The setting of the interview was a confirmatory that the interview was going to receive some positive results as well as respect the individual privacy. This is why I had to seek the permission from the family that was interviewed to ensure there are some concepts of informed consent from the target family respondent. Again, the names presented here in the report are not real name to ensure the respondents are not faced with any form of disrespect and as a result of this research finding.
• Justice; the question, “What do you think should be done more in order to help not-native people remember about their traditions?” was a strategic one in terms of ethical concern. This was meant to ensure the respondent share the ethical benefits that may accrue from the research. This is why I chose the Zainab’s family because they uniquely represent the Malay Muslim community despite being in a dominantly universal culture like the America’s and their continuous existence with this culture be threatened from the perspective of multi-culturisation.
• Respect for the community; I took the obligation to acknowledge the importance of every unique aspect I observed or encountered. Thai is, I did not express my unnecessary surprise that would have shown any form of prejudice or disrespect to the respondents and their relatives or families or the community for that matter. For I knew that this aspect of ethical issue was very fundamental in the community wide knowledge, values and relationships, tenets that proved very critical in my research.
• Informed consent; because this research did not have very serious risk, that is, minimal risk, I decided to seek informed consent from the participant after a broad explanation on the risk and benefits associated with the research. I assured my respondents that I will protect their identity and confidentiality. The way to do this was to ensure the conversation did not go beyond the required standards. That is, I made sure I stayed within the content of the discussion.

Despite easy access to the family for my research, I got some quite outstanding barriers to the study.

First, there was the language barrier that created a lot of difficulty during my first day in the wedding and successive meetings in the community. This made it quite difficult to access some crucial information that could have accompanied my observations and answers to my interview question. My sole reliance on interview answers and blank observation without hearing directly from word to word unfolding of events I believe did not give enough on the information on the material day of the wedding. However, there is much certainty that my main respondent, Ma did give the most of the information that I needed, if not all.

Secondly, there is more of certainty that qualitative research approach does not give a corpus analysis that would give the findings specific authenticity for specific expansion to wider population of the study. This is largely because my findings are statistically vague hence cannot be tested to discover the statistical significance. However, comparatively, this specific research would not do either better with quantitative research. So in simple terms, the counter problem associated with that demerit is neutralized.

Lastly, even though I did try as much as I could to be calm with everything or whatever information I found astonishing, sometimes I was overwhelmed and found myself expressing some sort of unsolicited reactions. For example, I could not understand what other people in America would refer to as a “community” sharing one house. This was relatively a strange encounter and it took me quite some time to comprehend. The good thing about that encounter and the subsequent reaction is that the respondent never expressed any form of prejudice or put in other words, did not show any form of negative feeling about my expression. Again my friendship cultivation at the initial approach to my study I believe played a pivotal role in the diminishing this short coming.

The observed household helped me to learn and comprehend deeper the style of life of foreigners in the United States of America. These people do not have a need of some communities and these communities’ support; they do not need to meet their countrymen in order to maintain their native traditions, because their family is a great treasure, that is, their community, their countrymen, and their supporters. Their mutual love and care is their success. And if all other Malay Muslim families have the same relations as the relations of my friend’s family, they have many chances to continue maintaining their traditions and teach their future generation to respect the same traditions for a long period of time.

This family demonstrates a wonderful idea on how to maintain native traditions in such a host country like America. People can do everything possible at their own homes, and even if a foreign country closes the doors to your native traditions, it is always possible for them to open these doors in own hearts, minds, and homes. This visit to Malay Muslim family, who have lived for more than 30 years in America, tries to keep own customs, and respects for each other, helped me comprehend how it is wonderful to believe in something, to be devoted to something, and have companions in the chosen affair. Even this house serves as a good example of care, love, and support. Nowadays, so many people are afraid of being sensitive and honest to each other. This family is always eager to share their thoughts, their traditions, and their happiness with the other people. And, it should not be considered as the sign of naivety or nonsense in America. It should serve as a good example to follow in order to improve this life. A bit love from the Malay Muslims and certain independence of the Americans may create another, more powerful group of people with mutual respect to each other.

In fact, Ma draws comparison between American and Malay Muslim family lives. She says, “In spite of the fact that Malay Muslims and American traditions are closely connected to family, Muslims demonstrate their respect to parents and grandparents, and Americans prefer some kind of democracy and personal independence even within families”. It is in order for anybody, including the community to draw parallel the difference between cultural prejudice and respecting the other people’s culture. That comparison leads to prejudice and lack of respects is not the way to show the value of one’s culture.

According Ma, it is important to note that the family is center of everything and the beginning of creating cultural identity. The common notion that such values can come from the community is a sham and instead one should consider his or her family as the unit of cultural identity. She says, “Those, who want to maintain their native traditions, community are not necessary, as their best community is their family.”

The specific roles of certain members in the society are very important in extending the cultural diversity. As demonstrated by the Malay Muslim community, it is critical to note that every institution has a structure and each structure is a culmination of specific roles as displayed by these members of the community. As demonstrated by this family, it is an express obligation of the elderly and senior members of the families to teach and impart knowledge of the cultural values as well as morals to the coming generations. This is to ensure the family stay together and continue sharing the moral values and all aspects of life according to demands of the culture.

For every attempt to conserve a specific culture it is critical to note that the ceremonies, especially those that deal with family and cultural lives are adhered to. Even though economic situation may dictate the express participation or organization of such events, it is also important to note that a classical cultural event may not be all that expensive and need to entail just a simple gathering. Ceremonies taking place in the presence of all distance relatives and friends are a very important aspect in the preservation and extension of the cultural values that could be lost. And the fact that people come together to share the moment of joy by through such common things like food sharing and is enough reminder for could be lost cultural values or as one may observe, reinforces the cultural identity.

The general perception that has persisted about some roles of specific regions may not be true, at least according these findings. The Muslim as a religion is in deed not peace oriented. No specific religion is specifically practiced to cause violence and it is the roles of some few individuals who may take advantage of the cohesion that occur to extend their aggression on the society for their own selfish gains. For example, this study has diffused a common notion that Islam place great emphasis upon unity and care for the poor. According to the Muslim community, the religion teaches unity and communal harmony and not fanaticism and terror. This is why religion is part and parcel of such events as marriage ceremonies, which are known to play a vital role in uniting families.

Culture is critical for fostering wellbeing. It is culture that ensures that each and every individual is respected and respects others as well. That is why all the rituals are processed in accordance with the customs. Culture and traditions are part and parcel of life and no member of the family can live without them. The culture of staying together as a big family unit has helped the senior most members of the family acquire skills for managing and remember all the ceremonial traditions. Ma says that she was raised in a big family of ten and got married to an even bigger family. Here I do not mean to say that the family units of American multi-culture should be broken, but an aspect of unity must be shown to foster the culture of friendship and love.

There is a connection between love, respect, care and the status of cultural identity. No one would claim that people who share a common goal jointly would hate and care less about the partner. If anything, each member of the family is supposed to be considered in the process of designing a particular resources in the family to ensure there is room for everyone to enjoy and feel wanted. It is through love virtue cultivated from the family that is extended even outside the precinct of the family as shown by this family of study. For example, for a preservation environment, it is a common knowledge that the idea of clean environment is the responsibility of everyone in the family. Such beliefs expanded to the outside of the family will result into the desired environmental conservation.

The other important thing to note from this study is the desire for respect for other cultures. Despite being completely unique, the Malay Muslim community displays an awesome respect for other culture. This was shown by the kind of response Ma gave in certain questions. The community is respectful of other culture and they would not shy away from trying American life. Furthermore, Ma asserts this fact when she says, “…….Of course, it is possible to add something from American traditions in order to demonstrate our sincere respect to the Americans, however, at the same time, be able to show that we remember about our own traditions and can unite these different styles of life.” She also refuses to draw comparison, acknowledging that each and every culture has its strength and fun moments.

It is also important to draw importance on the way children are brought up in the cultural setting. Identifying ones culture makes the young ones have opportunity to grow morally with specifically instilled guideline on their minds on the nature of the behaviors on certain issues. The children also develop the culture of respect and appreciation for every little thing they receive from the giver. For instance when one of the children takes some food, he/she says “Thanks mom or Ma” even if these people are not here right now. Even though in America culture is seen to be individualistic, it still has the elements of sharing and this shows that the human nature of sharing is still alive and thus should be observed.

Cultural identity is critical in the construction of cultural passage structure. And as Leeds-Hurwitz (2005) observed, “of all the social facts we construct, identity is probably the most critical. And of all our identities, cultural identity is one of the most central to who we think we are”. I can conclude that that people tend to learn their cultural identities first within families setting. It is also important to remember how the Malay community remembered all the cultural issues within this fragmentized society, how family members can manage to stay and work together to construct an identity so distinct; how they remember all these traditions in a society so distinct from theirs; and the significance of these traditions in the families.

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IvyPanda. (2021, November 23). Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity. https://ivypanda.com/essays/malay-muslim-family/

"Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity." IvyPanda , 23 Nov. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/malay-muslim-family/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity'. 23 November.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity." November 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/malay-muslim-family/.

1. IvyPanda . "Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity." November 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/malay-muslim-family/.

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IvyPanda . "Malay Muslim Traditions and Cultural Identity." November 23, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/malay-muslim-family/.

• Countries and Their Cultures
• Culture of Malaysia

Culture Name

Alternative names.

Outsiders often mistakenly refer to things Malaysian as simply "Malay," reflecting only one of the ethnic groups in the society. Malaysians refer to their national culture as kebudayaan Malaysia in the national language.

Orientation

Identification. Within Malaysian society there is a Malay culture, a Chinese culture, an Indian culture, a Eurasian culture, along with the cultures of the indigenous groups of the peninsula and north Borneo. A unified Malaysian culture is something only emerging in the country. The important social distinction in the emergent national culture is between Malay and non-Malay, represented by two groups: the Malay elite that dominates the country's politics, and the largely Chinese middle class whose prosperous lifestyle leads Malaysia's shift to a consumer society. The two groups mostly live in the urban areas of the Malay Peninsula's west coast, and their sometimes competing, sometimes parallel influences shape the shared life of Malaysia's citizens. Sarawak and Sabah, the two Malaysian states located in north Borneo, tend to be less a influential part of the national culture, and their vibrant local cultures are shrouded by the bigger, wealthier peninsular society.

Location and Geography. Malaysia is physically split between west and east, parts united into one country in 1963. Western Malaysia is on the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, and stretches from the Thai border to the island of Singapore. Eastern Malaysia includes the territories of Sabah and Sarawak on the north end of Borneo, separated by the country of Brunei. Peninsular Malaysia is divided into west and east by a central mountain range called the Banjaran Titiwangsa. Most large cities, heavy industry, and immigrant groups are concentrated on the west coast; the east coast is less populated, more agrarian, and demographically more Malay. The federal capital is in the old tinmining center of Kuala Lumpur, located in the middle of the western immigrant belt, but its move to the new Kuala Lumpur suburb of Putra Jaya will soon be complete.

Demography. Malaysia's population comprises twenty-three million people, and throughout its history the territory has been sparsely populated relative to its land area. The government aims for increasing the national population to seventy million by the year 2100. Eighty percent of the population lives on the peninsula. The most important Malaysian demographic statistics are of ethnicity: 60 percent are classified as Malay, 25 percent as of Chinese descent, 10 percent of Indian descent, and 5 percent as others. These population figures have an important place in peninsular history, because Malaysia as a country was created with demography in mind. Malay leaders in the 1930s and 1940s organized their community around the issue of curbing immigration. After independence, Malaysia was created when the Borneo territories with their substantial indigenous populations were added to Malaya as a means of exceeding the great number of Chinese and Indians in the country.

Symbolism. The selection of official cultural symbols is a source of tension. In such a diverse society, any national emblem risks privileging one group over another. For example, the king is the symbol of the state, as well as a sign of Malay political hegemony. Since ethnic diversity rules out the use of kin or blood metaphors to stand for Malaysia, the society often emphasizes natural symbols, including the sea turtle, the hibiscus flower, and the orangutan. The country's economic products and infrastructure also provide national logos for Malaysia; the national car (Proton), Malaysia Airlines, and the Petronas Towers (the world's tallest buildings) have all come to symbolize modern Malaysia. The government slogan "Malaysia Boleh!" (Malaysia Can!) is meant to encourage even greater accomplishments. A more humble, informal symbol for society is a salad called rojak, a favorite Malaysian snack, whose eclectic mix of ingredients evokes the population's diversity.

History and Ethnic Relations

Emergence of the Nation. The name Malaysia comes from an old term for the entire Malay archipelago. A geographically truncated Malaysia emerged out of the territories colonized by Britain in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Britain's representatives gained varying degrees of control through agreements with the Malay rulers of the peninsular states, often made by deceit or force. Britain was attracted to the Malay peninsula by its vast reserves of tin, and later found that the rich soil was also highly productive for growing rubber trees. Immigrants from south China and south India came to British Malaya as labor, while the Malay population worked in small holdings and rice cultivation. What was to become East Malaysia had different colonial administrations: Sarawak was governed by a British family, the Brookes (styled as the "White Rajas"), and Sabah was run by the British North Borneo Company. Together the cosmopolitan hub of British interests was Singapore, the central port and center of publishing, commerce, education, and administration. The climactic event in forming Malaysia was the Japanese occupation of Southeast Asia from 1942-1945. Japanese rule helped to invigorate a growing anti-colonial movement, which flourished following the British return after the war. When the British attempted to organize their administration of Malaya into one unit to be called the Malayan Union, strong Malay protests to what seemed to usurp their historical claim to the territory forced the British to modify the plan. The other crucial event was the largely Chinese communist rebellion in 1948 that remained strong to the mid-1950s. To address Malay criticisms and to promote counter-insurgency, the British undertook a vast range of nation-building efforts. Local conservatives and radicals alike developed their own attempts to foster unity among the disparate Malayan population. These grew into the Federation of Malaya, which gained independence in 1957. In 1963, with the addition of Singapore and the north Borneo territories, this federation became Malaysia. Difficulties of integrating the predominately Chinese population of Singapore into Malaysia remained, and under Malaysian directive Singapore became an independent republic in 1965.

National Identity. Throughout Malaysia's brief history, the shape of its national identity has been a crucial question: should the national culture be essentially Malay, a hybrid, or separate ethnic entities? The question reflects the tension between the indigenous claims of the Malay population and the cultural and citizenship rights of the immigrant groups. A tentative solution came when the Malay, Chinese, and Indian elites who negotiated independence struck what has been called "the bargain." Their informal deal exchanged Malay political dominance for immigrant citizenship and unfettered economic pursuit. Some provisions of independence were more formal, and the constitution granted several Malay "special rights" concerning land, language, the place of the Malay Rulers, and Islam, based on their indigenous status. Including the Borneo territories and Singapore in Malaysia revealed the fragility of "the bargain." Many Malays remained poor; some Chinese politicians wanted greater political power. These fractures in Malaysian society prompted Singapore's expulsion and produced the watershed of contemporary Malaysian life, the May 1969 urban unrest in Kuala Lumpur. Violence left hundreds dead; parliament was suspended for two years. As a result of this experience the government placed tight curbs on political debate of national cultural issues and began a comprehensive program of affirmative action for the Malay population. This history hangs over all subsequent attempts to encourage official integration of Malaysian society. In the 1990s a government plan to blend the population into a single group called "Bangsa Malaysia" has generated excitement and criticism from different constituencies of the population. Continuing debates demonstrate that Malaysian national identity remains unsettled.

Ethnic Relations. Malaysia's ethnic diversity is both a blessing and a source of stress. The melange makes Malaysia one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth, as it helps sustain international relationships with the many societies represented in Malaysia: the Indonesian archipelago, the Islamic world, India, China, and Europe. Malaysians easily exchange ideas and techniques with the rest of the world, and have an influence in global affairs. The same diversity presents seemingly intractable problems of social cohesion, and the threat of ethnic violence adds considerable tension to Malaysian politics.

Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space

Food and Economy

Food in Daily Life. Malaysia's diversity has blessed the country with one of the most exquisite cuisines in the world, and elements of Malay, Chinese, and Indian cooking are both distinct and blended together. Rice and noodles are common to all cuisine; spicy dishes are also favorites. Tropical fruits grow in abundance, and a local favorite is the durian, known by its spiked shell and fermented flesh whose pungent aroma and taste often separates locals from foreigners. Malaysia's affluence means that increasing amounts of meat and processed foods supplement the country's diet, and concerns about the health risks of their high-fat content are prominent in the press. This increased affluence also allows Malaysians to eat outside the home more often; small hawker stalls offer prepared food twenty-four hours a day in urban areas. Malaysia's ethnic diversity is apparent in food prohibitions: Muslims are forbidden to eat pork which is a favorite of the Chinese population; Hindus do not eat beef; some Buddhists are vegetarian. Alcohol consumption also separates non-Muslims from Muslims.

Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. When Malaysians have guests they tend to be very fastidious about hospitality, and an offer of food is a critical etiquette requirement. Tea or coffee is usually prepared along with small snacks for visitors. These refreshments sit in front of the guest until the host signals for them to be eaten. As a sign of accepting the host's hospitality the guest must at least sip the beverage and taste the food offered. These dynamics occur on a grander scale during a holiday open house. At celebrations marking important ethnic and religious holidays, many Malaysian families host friends and neighbors to visit and eat holiday delicacies. The visits of people from other ethnic groups and religions on these occasions are taken as evidence of Malaysian national amity.

Basic Economy. Malaysia has long been integrated into the global economy. Through the early decades of the twentieth century, the Malay peninsula was a world leader in the production of tin (sparked by the Western demand for canned food) and natural rubber (needed to make automobile tires). The expansion of Malaysia's industrialization heightened its dependence on imports for food and other necessities.

Land Tenure and Property. Land ownership is a controversial issue in Malaysia. Following the rubber boom the British colonial government, eager to placate the Malay population, designated portions of land as Malay reservations. Since this land could only be sold to other Malays, planters and speculators were limited in what they could purchase. Malay reserve land made ethnicity a state concern because land disputes could only be settled with a legal definition of who was considered Malay. These land tenure arrangements are still in effect and are crucial to Malay identity. In fact the Malay claim to political dominance is that they are bumiputera (sons of the soil). Similar struggles exist in east Malaysia, where the land rights of indigenous groups are bitterly disputed with loggers eager to harvest the timber for export. Due to their different colonial heritage, indigenous groups in Sarawak and Sabah have been less successful in maintaining their territorial claims.

Commercial Activities. Basic necessities in Malaysia have fixed prices and, like many developing countries, banking, retail, and other services are tightly regulated. The country's commerce correlates with ethnicity, and government involvement has helped Malays to compete in commercial activities long dominated by ethnic Chinese. Liberalization of business and finance proceeds with these ethnic dynamics in mind.

Major Industries. The boom and bust in primary commodities such as rubber and tin have given Malaysian society a cyclical rhythm tied to fickle external demand. In the 1970s the government began to diversify the economy (helped by an increase in oil exports) and Malaysia is now well on its way to becoming an industrial country. The country has a growing automotive industry, a substantial light-manufacturing sector (textiles, air conditioners, televisions, and VCRs), and an expanding high technology capacity (especially semi-conductors).

Trade. Malaysia's prominent place in the global economy as one of the world's twenty largest trading nations is an important part of its identity as a society. Primary trading partners include Japan, Singapore, and the United States, with Malaysia importing industrial components and exporting finished products. Palm oil, rubber, tropical hardwoods, and petroleum products are important commodities.

Division of Labor. The old ethnic division of labor (Malays in agriculture, Indians in the professions and plantations, and Chinese in mining and commerce) has steadily eroded. In its place, the Malaysian workforce is increasingly divided by class and citizenship. Educated urban professionals fill the offices of large companies in a multi-ethnic blend. Those without educational qualifications work in factories, petty trade, and agricultural small holdings. As much as 20 percent of the workforce is foreign, many from Indonesia and the Philippines, and dominate sectors such as construction work and domestic service.

Social Stratification

Classes and Castes. Class position in Malaysia depends on a combination of political connections, specialized skills, ability in English, and family money. The Malaysian elite, trained in overseas universities, is highly cosmopolitan and continues to grow in dominance as Malaysia's middle class expands. Even with the substantial stratification of society by ethnicity, similar class experiences in business and lifestyle are bridging old barriers.

Symbols of Social Stratification. In Malaysia's market economy, consumption provides the primary symbols of stratification. Newly wealthy Malaysians learn how to consume by following the lead of the Malay royalty and the prosperous business families of Chinese descent. A mobile phone, gold jewelry, and fashionable clothing all indicate one's high rank in the Malaysian social order. Given the striking mobility of Malaysian society, one's vehicle marks class position even more than home ownership. Most Malaysians can distinguish the difference between makes of cars, and access to at least a motor scooter is a requirement for participation in contemporary Malaysian social life. Kuala Lumpur has more motor vehicles than people. Skin color, often indicative of less or more time working in the hot tropical sun, further marks class position. Distinct class differences also appear in speech. Knowledge of English is vital to elevated class status, and a person's fluency in that language indexes their social background.

Political Life

Leadership and Political Officials. Malaysian political leaders demand a great deal of deference from the public. The Malay term for government, kerajaan, refers to the raja who ruled from the precolonial courts. High-ranking politicians are referred to as yang berhormat (he who is honored), and sustain remarkable resiliency in office. Their longevity is due to the fact that successful politicians are great patrons, with considerable influence over the allocation of social benefits such as scholarships, tenders, and permits. Clients, in return, show deference and give appropriate electoral support. The mainstream press are also among the most consistent and most important boosters of the ruling coalition's politicians. Even with the substantial power of the political elite, corruption remains informal, and one can negotiate the lower levels of the state bureaucracy without paying bribes. However, endless stories circulate of how appropriate payments can oil a sometimes creaky process.

Social Problems and Control. Through its colonial history, British Malaya had one of the largest per capita police forces of all British colonies. Police power increased during the communist rebellion (the "Emergency") begun in 1948, which was fought primarily as a police action. The Emergency also expanded the influence of the police Special Branch intelligence division. Malaysia retains aspects of a police state. Emergency regulations for such things as detention without trial (called the Internal Security Act) remain in use; the police are a federal rather than local institution; and police quarters (especially in more isolated rural areas) still have the bunker-like design necessary for confronting an armed insurgency. Even in urban areas police carry considerable firepower. Officers with M-16s are not a rarity and guards at jewelry shops often have long-barrel shotguns. Criminals tend to be audacious given the fact that possession of an illegal firearm carries a mandatory death sentence. Since the police focus more on protecting commercial than residential property, people in housing estates and rural areas will sometimes apprehend criminals themselves. The most elaborate crime network is composed of Chinese triads who extend back in lineage to the colonial period. Malaysia is close to the opium producing areas of the "Golden Triangle" where Burma, Thailand, and Laos meet. Drug possession carries a mandatory death sentence.

Military Activity. The Malaysian military's most striking characteristic is that, unlike its neighbors, there has never been a military coup in the country. One reason is the important social function of the military to insure Malay political dominance. The highest ranks of the military are composed of ethnic Malays, as are a majority of those who serve under them. The military's controversial role in establishing order following the May 1969 urban rebellion further emphasizes the political function of the institution as one supporting the Malay-dominated ruling coalition. The Malaysian armed forces, though small in number, have been very active in United Nations peace-keeping, including the Congo, Namibia, Somalia, and Bosnia.

Social Welfare and Change Programs

The Malaysian government has promoted rapid social change to integrate a national society from its ethnic divisions. Its grandest program was originally called the New Economic Policy (NEP), implemented between 1971 and 1990 and continued in modified form as the National Development Policy (NDP). Since poverty eradication was an aim of the NEP a considerable amount of energy has gone to social welfare efforts. The consequences of these programs disseminate across the social landscape: home mortgages feature two rates, a lower one for Malays and a higher one for others; university admissions promote Malay enrollment; mundane government functions such as allocating hawker licenses have an ethnic component. But the government has also tried to ethnically integrate Malaysia's wealthy class; therefore many NEP-inspired ethnic preferences have allowed prosperous Malays to accrue even greater wealth. The dream of creating an affluent Malaysia continues in the government's 1991 plan of Vision 2020, which projects that the country will be "fully developed" by the year 2020. This new vision places faith in high technology, including the creation of a "Multi-Media Super Corridor" outside of Kuala Lumpur, as the means for Malaysia to join the ranks of wealthy industrialized countries, and to develop a more unified society.

Nongovernmental Organizations and Other Associations

Through its welfare policies the government jealously guards its stewardship over social issues, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) work under its close surveillance. The state requires that all associations be registered, and failure to register can effectively cripple an organization. NGO life is especially active in urban areas, addressing problems peripheral to the state's priorities of ethnic redistribution and rapid industrialization. Many prominent NGOs are affiliated with religious organizations, and others congregate around issues of the environment, gender and sexuality, worker's rights, and consumers' interests.

Gender Roles and Statuses

The Relative Status of Women and Men. Generally men have more power than women in Malaysian society. Male dominance is codified in laws over such things as the guardianship of children. The top politicians, business leaders, and religious practitioners are predominately male. Yet Malaysian society shows considerable suppleness in its gender divisions with prominent women emerging in many different fields. Most of the major political parties have an active women's wing which provides access to political power. Though opportunities for men and women differ by ethnic group and social class, strict gender segregation has not been a part of modern Malaysian life.

Marriage, Family, and Kinship

Marriage. Even with significant changes in marriage practices, weddings reveal the sharp differences in Malaysian society. There are two ways to marry: registering the union with the government; and joining in marriage before a religious authority. Christian Malaysians may marry Buddhists or Hindus answering only to their families and beliefs; Muslim Malaysians who marry non-Muslims risk government sanction unless their partner converts to Islam. Marriage practices emphasize Malaysia's separate ethnic customs. Indians and Chinese undertake divination rites in search of compatibility and auspicious dates, while Malays have elaborate gift exchanges. Malay wedding feasts are often held in the home, and feature a large banquet with several dishes eaten over rice prepared in oil (to say one is going to eat oiled rice means that a wedding is imminent). Many Chinese weddings feature a multiple-course meal in a restaurant or public hall, and most Indian ceremonies include intricate rituals. Since married partners join families as well as individuals, the meeting between prospective in-laws is crucial to the success of the union. For most Malaysians marriage is a crucial step toward adulthood. Although the average age for marriage continues to increase, being single into one's thirties generates concern for families and individuals alike. The social importance of the institution makes interethnic marriage an issue of considerable stress.

Domestic Unit. Malaysian households have undergone a tremendous transformation following the changes in the economy. The shift from agricultural commodities to industrial production has made it difficult for extended families to live together. Yet as family mobility expands, as a result of modern schedules, efforts to maintain kin ties also increase. Improved telecommunications keep distant kin in contact, as does the efficient transportation network. A dramatic example of this occurs on the major holidays when millions return to hometowns for kin reunions.

Inheritance. The critical issue of inheritance is land. With the importance Malays place on land ownership, it is rarely viewed as a commodity for sale, and the numerous empty houses that dot the Malaysian landscape are testament to their absentee-owners unwillingness to sell. Gold is also a valuable inheritance; Malaysians from all groups readily turn extra cash into gold as a form of insurance for the future.

Kin Groups. The crucial kin distinctions in Malaysian culture are between ethnic groups, which tend to limit intermarriage. Among the majority of Malays, kin groups are more horizontal than vertical, meaning that siblings are more important than ancestors. Those considered Malay make appropriate marriage partners; non-Malays do not. These distinctions are somewhat flexible, however, and those that embrace Islam and follow Malay customs are admitted as potential Malay marriage partners. Greater flexibility in kinship practices also appears among immigrant groups amid the fresh possibilities created by diasporic life. A striking example is the Baba community, Chinese who immigrated prior to British rule and intermarried with locals, developing their own hybrid language and cultural style. These dynamics point to the varied kinship arrangements possible between the different ethnic communities in Malaysian society.

Socialization

Infant Care. Malaysian babies are lavished with considerable care. Most are born in hospitals, though midwives still provide their services in more remote areas. Careful prohibitions are rigidly followed for both the infant and the mother, according to the various cultural customs. New mothers wear special clothes, eat foods to supplement their strength, and refrain from performing tasks that might bring bad luck to their babies. Grandmothers often live with their new grandchildren for the first few months of their new life.

Higher Education. Higher education is a vital part of Malaysian life, though the universities that are the most influential in the society are located outside the country. Hundreds of thousands of students have been educated in Britain, Australia, and the United States; the experience of leaving Malaysia for training abroad is an important rite of passage for many of the elite. Malaysia boasts a growing local university system that supplements the foreign universities. The quality of local faculty, often higher than that of the second- and third-tier foreign universities that many Malaysians attend, is rarely sufficient to offset the cachet of gaining one's degree abroad.

Malaysian society is remarkable due to its openness to diversity. The blunders of an outsider are tolerated, a charming dividend of Malaysia's cosmopolitan heritage. Yet this same diversity can present challenges for Malaysians when interacting in public. Because there is no single dominant cultural paradigm, social sanctions for transgressing the rights of others are reduced. Maintaining public facilities is a source of constant public concern, as is the proper etiquette for driving a motor vehicle. Malaysian sociability instead works through finding points of connection. When Malaysians meet strangers, they seek to fit them into a hierarchy via guesses about one's religion (Muslims use the familiar Arabic greetings only to other Muslims); inquiries into one's organization (as an initial question many Malaysians will ask, "who are you attached to?"); and estimations of age (unknown older men are addressed by the honorific "uncle," women as "auntie" in the appropriate language). Strangers shake hands, and handshaking continues after the first meeting (Malays often raise the hand to their heart after shaking), though it is sometimes frowned upon between men and women. Greetings are always expressed with the right hand, which is the dominant hand in Malaysian life. Since the left hand is used to cleanse the body, it is considered inappropriate for use in receiving gifts, giving money, pointing directions, or passing objects.

Religious Beliefs. Nearly all the world religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Christianity are present in Malaysia. Religion correlates strongly with ethnicity, with most Muslims Malay, most Hindus Indian, and most Buddhists Chinese. The presence of such diversity heightens the importance of religious identity, and most Malaysians have a strong sense of how their religious practice differs from that of others (therefore a Malaysian Christian also identifies as a non-Muslim). Religious holidays, especially those celebrated with open houses, further blend the interreligious experience of the population. Tension between religious communities is modest. The government is most concerned with the practices of the Muslim majority, since Islam is the official religion (60 percent of the population is Muslim). Debates form most often over the government's role in religious life, such as whether the state should further promote Islam and Muslim practices (limits on gambling, pork-rearing, availability of alcohol, and the use of state funds for building mosques) or whether greater religious expression for non-Muslims should be allowed.

Religious Practitioners. The government regulates religious policy for Malaysia's Muslims, while the local mosque organizes opportunities for religious instruction and expression. Outside these institutions, Islam has an important part in electoral politics as Malay parties promote their Muslim credentials. Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist clergy often have a presence in Malaysian life through cooperative ventures, and their joint work helps to ameliorate their minority status. Religious missionaries work freely proselytizing to non-Muslims, but evangelists interested in converting Muslims are strictly forbidden by the state.

Rituals and Holy Places. Malaysia's most prominent holy place is the National Mosque, built in the heart of Kuala Lumpur in 1965. Its strategic position emphasizes the country's Islamic identity. Countrywide, the daily call to prayer from the mosques amplifies the rhythm of Islamic rituals in the country, as does the procession of the faithful to fulfill their prayers. Reminders of prayer times are included in television programs and further highlight the centrality of Islam in Malaysia. Important holidays include the birth of the Prophet and the pilgrimage to Mecca, all of which hold a conspicuous place in the media. The month of fasting, Ramadan, includes acts of piety beyond the customary refraining from food and drink during daylight hours and is followed by a great celebration. Non-Muslim religious buildings, practices, and holidays have a smaller public life in Malaysia. Part of this is due to fewer believers in the country, and part is due to public policy which limits the building of churches and temples along with the broadcasting of non-Muslim religious services. The important non-Muslim holidays include Christmas, Deepavali (the Hindu festival of light), and Wesak day (which celebrates the life of the Buddha). The Hindu holiday of Thaipussam merits special attention, because devotees undergo spectacular rites of penance before vast numbers of spectators, most dramatically at the famous Batu Caves, located in the bluffs outside of Kuala Lumpur.

Death and the Afterlife. Malaysians have a strong interest in the metaphysical, and stories about spirits and ghosts whether told in conversation, read in books, or seen on television gain rapt attention. Many of these stories sustain a relationship with people who have passed away, whether as a form of comfort or of fear. Cemeteries, including vast fields of Chinese tombs marked with family characters and Muslim graves with the distinctive twin stones, are sites of mystery. The real estate that surrounds them carries only a modest price due to the reputed dangers of living nearby. Muslim funerals tend to be community events, and an entire neighborhood will gather at the home of the deceased to prepare the body for burial and say the requisite prayers. Corpses are buried soon after death, following Muslim custom, and mourners display a minimum of emotion lest they appear to reject the divine's decision. The ancestor memorials maintained by Chinese clans are a common site in Malaysia, and the familiar small red shrines containing offerings of oranges and joss sticks appear on neighborhood street corners and in the rear of Chinese-owned shops. Faith in the efficacy of the afterlife generates considerable public respect for religious graves and shrines even from non-adherents.

Medicine and Health Care

Malaysia boasts a sophisticated system of modern health care with doctors trained in advanced biomedicine. These services are concentrated in the large cities and radiate out in decreasing availability. Customary practitioners, including Chinese herbalists and Malay healers, supplement the services offered in clinics and hospitals and boast diverse clientele.

Secular Celebrations

The Arts and the Humanities

Support for the Arts. Public support for the arts is meager. Malaysian society for the past century has been so heavily geared toward economic development that the arts have suffered, and many practitioners of Malaysia's aesthetic traditions mourn the lack of apprentices to carry them on. The possibility exists for a Malaysian arts renaissance amid the country's growing affluence.

Literature. The pre-colonial Malay rulers supported a rich variety of literary figures who produced court chronicles, fables, and legends that form a prominent part of the contemporary Malaysian cultural imagination. Developing a more contemporary national literature has been a struggle because of language, with controversies over whether Malaysian fiction should be composed solely in Malay or in other languages as well. Though adult literacy is nearly 90 percent, the well-read newspapers lament that the national belief in the importance of reading is stronger than the practice.

Graphic Arts. A small but vibrant group of graphic artists are productive in Malaysia. Practitioners of batik, the art of painting textiles with wax followed by dying to bring out the pattern, still work in northern peninsular Malaysia. Batik-inspired designs are often produced in factories on shirts, sarongs, table cloths, or dresses forming an iconic Malaysian aesthetic.

Performance Arts. Artistic performance in Malaysia is limited by the state's controls over public assembly and expression. The requirement that the government approve all scripts effectively limits what might be said in plays, films, and television. The preferred performance genre in Malaysia is popular music, and concerts of the top Malay pop singers have great followings in person and on television. Musical stars from Bombay and Hong Kong also have substantial numbers of very committed fans, whose devotion makes Malaysia an overseas stop on the tours of many performers. The favorite Malaysian entertainment medium is television, as most homes have television sets. Malaysians watch diverse programming: the standard export American fare, Japanese animation, Hong Kong martial arts, Hindi musicals, and Malay drama. The advent of the video cassette and the Internet was made for Malaysia's diverse society, allowing Malaysians to make expressive choices that often defeat the state's censorship.

The State of the Physical and Social Sciences

Given the Malaysian government's considerable support for rapid industrialization, scientific research is high on the list of its priorities. Malaysian universities produce sophisticated research, though they are sapped for funds by the huge expenditure of sending students overseas for their degrees. Malaysian scientists have made substantial contributions in rubber and palm oil research, and this work will likely continue to increase the productivity of these sectors. Government monitoring of social science research increases the risks of critical scholarship though some academicians are quite outspoken and carry considerable prestige in society.

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Winzeler, Robert L., ed. Indigenous Peoples and the State: Politics, Land, and Ethnicity in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo, 1997.

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10 Interesting Malay Customs and Traditions

Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural land with Malays, Chinese, Indians, and Orang Asli/indigenous people who all share a unique cultural identity and yet able to continue the practice of their respective traditions. The Malays form the majority of the population and have their own customs and traditions that are followed by the Malay community. Malaysia is a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural land with Malays, Chinese, Indians, and Orang Asli/indigenous people who all share a unique cultural identity and yet able to continue the practice of their respective traditions. The Malays form the majority of the population and have their own customs and traditions that are followed by the Malay community. Many of the beliefs and practices have developed as a result of multiple cultures and inter-marriages among the cultures who settled in Malaysia.

Here are 10 interesting Malay customs and traditions you should know:

• The children of a Malay household are strictly bound by custom to look upon their parents with respect and total obedience. Following Islamic practices, Malays would attend Friday (Jumaat) prayers at a nearby mosque around noon.
• Most businesses will give a two-hour lunch break, or even longer, on Fridays for Malays and Muslim workers to go perform their prayers, whereas morning school sessions are dismissed early and afternoon sessions start later to allow time for students and parents to carry out the prayers.
• The traditional Malay dressing is quite conservative as per the laws of Islam. The Malay formal dress for men is the Baju Melayu, a loose, long-sleeved shirt which is worn over a pair of trousers. A white cap known as Kopiah is worn while going to the mosque for prayers. A velvet cap called as Songkok is also worn along with the formal dress in leather shoes.
• Women, on the other hand, wear Baju Kurung, a loose tunic worn over a long skirt, which is usually made of batik, silk or sungkit material. A shawl known as Selendang is used to cover the head.
• A Malay woman does not leave the house for forty days after the birth of her child. At the end of this period, a ceremony called Berchukor is conducted where the child’s head is shaved.
• Traditionally Malay houses in the villages (kampung) are constructed of wood (timber) and palm-leaves (attap). It is built on a platform that is raised on stilts. This is done not only to protect the household from floods and the incursion of any wild animals or reptiles but also to keep the house cool during the hot tropical days.
• When a guest visits a home the host greets them with the Arabic phrase Assalamualaikum which means “peace be upon you”.
• During the festive celebration of Hari Raya, the Muslims undertake a month-long fasting known as Ramadan. The fasting begins with the sighting of the new moon and ends on the last night of the same moon. During that month the Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
• Malays always use the right hand while eating even when they use forks and spoons. In fact, all good things are done with the right hand including holding the holy book of Quran.
• Malay weddings are a grand affair, the most important part of Malay wedding is the Bersanding where the couple is seated next to each other on a sofa called the Pelamin. This is a mark of approval and blessing. Loved ones and guests sprinkle the couple with scented water and yellow rice. The guests are given a Bunga Telur, an ornamented egg festooned with a flower, as a sign of fertility.

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Malaysian Culture

Core concepts.

• Filial piety

Malaysia is an incredibly diverse country, containing many different ethnicities, languages and religions. People from each ethnicity have generally retained their ancestors’ cultural customs. As a result, Malaysian society accommodates a rich variety of lifestyles, beliefs and values. The following information describes general Malaysian culture, tending to reflect the Malay majority; however, there are many divergences from this cultural mainstream throughout the country. Learning as much as possible about your Malaysian counterparts' home region, ethnicity and religion beforehand can help you develop respectful relationships with them.

Indigenous Ethnicities

The majority of Malaysians (around 51%) are Malays. Almost all of them are Muslim, which explains why the ethnicity is commonly referred to as ‘Muslim Malay’. Being the most populous ethnicity , they dominate the political sphere. Their predominance is reflected in the official religion (Islam) and language of the country. For example, most communities speak a version of Malay (officially known as Bahasa Malaysia) to some degree. While most Malays live in urban areas, they are traditionally associated with the rural hinterlands.

Malays often have a fatalistic worldview, leading them to attribute successes, opportunities and misfortunes to the will of God. Furthermore, care and attention to human interactions may be prioritised over deadlines or monetary success. Malay culture perceives courtesy and respect as principal moral values that should take precedence over others. Prosperity is derived from nobility, not necessarily the accumulation of wealth. Because of these cultural attitudes, members of the Malay majority tend to be less focused on economic pursuits than other ethnic groups. However, that has been negatively misconstrued as somehow suggesting a cultural lack of ambition or even laziness. On the contrary, it reflects the Malay view that relationship building is especially important and should not be approached lightly. They tend to be family-oriented people, choosing not to work overseas as much as other ethnicities and instead living within close proximity of their family networks.

Aboriginal ethnicities make up 11.8% of the population. Though they are a minority of the national population, they are the majority in the less urbanised regions of East Malaysia. Being the oldest inhabitants of Malaysia, these aboriginal communities often have traditional languages, religions and customs particular to their tribe. While they are collectively referred to as ‘ Orang Asli ’ (“original people”), there are distinct differences between the various tribes. Many Orang Asli communities still practise their traditional culture – for example, continuing a nomadic lifestyle or living in shared communes. Some have been forced off their traditional lands by land clearances and have had to adopt a more urbanised lifestyle. The biggest indigenous group is the Iban, with a population of approximately 600,000. There are also smaller groups of Bidayuhs, Kadazan and Negritos, among many others.

Migrated Ethnicities

Malaysia has significant populations of people with foreign ancestry who mostly live in the cities. There are small populations of Indonesians, Nepalis, Filipinos and Europeans. However, the largest minority groups consist of Malaysian Chinese (generally Han-Chinese) who make up 22.6% of the Malaysian population, and Malaysian Indians (majority Tamil) who make up 6.7%. Many members of these groups are descendants of labourers that migrated to Malaysia in the late 19th and early 20th century during British colonial rule. Some now have third-or even fourth-generation roots in the country.

The Malaysian Chinese population generally exhibits great diligence and resilience. This can be partially attributed to a common concept in Chinese migrant communities – ‘ kiasu ’, the “fear of losing”. Kiasu motivates people to achieve in everyday life as well as economically or academically. This can be something as small as endeavouring to get to the front of a crowd or determinedly queuing for great lengths to buy or see something, or it can manifest in bigger ways (for example, aiming to be the best student in a university). As a result, Malaysian Chinese generally strive industriously to achieve what they want. However, they tend not to openly exhibit aggressiveness in their approach; they generally maintain poise and courtesy since being forceful is considered inharmonious behaviour. Nonetheless, Malaysian Chinese have come to dominate roughly 70% of the Malaysian economy and are regarded as the business-savvy ethnic group of Malaysia. They make up a large proportion of the upper class. Many Malays have perceived this as a monopolisation of the corporate sector, provoking underlying tension and mistrust between the Malays and Malaysian Chinese.

Bumiputera Distinction

Ethnicities with international origins may face social barriers for being ‘ pendatang ’ (newcomers). This is due to the social identifier that categorises Malaysians as either Bumiputera or non-Bumiputera . Bumiputera literally translates as “sons of the soil” and refers to those who are considered to be the original inhabitants of the country (i.e. Malays and Orang Asli). The word does not describe an ethnic group, but rather signifies a social status of indigeneity. Bumiputera citizens’ rights are commonly prioritised in politics as well as in other public and some private sectors of society. In this way, Malay interests are commonly privileged over those of other ethnicities whilst the Orang Asli minority remains somewhat more marginalised.

Malaysian Chinese and Malaysian Indians can be particularly disadvantaged by this system as non-Bumiputera status can hinder their access to education, jobs, property ownership, scholarships and other opportunities. This may explain why the majority of the Malaysian migrants in Australia are Malaysian Chinese (62.1%) and only 13.2% are Malay. Nevertheless, this political stance rarely translates into day-to-day discrimination between people. Despite the difference in their ethnicities’ origins, Malaysians of all backgrounds generally feel a personal loyalty to the country.

Respect and Etiquette

As members of such a multicultural society, Malaysians are generally very attentive towards how they respectfully interact with people of all backgrounds. There are cultural norms and taboos that inform what people generally believe to be appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. This is related to the Malay concept of ‘ budi ’ by which politeness and respect are considered essential to human interaction. The word does not have a direct English equivalent, but can be generally understood to describe attributes such as one’s wisdom, virtue, etiquette and morality. In this way, one can see that Malaysian politeness and etiquette have a strong ethical basis.

Though budi is a traditional Malay concept, the attitude has influenced the broader Malaysian social culture and is reflected in the behaviour of people from most backgrounds. In keeping with budi, one should be gracious, polite, good-natured and calm. Indeed, Malaysians are generally quite gentle, reserved and discreet. They are often modest in their attire, body language and demeanour and tend to approach daily life with a great deal of patience. This behaviour is considered ‘ halus ’ (refined) and the measure of a ‘ budi bahasa ’ (man of culture). Alternatively, those who are aggressive, abrasive or loud are considered uncouth or ‘ kasar ’ (crass/rough). These social expectations are shifting among the younger generation as they are becoming more accustomed to the direct style of communication that occurs in the online space. Nevertheless, it remains very important to maintain a gentle and indirect demeanour in Malaysia.

Face and Shame

In Malaysian culture, to do something inappropriate brings ‘ malu ’ (shame, shyness and embarrassment) upon an individual. These feelings of shame are commonly felt when an individual loses ‘ face ’. Face is the quality embedded in most Asian cultures that indicates a person's reputation, influence, dignity and honour. By complimenting people, showing them respect or doing something to increase their self-esteem, you give them face. Similarly, people can lose face and save or build face. Therefore, individuals in Malaysia usually act deliberately and with restraint to protect their self-worth and peer perception. Conservative conduct is the norm, as people don’t want to stand out and/or risk losing face by doing something inappropriate.

Collectivism

Malaysia is far more collectivistic than Western societies and individuals perceive themselves to be members of groups (i.e. their family, business or ethnicity ). These groups reflect or come to define who their members are and often demand a high degree of loyalty. For example, the group’s interests usually supersede those of the individual, even if they conflict. Furthermore, group members expect to receive preferential treatment over anyone who is not part of the group. In return for this loyalty, an individual gains a sense of belonging, protection and unity. Being a collectivist culture, feelings of shame and pride can be felt at the individual level as well as the collective level. In this way, the actions of one individual can affect the reputation of the group they belong to.

Social Hierarchies

Malaysians generally exhibit a strong acceptance of social hierarchies. People tend to feel comfortable when they are able to distinguish another person’s status relative to them. It enables them to adjust their behaviour accordingly to show the appropriate amount of respect. An individual’s level of education often establishes their status in Malaysia. English proficiency and overseas education further enhances social standing and prestige. Wealth also becomes a factor, as those who have it tend to exhibit it. For example, the vehicle people drive is usually indicative of their class status. This has increased as society has become more cosmopolitan and materialistic. Nevertheless, people are not overly ostentatious about their money.

Age usually becomes the overriding factor that determines the level of respect a person commands throughout society. Elders are presumed to have great wisdom and be very deserving of authority. People tend to spend a lot of time with the older generation and give them the most attention in a room. Malaysians may use honorific speech and bow slightly when talking to someone older than them.

Broadly, Malaysians come across as strikingly friendly and positive people. Their collective cultural focus on relationships and people means that they are exceedingly considerate in most situations. Today, the common Malaysian social attitude is based on striving for democracy , formal education, equal opportunities for the different races and respect of other religions. The country is unified by a strong cultural belief in the goodness of humanity.

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Sociocultural and Religious Context of Malay Parenting in Malaysia

• First Online: 23 November 2022

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• Ziarat Hossain 3 &
• Zainal Madon 4  

Part of the book series: Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science ((SACH,volume 12))

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The contemporary globalized lifestyles and associated changes in socioeconomic praxes and family practices prompted us to instigate parenting issues from a diverse perspective that is responsive to people’s unique sociocultural footprints and religious beliefs. The primary objective of this chapter is to articulate how sociocultural and religious practices provide a complex yet holistic process of contemporary parenting in understudied Malay families in Malaysia. Specifically, the chapter elaborates on sociodemographic trends and ethnic composition of Malaysian society, social and religious contexts of parenting roles in Malay families, and contemporary Malays and parenting. The intersectionality of the Islamic instructions of parents’ investment in children’s wellbeing and the social customs of Adat of men’s authority and women’s submissive roles in the family work as the basis for their parenting role. Patriarchy, Adat , and Islamic values have a concerted influence to sustain the gender divide with a tone of complementary gender role dynamics in household labor. Although the parenting styles vary among parents and the gender divide is a salient feature of the parental responsibilities in household labor and childcare, contemporary Malays are at a crossroads as they try to preserve the values of Adat , observe Islamic religious pronouncements, and navigate the influence of Western family ideologies, modern education, and rapid economic and technological development in parenting roles and practices. Whereas the strengths and the authenticity of the indigenous Malay psychology about parenting remain strong, the touch of modernization presses Malay parents to reconfigure both spousal and parent-child relations in the family.

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Hossain, Z., Madon, Z. (2022). Sociocultural and Religious Context of Malay Parenting in Malaysia. In: Selin, H. (eds) Parenting Across Cultures. Science Across Cultures: The History of Non-Western Science, vol 12. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15359-4_12

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Kampung spirit: A journey through Malaysia's traditional village life

Selamat kembali to malaysia.

From meticulously restored vernacular architecture to immersive homestays, Malaysia’s rural areas invite slow travellers to connect with locals while exploring the region’s storied past.

With their distinctive Islamic octagram design, sphere-topped pinnacles and double-storey sky bridge, the Petronas Towers in downtown Kuala Lumpur are synonymous with Malaysia. The world’s tallest building from 1998 to 2004, the silvery towers are now closely accompanied by the world’s second tallest, Merdeka 118. The 118-storey skyscraper’s tessellated diamond-shaped facade and soaring spire evoke the exultant gesticulation made by Malaysia’s first prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, on declaring the nation’s independence in 1957.

Long before these triumphs of modern engineering, a different kind of architectural alchemy was being conjured by the region’s indigenous communities. Constructed entirely from locally available, replenishable natural materials and making minimal contact with the land, traditional Malay houses were built according to a philosophy of respecting the earth and preserving local wisdom. Exploring Malaysia’s vernacular architecture and traditional kampung (village) life takes travellers beyond KL’s glittering skyline and into the Malay Archipelago’s captivating past, while also contributing to the conservation of centuries-old buildings and the stories within.

“Vernacular architecture is really the architecture of the people. It springs out of a place and a culture,” says lecturer in urban and cultural heritage at the University of Melbourne, Soon-Tzu Speechley, whose book Malayan Classicism: From the Architecture of Empire to Asian Vernacular will be published by Bloomsbury at the end of 2023. As Malaysia is richly multicultural, its vernacular architecture varies widely, but several features of traditional Malay houses are shared across the region, he explains.

‘Living on the air’

Rumah Limas is the broad typology used for hardwood homes comprising a main structure, known as rumah ibu , or mother house and rumah dapur, or kitchen, which is separate to mitigate fire risks. The most crucial element, however, is the tiang seri , a central pillar believed to be imbued with protective spirits around which the rest of the house was constructed. “Traditional homes have a lot of symbolic and ritual significance,” says Speechley, “but they were custom made, and so the measurements came from the house owners, often the family matriarch.”

As kampung were frequently founded along waterways, monsoonal flooding was common. These structures were therefore usually elevated on stilts spanning a couple of feet to a full storey high. The distance between the stilts reflected the length of the mother’s outstretched arms, and her name was bestowed on the house. Architects Ahmad Najib Ariffin and Mohd Zulhemlee bin An describe the inhabitants as “living on the air”, which in the past also decreased the chances of encounters with tigers and other threatening wildlife.

Further shared characteristics are high-pitched roofs that allow hot air to flow out of the house, shuttered windows adorned with intricate carvings of geometric motifs and symbolic local flora, and an ingenious construction method. “Rather than nails, traditional South East Asian and East Asian joinery relied on dovetail joints, allowing the pieces to interlock,” says Speechley. “If a family needed to relocate, the whole village would effectively lift the house off its stilts and carry it to its new location. This practice continued well into the 20th Century.”

A stubborn survivor

Australian readers will likely be reminded of the neighbouring nation’s most iconic architectural style, the Queenslander. These high-set homes were, in fact, influenced by Malay houses. “We tend to think of the colonial era as Britain imposing its ideas on its colonies,” observes Speechley, “but a lot of western architects working in colonial-era Malaya were influenced by their Asian colleagues and the local vernacular, and these architects would go on to incorporate these ideas into their designs in other places. It's a style that has had a huge regional impact.”

One of the best examples of Malay vernacular architecture lies in the heart of KL, in the leafy grounds of a 1920s colonial bungalow containing the Malaysian Heritage Trust’s Heritage Centre. In the mid-1990s, the Trust relocated and restored a house that originally belonged to a sub-district head in the northern Peninsula Malaysian state of Kedah. Built in stages between 1910 and the early 1930s, its wood is so darkened with age that it appears like a sepia photograph. Meanwhile, a restored semi-rural house first built in KL’s Chow Kit district in 1926 is standing defiantly at the National Art Gallery. Exuding understated charm, Rumah Pusaka Chow Kit is known colloquially as Rumah Degil, or Stubborn House, for its “stubborn” survival of World War Two and modern development.

Room for an elephant

Efforts to conserve traditional Malay architecture are also coming from the tourism sector, and one of the most impressive is in the tranquil estuarine village of Kampung Mangkuk in the state of Terengganu on Peninsula Malaysia’s east coast. Translated as Land of Palaces, Terrapuri Heritage Village was inspired by the palaces of Langkasuka, a Malayic Hindu-Buddhist kingdom said to have been established in the region in the late second century, and to have lasted until the 15th Century. On a narrow spit of land between the South China Sea and the serene Setiu River, surrounded by a colonnade of coconut palms, Terrapuri comprises 29 traditional hardwood houses ranging between 100 to 250 years old, 20 of which have been converted into air-conditioned guest villas.

“Cultural and architectural preservation is my passion,” says founder and CEO Alex Lee, a Terengganu local whose first foray into heritage hospitality was operating a guesthouse in his grandfather’s century-old wooden shoplot. “We want to turn Terrapuri into a place not only for tourists, but also for Malaysians to understand more about our heritage, our culture, our arts. It's unique and we need to preserve it.”

Storytelling is an essential part of the Terrapuri experience. In-depth tours illuminate each architectural and spiritual characteristic of the long-roofed, gabled houses, which like most traditional Malay structures, stand on stilts. As Lee explains, this provided both flood protection and shelter for the world’s largest land animal: “In those days the main form of transportation for the aristocrats was elephants, so the elephants were parked underneath the house.”

Lee and his team are now working on a second location 37km southeast of Terrapuri in the coastal township of Batu Rakit: Terramalai, which he describes as “the land of Malay architecture”. The project will feature traditional houses originating from different parts of the country, which are being reconstructed one at a time so guests can experience – and even participate in – the restoration process. “We hope our initiatives can attract more people to come and enjoy our extraordinary heritage, culture and arts in the East Coast of Malaysia,” he says.

The essence of slow travel

Recognising the community-based tourism potential of rural areas such as Kampung Mangkuk, the Malaysian Homestay Experience Programme was established in 1995. From fishing communities and forest reserves to tea plantations and rice fields, travellers can immerse themselves in the warm hospitality and traditional customs of hundreds of participating villages across Peninsula Malaysia and Malaysian Borneo.

About 10km inland from Sabah’s west coast, near the picturesque town of Kota Belud, Homestay Taun Gusi epitomises community-based tourism. Established in 2011, the collective’s 16 members provide basic rooms and guesthouses, four of which are in the region’s traditional wooden style. “Taun Gusi is a beautiful, peaceful village,” says the collective’s co-ordinator Ismail Muile. “From our place we can see the magnificent Mount Kinabalu and we’re surrounded by rice fields.”

Travellers can experience the host families and the community’s “everyday way of life” by participating in farming, cooking, horse riding, traditional sports and performances celebrating the local culture of the West Coast Bajau people, Ismail explains. “We hope our guests grow to understand us, to accept what and who we are, and to respect our culture,” he says. “We hope they’re open to learning about everything.” Isn’t this the very essence of slow travel? “Yes, I believe it is,” he replies.

About Tourism Malaysia

The Tourist Development Corporation of Malaysia (TDC) was established on 10 August 1972 as an agency under the former Ministry of Trade and Industry by an Act of Parliament.

With the inception of the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Tourism on 20 May 1987, TDC was moved to this new ministry; and became the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) through the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board Act 1992. Popularly known as Tourism Malaysia, its full focus is on promoting Malaysia domestically and internationally.

Further reading

Malaysia's top 10 travel secrets

Malaysia's eclectic east coast

Six days exploring wild Sarawak

Discover Malaysia's marine life

Exploring Malaysia through art

The flavours of Malaysia

Malaysia's natural wonders

Cultural adventures in Malaysia

Malaysia's idyllic islands

Reimagining Malaysian cuisine

Exploring Malaysia's west coast

Malaysia's coffee culture

Malaysia's kampung spirit.

Malaysia's endless experiences

Culture of Malaysia – Unravel the Malaysian History, Language & Culture

History of malaysia.

Malaysian Languages

Food of malaysia.

Festivals in Malaysia

Folk Dance & Music

Arts and Crafts in Malaysia

Religion in Malaysia

Malaysian architecture.

Law and Order in Malaysia

Malaysian customs, traditions & etiquettes.

• Malaysians place a huge emphasis on family and self-respect.
• Raising one’s voice and arguing in public are considered faux-pas, so do not escalate a fight into loud arguments.
• PDA is frowned upon, so do not engage in PDA while out in smaller towns.
• Avoid touching the head while engaging in conversation – this is considered rude.
• Use only the right hand to give and take things.
• While meeting the locals, remember that some may not be comfortable with shaking hands with the other gender – especially when it comes to Muslim women.
• Always wait for the other person to extend their hand, or opt to bow with the hand to the heart as a form of greeting.
• It is recommended to take along a gift while meeting a local for the first time. Remember not to gift alcohol or pig-skin-lined items to Malays.
• If visiting a Chinese home, wrap gifts in bright red or yellow wrapper, but do not take along flowers – they are considered funeral gifts.
• If giving money to Indians, provide it in odd-numbered denominations only.

This post was published by Nivedha

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• Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Malaysia
• Malaysia - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
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• Table Of Contents

Malaysia has a rich cultural life, much of which revolves around the traditional festivities of its diverse population. The major Muslim holidays are Hari Raya Puasa (“Holiday of Fasting”), or Aidilfitri ( ʿĪd al-Fiṭr ), to celebrate the end of the fasting month of Ramadan , and Hari Raya Haji (“Holiday of the Pilgrimage”), or Aidiladha ( ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā ), to celebrate the culmination of the season of pilgrimage to Mecca . Buddhists honour the life of the Buddha on Hari Wesak (“Wesak Day”), and Chinese Malaysians celebrate Chinese New Year . Deepavali ( Diwali ), a Hindu festival of lights spanning several days, is observed by many Indian Malaysians, while Christmas is the principal holiday of the Christian community . On most of these holidays, it is customary to host an “open house,” where guests are treated to Malaysian delicacies and hospitality. A holiday that spans all ethnic groups and religions is Hari Kebangsaan (National Day), a celebration of Malaysia’s independence on August 31.

The states have their own holidays. Sarawak , for instance, celebrates Gawai Dayak (“Dayak Festival”). Rooted in the harvest rituals and festivities ( gawai ) of the Iban and Bidayuh peoples, this holiday broadly honours the state’s non-Malay indigenous heritage.

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Beyond the official holidays and other religious festivities, important life events such as birth, circumcision (for young Muslim men), and marriage are usually celebrated by a feast, known in Malay as kenduri . The wedding ceremony is generally the most important and elaborate of such events among both Malay and non-Malay peoples. In rural areas the kenduri is normally held at the house of the host family, while in urban areas the feast often takes place in a large hall or hotel.

Malaysian cuisines reflect the mixture of ethnic groups in the country’s population. The three most prominent cuisines are Chinese, Indian, and Malay. Popular Chinese foods include sweet-and-sour Cantonese dishes and a milder favourite, Hainanese chicken rice. Indian cuisine ranges from the hot vegetarian dishes of southern Indian cooking to the more subtly spiced Muslim Indian food to the yogurt-marinated meats of tandoori cookery from northern India . All these foods, while recognizably Chinese or Indian, have developed a distinctly Malaysian character.

Traditional Malay cuisine consists of white rice served with various curries and fried dishes. Sate , small skewers of chicken or beef dipped in a spicy peanut sauce, nasi goreng (“fried rice”), and nasi lemak (“fatty rice”), which is coconut rice served with fried anchovies, peanuts, and a curry dish, are among the most common Malay foods. Noodles, cooked and served in various styles, are also local favourites.

Non-Muslim indigenous peoples of Peninsular and East Malaysia typically eat a staple food such as rice, tapioca, or sago served with locally grown or gathered vegetables (e.g., ferns and tapioca leaves) and fish, wild boar, venison, or other game. The food is generally not spicy or only mildly so.

The history and cultural life of Malaysia are exhibited primarily in various museums in Kuala Lumpur and several state capitals throughout the country. Built in a Malay architectural style in 1963, the National Museum in Kuala Lumpur houses a diverse archaeological and ethnographic collection that documents Malaysia’s social, cultural, artistic, and economic history . The Perak Museum in Taiping is the oldest museum in Peninsular Malaysia and contains collections of the natural history and material culture of the region. The Penang Museum and Art Gallery highlights Penang Island’s immigrant and colonial history. In East Malaysia, the Sabah Museum in Kota Kinabalu and the Sarawak Museum in Kuching , both established in the late 19th century, chronicle the unique prehistory and history of these states and their peoples.

In addition to the broadly ethnographic or historical museums, there also are numerous institutions dedicated to the documentation of particular Malaysian phenomena. The Islamic Arts Museum in Kuala Lumpur, for instance, traces the advent and growth of the art and culture of Islam in Malaysia from the 7th century to contemporary times. Other such topical museums include a numismatic museum, a museum of telecommunications, and an armed forces museum, all located in the capital city.

Malaysia is home to many art galleries and theatres for the performing arts as well. The National Art Gallery has permanent exhibitions of modern paintings by Malaysian artists and rotating exhibitions of art from around the world. Plays, dances, and musical productions by Malaysian and international performers are staged regularly at the grand national theatre, called the Istana Budaya (“Palace of Cultures and Arts”), in Kuala Lumpur.

Sports in Malaysia are a mixture of traditional and Western games. From the mid-19th century, British expatriates introduced football (soccer), cricket, track and field events, and rugby to the peninsula; they formed a number of clubs and organized competitions. The Malaysia Cup (formerly the H.M.S. Malaya Cup), first contested in 1921, is the country’s premier football competition.

Traditional sports also enjoy local popularity. Top -spinning ( main gasing ) competitions are seriously contested, with winning tops often spinning for well over an hour. In some areas, top spinning is not merely a random pastime but is associated with the agricultural cycle. Kite flying also is a favourite activity, as are bird-singing contests, which may feature hundreds of birds, all with unique songs. Sepak takraw (“kick ball”) is a uniquely Southeast Asian game (now played in other regions) that is similar to volleyball but is played with a woven rattan ball and without using the hands. The sport is internationally competitive, and Malaysia has fronted winning teams.

Malaysia made its debut at the Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956. At the 1992 and 1996 Summer Games the country took medals in men’s badminton . Malaysia was one of the founders of the biennial Southeast Asian Games and has hosted the event several times since its inception in 1957.

The press is the principal source of information in urban areas of Malaysia. The newspapers are all privately owned (many by political parties) and vary greatly in circulation , quality of reporting, and news coverage. Dozens of daily papers circulate in all the major languages of the country, including Malay, English, Chinese, and Tamil. In Sabah several dailies also are issued in the Kadazan language.

Although many public and private radio stations cater to urban listeners, radio is the primary information channel in remote rural areas. Both on the peninsula and in East Malaysia, the government-operated Radio Television Malaysia (RTM) broadcasts in Malay, English, and assorted Chinese languages , as well as in various indigenous languages, such as Iban in Sarawak. RTM also broadcasts internationally in Arabic, English, Chinese, and the national languages of several of Malaysia’s Southeast Asian neighbours.

Television is a popular medium across geographical and linguistic boundaries. The government had a monopoly on television broadcasting until the mid-1990s, when it opened the industry to private operators. Since that time several commercial stations have been established, and the emergence of private cable and satellite companies has allowed television broadcasting to reach the most remote rural regions of the country.

• Review article
• Open access
• Published: 15 June 2020

The diversity of traditional Malay kuih in Malaysia and its potentials

• Mohd Yusof Bin Kamaruzaman 1 , 2 ,
• Shahrim Ab Karim   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8244-7313 2 ,
• Farah Adibah Binti Che Ishak 2 &
• Mohd Mursyid Bin Arshad 3  

Journal of Ethnic Foods volume  7 , Article number:  22 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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Malaysia is synonymously known as a multicultural country flourished with gastronomic nuances in abundance. Within the multitude of well-known savory foods available through the history of Malaysia, kuih has always bestowed a special part in the Malaysian diet. Kuih houses varying types of delicacies ranging from sweets to savory treats or snacks. As with its counterparts in the Malay cuisine, kuih has also been influenced by many historical events led by the migration of Chinese, Indians, and other explorers or visitors to Malaysia in the olden days. This casually developed the Malay kuih which now coined as the traditional Malay kuih; traditional as in the way that the classical values and authenticity were respected and established then. As time progresses and changes the lifestyle of Malays, newly innovated products are at the rise and emerged another type of kuih with somewhat similar characteristics to that of traditional Malay kuih, namely Nyonya Kuih. Nyonya kuih noted to be a reformulation of traditional Malay kuih with native Chinese expertise through some tweaks inculcating their palates and culinary library. Further along, the modernization also impacted the traditional Malay kuih in such a way that the overall representations being put at stake of unclear identity through innovations and industrializations. This paper draws out the history, authenticity, identity, and potentials of the traditional Malay kuih. Besides, this article is hoped to contribute to further refining the traditional Malay food knowledge specifically in its kuih sub-genre against the heritage-destructive modernization led by globalization.

Introduction

Geographically, Malaysia is situated in the South-East Asia separated into two lands by the South China Sea; Peninsular Malaysia, also known as East Malaysia, and West Malaysia which is part of the Borneo Island. With its established 13 states and three federal territories, Malaysia has come a long way in creating a dynamic and colorful country as of now. It is unanimously aggregable to say that Malaysia is one of the harmonious multiracial countries. According to [ 1 ], there are three major ethnics prominently made up the 32.6 million Malaysians by 2018 namely the Bumiputeras that includes Malays at 69.3%, Chinese at 22.8%, and Indians at 6.9%. The rest of Malaysians constitute the minorities ranging in different ethnicities at 1.0% [ 2 ]. asserted that there are actually more than 70 ethnicities in Malaysia. The diverse ethnics have longed resulted in a dynamic nuance in cultures, customs, politics, and also gastronomic outcomes. Malaysia’s culinary library represents Malaysia’s image including its flavor profile that is often savory, hot, and spicy [ 3 ]. Among the well known are Nasi Lemak , Rendang , Nasi Ayam , Laksa , and lots more. However, despite the common nationally claimed foods as the Malaysian flavors, individual traditional foods that explicit to each ethnicity also has their own values and uniquely different from one to another. To date, it has been reviewed and researched on the issues of traditional food as a whole but specific to a subdivision of these foods are on the lacking to be explored extensively, namely the traditional Malay kuih.

Malay gastronomy concoction

Being a geographically strategic country in the region of the equator, and also one of the Commonwealth countries, Malaysia certainly exudes degrees of amalgamation as historically written [ 4 ]. Factually, the state of Malacca marked the setting and time where Malaysia initially boomed with a vast array of culinary ingredients due to its trading activities with other countries and continents. As discussed by [ 5 ], this was also the point where Malays enriched their diet.

As mentioned before, the citizenship of Malaysia is predominantly Malays, but Malay ethnicity is actually residing around the globe although concentrated in the South East Asia region. Apart from Malaysia, other countries like Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and even southern Thailand and the Philippines are home to some Malays [ 4 , 6 ]. It was written in history that Malay ethnicity itself is a mixture of several elements from Indonesia (Sumatra and Java) Thailand, Sulawesi, and Polynesia. Noting back to the introduction of this paper, the evolution of Malay cuisine itself was dynamically influenced by these ethnicities. This explains relative similarities of the Malay cuisine to certain degrees across the stated lands. Nor et al. [ 7 ] discussed that the evolution of Malay gastronomy incessantly happened in the olden days of trading where neighboring lands came in and brought the influences and in line with what is written long ago by [ 8 ] strategic geographical position of Malaysia harbored successful trading activities from around the globe. Apart from that [ 9 , 10 , 11 ], added that the migration of Chinese also plays a part in the creation of dynamic local cuisine.

Apart from the international influences, Malay’s diet has always been associated with farming and fishing, mainly centered towards paddy fields, and vegetable and herb gardens around the house [ 7 , 12 , 13 ]. These include rice, coconut, pandan (screw pine leaves), ulam (native herbs and salads), poultry, fish, and spices to name a few. The spread of agricultural activities and the crops across Malaysia also partly induced by the natural resources of the land’s locale. In such matters [ 7 ], contended that there are also differences of Malay foods with regard to the regional position within Malaysia. For instance, regions that technically near to the sea will have more use of seafoods in their diet as in the East-coast region that includes Kelantan and Terengganu [ 14 ]. Others would harvest “daun kayu” [ 14 ] known as the edible plants from the wild or domestically grown crops like herbs and spices and fruits. They also raise and look after livestock around the house compound and paddy cultivation where applicable. From all of the mentioned edibles [ 14 ], remarked that for ages, rural Malays acknowledged rice and fish as the main source of food.

Traditional Malay kuih: an array of traditional senses

As with other cuisine lineups, myriads of delicacies offering a range of appetizers, salads, soups, main dishes, and all the way to desserts and snacks. Within those categories, traditional Malay kuih appears to be one of the delicacies that offer versatility be fitting into an appetizer, dessert, and also as snacks [ 12 ]. Apart from nasi lemak , nasi ayam , laksa , and other popular dishes well recognized as Malaysian flavors, there are more petit treats from the traditional Malay kitchen worth further recognition in Malay cuisine, which are the kuih. The traditional Malay kuih is known as being a broad term housing various relatively small-sized delicacies ranging from scrumptious pastries or bakeries to even steamed and grilled delicacies in which each bears dynamic flavors of either sweet or savory [ 5 ]. While the term kuih itself being used loosely and due to the lack of proper documentation on such matter, the basic understanding of what traditional Malay kuih represents is still at vague. Mustafa et al. [ 15 ] even denoted traditional Malay kuih as “confectionery” which connotes a whole respect of food by itself. Besides, the word kuih itself also shares a degree of similarity to adjacent countries like Indonesia, Singapore, and Brunei, although differences in the actual meaning of kuih in stated lands would connote different types of food forms within it. Regardless, kuih is unanimously understood to be enjoyed throughout the day like snacks whenever it is available and also may occasionally be included in feasts or festivals [ 16 ].

Shamsudin et al. [ 17 ] once asserted that Malays are still consuming traditional Malay kuih as their daily diet. They also mentioned that about 70 kinds of traditional Malay kuih still popularized. These include the normally found type of kuih at street vendors that usually prepared fresh earlier the day of selling or even prepared at the stall itself. Karipap (curry puffs), apam (steamed sponge cakes), and keria (donut like kuih made from sweet potatoes and glazed in crystalized sugar) are some examples that fall into the typically found variety. These delicacies are treated as intangible heritage by the Malays and have been passed down verbally from generation to generations especially within the womenfolk [ 18 ]. Not to mention also that the habit and acceptance of new generations to consume traditional Malay kuih are inevitably have to be embedded in the family itself.

Traditional ingredients

It is suggestive that traditional Malay kuih also uses ingredients that are native to most of Malay’s agricultural produce [ 9 ] and also what is natively grown in the wild locally [ 12 ]. While not most of the crops lend their flavors in the making of kuih, some has always been the staples across all variety of kuih namely rice from paddy cultivation, the aromatic pandan , and the famous tropical fruit, the coconuts. As with the western counterpart, ingredients of traditional Malay kuih do play their role in making the perfect traditions. The ingredients can be divided into several categories namely starches, sweeteners, liquids, lipids, and additives.

Rice is noted to be a staple food in Malaysia and specifically to the Malays. Rosniyana et al. [ 19 ] noted that rice and its products massively used in various local foods. Rice lends the starch (carbohydrate) or “body” of most kuih but not only restricted to, as glutinous rice has also contributed to some array of uses in kuih [ 20 ]. Tubers like tapioca and sweet potatoes are also called for some special recipes like bingka ubi kayu (soft tapioca slab cakes), keria , cucur badak (deep-fried savory filling sweet potato fritters), and cek mek molek (deep-fried sweet filling sweet potato fritters). Amongst all tubers, tapioca is known for the longest diet that Malay had consumed and was coined as nostalgic food by [ 21 ].

Throughout history, cane sugar was undoubtedly the common sweetener used in traditional Malay kuih making. This is supported by the review made by [ 22 ] that the cane sugar industry has flourished in Malaysia by the year 1960, which driven by the British conquest of the Malaya (now Malaysia) in the midst of the year 1870. Cane sugar may be used in traditional Malay kuih making in the form of white sugar or brown sugar depending on recipes although it was not particularly specific on the coarseness grade of the grains as with western pastry and bakery production. It is worth to mention also Malays have long established and commodify a type of hardened syrup that is amorphous derived from a sugar palm tree (Arenga pinnata) called gula melaka or gula kabung . The name gula melaka is derived from the massive production of the palm sugar from Malacca state, and gula kabung is derived from the actual local name of the sugar palm tree kabung [ 23 ]. Both forms of the gula kabung and gula melaka are easily found in the local market in the form of cylindrical blocks or discs that require cook to shave them into fine crystals or chunks in accordance with specific recipes.

Western pastries, bakeries, and desserts may always use dairy milk or cream to enhance the flavor or act as “moistener” [ 24 ] to loosen the mixture to control the texture of end products, but traditional Malay kuih uses coconut milk or coconut cream for the same reasons. Eggs (chicken or sometimes duck) also fall into the liquid category which delectably further enhances the texture of kuih especially those that resemble custard making in the makeup like seri muka (soft and chewy bed of glutinous rice with a coconut pandan custard layer) and kuih kaya gerodak (steamed flan like custard).

Additives may come as small quantity additions to the overall ingredient list that a recipe calls for. In the making of traditional Malay kuih, mostly natural flavoring, coloring, and texture enhancers were used. Pandan being the infamous ingredient in traditional Malay kuih has always been proud of its decadent aroma. Although it is understood to give lush green hue to the kuih, pandan was not used by itself for that reason. Pandan serani (Dracaena angustifolia) is said to be used for the deeper green color in kuih making. Salleh et al. [ 25 ] denoted that pandan serani has always been one of the most cultivated landscape plants in the Malays’ domestic traditional landscape. Not to mention also coconut in which imparts its creamy flavor from the milk or cream and sometimes used for its flesh usually grated whether for texture enhancer in kuih lopes (steamed pate like glutinous rice cake) or as garnishing coating kuih kosui (sweet-salty wheat and tapioca flour soft cake). Figure 1 shows the use of grated coconut as garnishing to different types of traditional Malay kuih. Turmeric also sometimes used for its punchy yellow hue for savory kuih which in some kuih further flavor that particular kuih. In the same color theme, eggs also impart yellow tint to kuih on the sweeter end. These natural ingredients used as visual enhancers for the kuih to acquire varying visual attractions [ 26 ]. Besides coloring, there are other ingredients used for different purposes like rose water used for its divine aroma and limestone paste used as texturizer to enforce firmer kuih kosui and kuih lompang (little rice flour cakes with hollow center) . It is also used to get red tint in cooking when used in conjunction with the presence of turmeric.

Grated coconut may be used as garnishing to coat kuih buah melaka (foreground) and kuih telur katak (sticky sago) (background). Besides the aesthetical value, shredded coconut imparts interests in the texture and flavor department which makes traditional Malay kuih an all-rounded traditional delicacy. Coconut is noted to be long and widely cultivated by the Malays. Hence, it is one of the main ingredients across all traditional Malay culinary offerings. It can be used in various forms including coconut milk, coconut cream, coconut water, and also the coconut flesh itself

Besides the vast ingredients used, it is worth to note also that kuih spreads throughout Malaysia with differing regional preferences, for instance, the east-coasts towards the northern region of Peninsular Malaysia favors the sweeter end of kuih [ 5 ]. This region includes Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, and Perlis where the influence of Thailand’s palates of sweet-spicy is prevalent. On the other end of the spectrum, savory kuih is widely available within the central towards the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia owing to the influences from the neighboring country, Indonesia with its salty-spicy palate. Ahmad [ 27 ] also mentioned that from her findings, east-coast kuih is leaning towards the yellow side of color and west-coast towards greener hue. She argued that the first uses more eggs into their kuih and the latter benefits more from the pandan leaves. Noting to the vast array of ingredients library, traditional Malay kuih is undoubtedly holding its identity by tying an array of delicacies with its local crops.

Traditional cooking methods

Mirroring the multitude of influences taken into the formation of traditional Malay kuih, methods of preparing the kuih are also greatly varied from baking, steaming, boiling, grilling, and more [ 28 ]. However, as Malay heritage resonates, petua (traditional tips and tricks) will come into play. Note also that the elderly as the experts of making traditional Malay kuih easily made kuih without even being too technical in terms of the measurement and advanced machines. It is once coined to be the “muscle memory” by [ 27 ] as she explained how the elderly estimate the appropriate amount of ingredients. Their expertise also covers quality checking by consistency and just the feels in their hands.

The known methods of preparing traditional Malay kuih are self-explanatory as they are remotely similar to western cooking methods in general. For example, baking is known to the world to be a dry heat cooking method that had the food put into a controlled temperature chamber and the hot air within slowly heat the pan and by adjacent heat of the pan cook the food that is in it [ 29 ]. In the making of bahulu (little individual sponge cakes), the bahulu batter will be poured into the molding cavity of a two-piece metal contraption (traditionally made of copper) that is heated with charcoal or coconut husks on the top and bottom. The adjacent heat of the metal contraption heats the batter and further cooks the bahulu. In terms of boiling and steaming, additional pandan leaves and banana leaves always called in this technique as to aromatize the kuih further like in the making of koci (mochi-like chewy black glutinous rice cake filled with sweetened grated coconut), buah melaka , lepat pisang (firm pudding-like banana cake), and others. Grilling and frying may be applied mostly to savory kuih accordingly like pulut panggang (savory filling glutinous rice grills), cucur badak , and karipap.

Traditional and inspirational names

Apart from that, the names of the kuih are also very unique to their forms and shapes [ 30 , 31 ]. Kuih talam , for example, used as a general term housing several kuihs that typically molded into a container normally baking tins or pans later to be cut into shapes like squares, rectangles, or traditionally diagonal cut to create diamond-shaped kuih [ 32 , 33 ]. Figure 2  shows the end products of various kuih talam that have been portioned into squares and diamonds. Pulut panggang derived its name from the ingredients and the method of the preparation. Pulut is glutinous rice, while panggang refers to its cooking method, grill. Figure  3 shows the visual presentation of pulut panggang . Some names of the kuih are given on the virtue of the shape the kuih is made into. Behind the delectable chewy texture and burst with sweet gula kabung syrup in the middle of kuih buah melaka resides a resemblance of the small spheres of the kuih to the fruit of Malacca tree (Phyllanthus emblica), hence explained by [ 33 ] on how the kuih got its name. The Malacca tree is also notably part of important Malaysia history where the state Malacca was given the name of [ 34 ]. Another example of kuih that named after the shape is kuih tiram. It is known to look like an oyster ( tiram ) shell with layers of crispy and crackling pastry when bitten. Other names can be a parable of metaphoric as in the case of kuih puteri dua sebilik. The literal translation reads “the two princesses of a room.” While the name does not confer practical illustration [ 35 ], explained the metaphor of “two princesses” is represented by two differently colored and filled small glutinous rice balls in the kuih. These glutinous rice balls are placed together with coconut milk batter and enveloped with a piece of banana leaf that suggestively represents the “room.” Figure 4 illustrates the visual appearance of the kuih puteri dua sebilik. Noting to these unique names [ 36 ], argued that historically, Malays were well versed with their literatures and poetry and thus explain the ornate metaphor of the names of certain kuih.

An array of different kuih talam ; (left to right) pudding jagung (firm corn pudding), talam cendol (green rice flour jelly with palm sugar soft cake), bingka ubi kayu , and kosui . Talam is known as a tray in English which denotes the method of making or cooking the kuih in baking tray to leave it to set before it is cut into smaller portions. This method is remotely similar to the western baking method of sheet cake like brownie, where the cakes are baked in shallow sheets only to be cut into portions prior to serving. The only difference with traditional Malay kuih is that steaming is much more practiced than baking

A visual representation of pulut panggang . A cross-sectional view of the kuih reveals the savory filling made with grated coconut, dried shrimps, chilies, and herbs and spices that include turmeric which imparts the golden yellow hue. Banana leaf pieces are used to wrap the filled glutinous rice logs and pinned with short bamboo skewers at both ends before grilling. The aroma of banana leaf charred by the grilling heat infuses the pulut panggang giving kuih a dynamic savory flavor apart from the usual sweet kuih

Kuih puteri dua sebilik. The use of two different colored glutinous rice balls in a bed of soft coconut milk pudding. The kuih is wrapped neatly into an envelope of banana leaf. The name encapsulates the culture of Malays that are fond of poetry in their daily life. This kuih tells a story of 2 princesses that share a room together which implied by the two different colored glutinous rice balls in the kuih. The banana leaf envelope metaphorically suggests the room where the glutinous rice balls being wrapped into

Having pointed out the interesting aspects of traditional Malay kuih, the extent of its product range is rather vague as no written evidence found to date. Mostly, anecdotal claims surrounding individuals and community. With all of the traditional aspects of the kuih, the lack of scholarly documentation and references of the meaning of traditional Malay kuih itself is driving these delicacies mistakenly categorized. Adding to that [ 37 ], discussed that authenticity of the kuih may be explicit to settings where it is made rather than what it is. With this, it is assured that varying versions may be presented in one type of kuih and thus lead to an unclear definition of traditional Malay kuih.

Malay kuih and Nyonya kuih debacle

In general, Baba Nyonya refers to the Malaysians that are Chinese decedents that had assimilated with the Malay cultures and customs from the olden days [ 38 , 39 ]. The vast majority of this ethnic settled in Malacca, and Penang, as well as a small community in Terengganu and Kelantan [ 2 , 10 , 11 ]. Due to the minority, these Chinese migrants assimilate with the majority which how Malay cultures and customs affected their lifestyles. It however has not altered the religious beliefs of the Chinese from Buddhism regardless of the fluent Malay-spoken Baba Nyonyas [ 40 ].

The term Baba and Nyonya were informatively explained by [ 11 ] in his study discussing that the word “Baba” is derived from a Malay word— Bapa , that connotes a male or a father, and “Nyonya” derived from Javanese that represents the female counterpart. Additionally, the word “Peranakan” is also used to describe the Baba and Nyonya community [ 2 , 40 ]. Although [ 10 ], argued that peranakan is the term used on children that born locally but from interracial wedlock between the Chinese and the local Malays. This intermingling of races urged assimilation of the Chinese to the local Malay customs and culture. The resemblance of peranakan presence and behavior to the Malay counterpart is sometimes seemed similar due to the assimilation and acculturation as discussed by [ 2 ].

As assimilation is concerned, Baba Nyonya has indefinitely acclimated to the local Malay way of life; this also includes the culinary skills [ 39 ]. This initiates the explanation of Nyonya cuisine emergence. Nyonya cuisine, in general, is a fusion concoction of the Chinese descents in Malaysia inculcating their cultural elements into local resources [ 38 , 41 ]. The changes were not massive but rather to accommodate the peranakan’s taste buds and the use of their expertise in their kitchen. These changes made upon varying traditional Malay foods and that traditional Malay kuih were also affected.

In contrast to traditional Malay kuih, Nyonya kuih sequentially flourished post-traditional Malay kuih and began to be publicly recognized since. Sua [ 10 ] noted that Nyonya kuih as essentially a modified version of traditional Malay kuih. Due to the changes made upon the traditional Malay kuih, and with the lack of documentations on the matter, some researchers have found that the confusions of traditional Malay cuisine in general are getting vaguer amongst others [ 42 ].

Nyonya kuih is now locally acknowledged to be enjoyed as snacks at any time of the day although [ 9 ] noted that Nyonya kuih usually served as light breakfast or as snacks in the afternoon. Tourism Melaka [ 43 ] on the other hand, deduced that some of the Nyonya kuih historically used as ritual offerings and also served in festive occasions like Chinese New Year. While it is overtly similar, Nyonya kuih as a brand succeeded the local market leaving traditional Malay kuih silenced. It is a shame that the original traditional Malay kuih overshadowed by its innovated counterparts. It is argued that the Nyonya kuih is produced through processes involving manual techniques to ensure quality and authenticity [ 43 ]. This is known to add up the value of the Nyonya kuih and always coined as part of advertisements.

Despite the successful story of Nyonya kuih [ 11 ], opposed that in his study, the Baba Nyonya culture was at stake of lacking its distinctions. With this, the distinct culinary features also said to face dilution through the globalization and modernization. A similar situation reported on the traditional Malay cuisine as more and more studies proven its prevalence like in the studies of [ 13 , 18 , 42 , 44 , 45 ]. It is however, seemingly promising for the Nyonya kuih to thrive as [ 11 ] discussed that the culture of Baba Nyonya has been entering the limelight of attention in book publications, theses, and other public awareness events. Some news also reported the value of Nyonya kuih is substantially held in the authenticity of the ingredients and methods of making which traditional and manual [ 43 ]. Even Malaysia’s famous celebrity chef, Chef Wan also acknowledges the passion and manual preparation of making such delicacies as it lifts and respects the heritage and traditions [ 46 ]. It is clear that the closest representation of traditional kuih can utterly confer to quality assurance. Nyonya kuih excels in this matter undoubtedly.

The states and stakes of traditional Malay kuih

We are rained with increasing studies on heritage food as of lately. While there is a number of news on delights and concerns on the kuih in general, concentration is gravitating towards the concern of extinction on the traditional Malay kuih [ 15 , 26 , 47 , 48 ]. And only at a lower ratio of reports on the effort on reviving the traditional Malay kuih [ 49 , 50 ]. This shows how vulnerable traditional Malay kuih status in the current scenario, leaving it on the verge of dismissal as compared to the Nyonya kuih that currently being rediscovered, rebranded, and excelled in the market. Omar and Omar [ 12 ] reported that Malay kuih sold on sides of streets offers questionable quality. These qualities being the authentic tastes, appearances, and serving style [ 51 ]. Aside from jeopardized quality, the price tag of these sellers seems to put traditional Malay kuih to just another mediocre product. Within the subject of overpricing [ 52 ], reported that the demand for quality Malay kuih is still prevalent and the willingness to pay for quality kuih is understandable. This explains that higher-priced kuih is not a reason that traditional Malay kuih left at stake, but rather the lack of quality offered.

Understanding sustainability issues, the younger generation is undoubtedly coming into mind as the next generation to inherit and reproduce traditional Malay kuih sustainably. However [ 18 ], has researched that there are prevalent challenges to sustain traditional Malay kuih in youth. This indefinitely denotes the decreasing momentum of traditional Malay kuih vitality which is feared to be extinct in the near future [ 48 , 49 ]. As the new generation moving towards digital and modernized era, redevelopments in all facets of life led by globalization and urbanization repeatedly coined to be responsible for the traditional Malay kuih decline [ 12 , 26 , 53 ].

Modernization is always revolving around human to uplift their lifestyle; thus, advancement in carrier proceeds traditions. No more active kitchen at home and more take-outs and eating-outs as time constraint are at excuses [ 54 ]. As traditional Malay kuih is said to be tedious and time-consuming, lesser practices performed and thus neglected for the new generation to learn which believed to be the most effective way to transmit heritage from the older generation to the new [ 7 ]. Benefitting from this matter, the business industry especially the food industry urged of doing business so intense to fulfill the gap of traditional Malay kuih demand. It is however taken for granted that attention to details of traditions in Malay kuih in general are being jeopardized [ 13 ]. As with other business intentions [ 51 ], contends that profitability is executed through the introduction of new products and also minimizing inputs in place of maximizing outputs. This lured the excessive usage of ingredients substitutions as they are relatively cost-effective and time-saving in mass production instead of the pure traditional ingredients [ 44 ]. The easily acquired and readily available modern innovated ingredients like instants and imitations reported by [ 13 ] to have altered the authenticity of traditional Malay cuisine and Malay kuih have no exception. Adding up to this, the technology advances from the modernization impart an inevitable degree tainting the authenticity of traditional Malay kuih. Traditional Malay kuih that was once delivered full and dynamic flavors at one bite, now tastes off from what it used to be.

Discussing within the modern era, the survival approach for new kuih entrepreneurs is not lengthy production and minimum output. Time and energy are two that are not being compromised and thus resulted them in relying on machines to accelerate the production with less consumption of energy and time [ 55 , 56 ]. This however unavoidably alters the overall quality of the kuih. Petua or known as the tips and tricks of the elderly for a perfectly made kuih is diminishing [ 27 , 57 ] as machines are being put the trust to do the job. This decision is in line with the motto of contemporary business, where results are far admirable than processes, thus leading to deskilling, and restrict its sustainability [ 58 ]. The issue is so prevalent that Malaysia’s internationally recognized chef, Chef Wan, even reported in local news to express the disappointment in professional chefs’ incompetence to make traditional Malay kuih [ 46 ].

Aside from the Malay kuih supply side, a research conducted by [ 18 ] found out that the state of consumer acceptance and the overall knowledge of traditional Malay kuih among youth is at a worrying level. The extent of awareness and consumption of traditional Malay kuih affected by trends and the availability of creative modern desserts [ 52 ]. Needless to say, the overly claimed hectic work-life advancement and life in general of post globalization hinders the appreciation of the immaculate and tedious process of making traditional Malay kuih.

The diversity and potentials of traditional Malay kuih

Having discussed the traditional Malay kuih shortcomings, all is not lost as surprising demands of traditional Malay kuih prove of its market relevance locally and even those in other countries [ 59 , 60 ]. With myriads of food products available nowadays in mainstream markets, heritage food is marketed as a brand in itself that wins a niche segment of consumers who patronage its specific qualities.

Acknowledging innovation as an effort to add more values into existing products [ 51 ], Nyonya kuih proved to succeed forward as compared to its former inspiration, the traditional Malay kuih. Being treated as common food, traditional Malay kuih are easily found and might also fall into street food snacks [ 9 ]. It is, however, unfair to neglect quality factors of these heritage delicacies. Combined with the overly priced products, traditional Malay kuih is inevitably losing its pride.

In the sense of revitalization, traditional Malay kuih may need to undergo innovations as a step to levitating its pride. Having said that, the traditional quality of such heritage materials is by no chance should be disregarded [ 61 ]. A well-innovated product should hold true to its origin but better in certain ways that could enhance its value. Different aspects of innovation should be looked into like packaging or serving presentations, processing system, or even the sensitive careful selection of ingredients [ 62 ]. Kühne et al. [ 51 ] contends that there is a controversial argument on innovating traditional foods, and it is however the intention of sustaining its relevance should uphold innovation as important as to be competitive in the market among other trendy products [ 62 ]. Innovations intended include what is apparent from the consumers’ view like the way that traditional Malay kuih is presented and packaging designs [ 15 , 63 ] and also from the producers’ side which can involve technological advances of machinery [ 51 , 63 ] that is practical yet capable of producing the same traditional quality of the Malay kuih.

Traditional to national: Malay kuih as Malaysian kuih

The acknowledged heritage value of the traditional Malay kuih and other traditional food in general is at its capability of drawing warm childhood memories when the kuih consumed popularly back then [ 64 , 65 ]. Given the discussed matter of the diverse versions of these kuihs throughout the vicinity of Malaysia, specific kuih and its regional authenticity can be aptly attached to varying local consumers’ upbringing. These diverse potentials are sure to promise traditional Malay kuih to be marketed either into a broad or niche market segment successfully. Besides, this also helps in drawing up the colorful identity of Malays to the international level.

Speaking of identity, the differences upon flavors of each locale exude eloquent pictures of the multiracial status of Malaysia itself—a melting pot of races, cultures, and flavors [ 66 ]. Considering that the Malay kuih is widely consumed throughout the citizen, regardless of race, Malay kuih may be opted a step up for a rebrand to Malaysian kuih, making it a national food. Malay kuih has been available for a substantial timeline now and taking it up as a national food is not necessarily an exaggeration. As discussed by [ 67 ], the sharing of common food within a multiracial nation will make up as an identity determinant; thus, Malaysian kuih seemingly fit to vindicate as a brand.

With rebranding in the picture, one should be minded of the degree any changes or innovation should be introduced. Derivation of traditional may not always be appropriate for a reinvention level. As previously mentioned, the essence of heritage should not be eliminated but rather enhanced. After all, the traditional Malay kuih itself has already been concocted, consumed, and accepted for its palatability nationally [ 68 ]. It is, however, the concern of youth interest as the next generation to carry the heritage forward is a concern. Globalization and urbanization change the lifestyle of Malaysians tremendously, and youths are more susceptible to the trends and global standardization [ 18 , 68 ]. Having said that, traditional Malay kuih also should be shed some light to be more competitive in the market and thus elevate the image into more refined and acceptable for the millennials. Nahar et al. [ 69 ] once coined that the globalization has inculcated “food neo-culturism” where youths are more accepting to what is in global trend. Keeping the product design of Malay kuih forward as Malaysian kuih, abreast with technology and consumer trends, it will surely put traditional Malay kuih to a promising market position.

Dynamic is another word to describe the harmonious multiracial country of Malaysia. Malaysia has proven its potentials in many ways including economics, social, and governance. Being a multiracial country, assimilations have inevitably occurred ever since historical events, and although each individual ethnicity holds dear to their beliefs and culture, Malaysians have reached a common consensus to its vast culinary library. These diverse aspects of Malaysia are making it a proud beholder of the claim of “Malaysia Truly Asia.”

The common diet of Malaysians ever since the olden days always been shared across all ethnicity and traditional Malay kuih, although it connotes Malay’s signature, it has always been in the diet of whole Malaysians since its existence. Every part of Malaysia’s citizens had played their parts in the formation of such a group of delicacies through history, and it is only fitting for traditional Malay kuih to be rebranded into Malaysian kuih. Despite the debacle of successful marketing between traditional Malay kuih and Nyonya kuih, kuih in general is enjoyed day in and day out across all walks of life and race should not be a determinant.

Malay kuih should be celebrated as having a multitude of traditional nuances that color the Malaysian’s image beautifully, and this holds great potentials in the nation’s economy. With the proper adaptation of modernization and industrialization, traditional Malay kuih could be one of the thriving trades in the market, either locally or internationally. The first step should be taken in order for the next to fall into places. A precise product distinction has been established, and thus, public awareness should be campaigned. This will ensure continuity of traditional Malay kuih vitality and relevance in the market as well as the national identity. Proper planning and execution are keys to ensure the revival of traditional Malay kuih in reaching the point of heritage sustainability. The distinction and relevance of such traditional gem’s existence is important for the acknowledgment and pride of generations to come.

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The authors appreciate the Universiti Putra Malaysia for the opportunity and encouragement in pursuing research on heritage and traditional food scope.

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Kamaruzaman, M.Y.B., Ab Karim, S., Ishak, F.A.B.C. et al. The diversity of traditional Malay kuih in Malaysia and its potentials. J. Ethn. Food 7 , 22 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-020-00056-2

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Malaysians Share Their Fave Raya Family Traditions That They Look Forward To Every Year

From eating rendang at 3am to doing duit Raya lucky draws, hehe. So fun!

Published for TikTok , 29 Apr 2022, 11:06 AM

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Raya is almost here, woohooo! :D

While we still found ways to make celebrating Raya over the past two years fun, it just wasn't the same without being able to gather with our loved ones, especially if that meant missing out on special family traditions. Whether it's eating a specific type of food, doing a certain activity together, or putting your own spin on festive customs, confirm every family has their own Raya traditions that everyone loves being part of, kan ?

In collaboration with TikTok, we asked Malaysians to share their favourite Raya family traditions that they look forward to every year. Here's what they said:

Note: Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

1. "It's kinda dumb, but my family's 'tradition' involves hiding kuih Raya from my brother, hahahaha!"

Image used for illustration purposes only.

"This all started back when I was a kid. One year, my mother and I spent the entire month of Ramadan making all kinds of kuih Raya like tat nenas, almond london, semperit, chocolate cake, and more. We tried so many recipes from all sorts of magazines that my mum found and baked to no end (seriously, our electricity bill skyrocketed that month!!). "But unfortunately, a lot of the kuihs didn't make it to Raya day itself cause my brother would sneak into the kitchen to eat all our hard work in the middle of the night, adoiiii ! "So, the next year, we purposely hid all the kuih Raya from him, and eventually, it kinda turned into a game over the years, hahaha. We hide the kuih Raya, and he'll try to find and makan 'em. We have to get more creative every year 'cause we've used up most of the hiding spots in the house!" - Juliana, 24

2. "You know how you're supposed to eat rendang on the first day of Raya? My family eats so much rendang the night before that we end up getting sick of it, hahaha!"

"My family cooks rendang on the eve of the last day of puasa , so we can feast on it repeatedly before Raya comes. For us, our favourite time of the Raya period is the night before Raya, when we feast on rendang. I love it! "We've even had rendang for supper at like 2 or 3 in the morning, hahaha. It's a somewhat special tradition for us since we can go quite ham on rendang after fasting for 30 days straight. "Ironically, we eat so much of it the day before Raya that we lose interest in it and don't feel like having it at all on the first day of Raya. So, we usually end up having fast food or instant noodles for dinner on the first day of Raya instead, hahaha." - Irfan, 26

3. "My family likes to get away from it all and go cuti-cuti during Raya"

"Our Raya tradition is to travel. It's easy for us to do this tradition because my family is very small. For the past eight years, we have been travelling during Raya, both inside and outside of Malaysia. "We've been to South Korea and Australia, and are planning to go to Japan and Taiwan in the future. If my dad is unable to take cuti panjang , then we just travel locally. We've been to Langkawi, Cameron Highlands, Penang, and Melaka. Would like to someday experience Raya in Sabah too! "It's actually really fun being overseas for Raya, because we usually go to countries where Raya isn't a public holiday, so most shops and attractions are open as usual. We still keep up with traditions while we're overseas though. We wear our baju Raya and look for halal meat to cook rendang there. What's also cool is that we get to visit mosques in different places to do our Aidilfitri prayers. "Because of COVID-19, we didn't get to travel over the past two years and spent our Raya at home. It was nice, but I really miss travelling! For this Raya, we'll be celebrating it in Ipoh, yay!" - Lily, 22

4. "I come from a mixed family (my dad is Malaysian and my mum is Indonesian), and we always have Indonesian dishes during Raya"

"Of course, we have all the classic Malay dishes that must be served on Raya morning like ketupat and rendang. But in addition to that, we also have Indonesian dishes on the first day of Raya. It's usually bakso or soto ayam. "As we haven't been able to balik kampung to Indonesia for the past few years, having these dishes makes us remember our family there. "Oh, fun fact: according to Indonesian culture (especially Javanese), rendang and ketupat are only eaten on the seventh day of Raya. We don't do that when celebrating Raya in Malaysia, but we do if we're in Indonesia." - Ellina, 25

5. "My sister does a 'lucky draw' when giving out duit Raya , hahaha"

"On Raya day, we will wake up as early as 4am to start cooking varieties of food for Raya. Nasi minyak is our compulsory menu every year, along with rendang, nasi impit, and satttttaaaayyyyyyyyyyyy... yummmsss!!! "After we habis makan-makan , that's when my sister will start her duit Raya 'lucky draw', in which I'm rarely the lucky one, hahaha. AS ALWAYS, I will get the one with a paper inside that says 'Try again next year', haishhhh!" - Lia, 29

6. "My family ada this one tradition of always changing from baju Raya to normal baju rumah when we balik from sembahyang Raya "

"Why? 'Cause Malaysia panas wei! But when people come over to our house, we cepat-cepat tukar to our baju Raya again, hehehe. "Also, we don't do ' Salam Raya ' during pagi Raya because we think everyone should minta maaf , no matter whether it's Raya or not!" - Ikmal, 24

7. "Every year, we do an open house on the night of the first day of Raya, and we make satay ourselves to serve during the open house"

"Everyone has a different task... like cutting the meat, preparing the marinade, cucuk the meat, and lastly, bakar it. It's something I really enjoy doing with my family. We would invite the whole kampung to the open house, and everyone will makan satay together. "In recent years, we've started just buying the satay instead of making it, but it's still something that I look forward to every year. This year, we're finally able to do the open house again, but we're just keeping it to close family only. I can't wait to makan satay with them!" - Syaza, 28

8. "We basically go on a family retreat during Raya"

"I have a large family — eight siblings, including me. So, when half of us got married and started mini families, we upsized to being 20 pax with all the spouses and lil' babies. The problem is, finding hotels to accommodate our large family is too hard and pricey. "So, for every Raya, our tradition is to rent a secluded chalets in places like Hulu Langat or Janda Baik to spend a week of intimate family bonding time. We entertain ourselves with lazy pool days, game nights, BBQ parties, and more." - Ihsan, 27

9. "Not just my immediate family tau , my whole extended family wears baju Raya sedondon every year"

"Only the design je a little bit lari sometimes, but the colours still the same, hee. Since we gather from near and far to celebrate together, my family takes this opportunity to show off united and fashionable outfits. "It's heartwarming to see every member of the clan, from Mak Ngah and Pak Usu to all the cucu , planning their baju Raya and dressing in the same shades every year. Meriah ! I can't wait to see everyone's baju Raya for this year" - Nany, 27

10. "I love when all my aunties, mum, Opah, and I would hole ourselves up in the kitchen and whip up a storm every Raya"

"Making rendang with my Opah is the best thing ever. Whenever Raya draws near, I'm always super excited because it means… BALIK KAMPUNG! I get to see my Opah, who makes the best rendang ever. Like legit the best, I'm not even joking. "Every year, I love spending time in the kitchen, cooking with all the ladies in my family. The aroma… wah! My stomach grumbling already. And I also like that I can curi the food straight from the kuali , HAHAHAHA. So many cekodok would go missing. They know I'm the culprit la but it's ok. :P" - Aiman, 30

With travel restrictions being lifted, this year will mark the first time in a long time that we've been able to celebrate Raya with our families in person, yaaay!

From going to open houses to finally being able to balik kampung , we can't wait to reconnect with family and friends and have a REAL Raya celebration. We're especially looking forward to being able to do all our special Raya family traditions.

To make this festive season extra meaningful, TikTok has come up with an exciting Raya song because they " nak Rancak Raya dengan you! "

Titled Rancak Raya , the music video for the song is fully fueled by top local celebrities and TikTok creators. This includes Izzue Islam, Khai Bahar, Yazmin Aziz, Razmansyah, Fatia, and more. It's so cute how everyone is grooving to the beat, hehe! Watch it below and try to spot your fave celebrities and TikTok creators:

What's cool is that the creators featured in the music video are from various TikTok categories such as education, food, livestreams, sports, entertainment, beauty, and fashion

Coming together to celebrate the festive season, they cheerfully depict the theme of "the most authentic Raya", just by doing what they do best based on their original TikTok content. For example, food creators are seen making kuih Raya and sharing recipes, those from the education vertical are seen teaching how to make ketupat-shaped decorations, and a deaf TikTok creator known for her livestreams can be spotted teaching bahasa isyarat to her followers. We just love how inclusive the music video is! <3

Something else that's unique is how the scenes were catered to suit the individual TikTok celebrities and creators that are in them. Those who grew up in a kampung  are featured in a  kampung  environment, while those from the city are featured in a city background. Talk about attention to detail! Overall, the bright, vibrant, and colourful music video will definitely bring a smile to your face, especially with how it shows everyone finally getting to  balik kampung  and reunite with family.

With their tagline of ' Raya Kita Paling Raya ', TikTok wishes Selamat Hari Raya to all Malaysians, and hopes that your festive celebrations will be rancak !

Jom #RancakRaya bersama TikTok! They've got so much going on, like new effects, the chance for you to win am exclusive TikTok wellness pack, fun mini games to play, and so much more. Check out all of TikTok's Raya offerings here .

Get into the festive mood with more Raya stories:

From tiffin carriers to birdcages, these unique raya hampers will confirm impress your fam.

They're packed with lots of awesome goodies like Raya cookies, dodol, dates, and more!

Sins & Mistakes: The Rich & Deep History Behind Folding A Ketupat

The ketupat's ties to Hari Raya Aidilfitri began in Java, Indonesia in the 15th century.

[PHOTOS] 13 Special Things Muslims Around The World Cook For Raya

Hint: It's not rendang and ketupat.

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What Are The Malay Traditions? 9 Epic Facts!

• , February 13, 2023

Malay traditions are a rich tapestry of cultural influences woven over centuries of life in the Malay archipelago. This includes peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand, and parts of Indonesia and the Philippines. 

With a population composed mainly of ethnic Malays, and significant Chinese and Indian communities, these traditions reflect the diverse makeup of Malaysian society. But what are Malay traditions? Why is it so crucial for the Malay and Southeast Asian regions? Interested? Then let’s get to it and learn the basic facts and Malay words related to this topic!

What Are The Malay Traditions?

Malay tradition refers to the Malay people’s customs, beliefs, and culture of the largest ethnic group in Malaysia and the Malay Peninsula. This culture has been influenced by neighboring countries, including the Indians, Filipinos, Indonesians, Chinese, and Islamic worlds, resulting in a diverse and rich cultural heritage.

Throughout history, the Malay peninsula has been ruled by various sultanates and has played a vital role in Southeast Asian trade, attracting traders and settlers worldwide. This has significantly impacted the development of the Malay culture, which is evident in the diverse customs, traditions, and languages still practiced today.

Fact 1: The Role Of Malay Women

Have you ever thought about the role of women in traditional Malay society? In the past, Malay women played a significant role in preserving the customs and traditions of their communities.

They were responsible for passing down oral literature, cooking traditional cuisine, and participating in traditional performing arts. And while the role of women has evolved, their influence on the preservation of conventional Malay culture is still felt today.

Fact 2: Traditional Malay Arts

Do you know that Malay communities have a rich artistic tradition that showcases their culture and heritage? From traditional dances to weaving and wood carving, Malays have a unique way of expressing themselves through their arts.

1. Traditional Dances 

One of the most prominent forms of traditional Malay arts is dance. The intricate movements of traditional dances, such as the Zapin dance and the Joget dance, are beautiful to watch and tell a story about their cultural heritage and traditions.

2. Traditional Malay Music

Traditional Malay music is characterized by instruments such as the gamelan , rebab , and gong . The gamelan is a set of percussion instruments that create a unique, melodic sound. The rebab is a stringed instrument, while the gong is a percussion instrument that adds depth and texture to the music.

Another form of traditional Malay art is weaving. From conventional textiles to mats and baskets, weaving is an essential aspect of Malay culture, passed down from generation to generation.

4. Wood Carving 

Wood carving is another beautiful Malay art that shows creativity and ingenuity. The intricate wooden door frames and beautiful wooden boxes are Malays’ long-standing tradition of using wood as a medium to create beautiful works of art.

Fact 3: Traditional Malay Festivals

Do you know that Malays celebrate more than just Hari Raya ? Aside from that, many other Malaysian calendar celebrations showcase Malay traditions’ diversity.

1. Rice Planting Festival

The annual rice planting festival is a celebration of the start of the rice planting season. It is a time for Malays to come together to plant rice, sing traditional songs, and celebrate the beginning of a new growing season.

2. Hari Raya

In Malaysia, Hari Raya is a time for feasting, visiting with friends and family, and exchanging gifts. Streets are decorated with colorful lights and banners, and families prepare unique dishes for the occasion. Good quality chocolates are especially popular during this time, as they make great gifts for friends and family.

3. Harvest Festival

The harvest festival is a time for Malays to come together to celebrate the end of the growing season. It is a time for feasting, dancing, and giving thanks for a bountiful harvest.

Fact 4: Traditional Malay Cuisine

Traditional food culture in Malaysia is a feast for the senses, from savory curries flavored with coconut milk to sweet and spicy sambals. But traditional Malay food is more than just a matter of taste; it is also a way for the Malays to connect with their cultural heritage and preserve their traditions. Some must-try traditional Malay dishes include nasi lemak (rice boiled in coconut milk and served with various accompaniments), satay (skewered and grilled meat), and rendang (spicy meat stew).

Fact 5: Traditional Malay Sports

In Malay traditions, certain traditional sports are essential to Malaysian culture. One of the most prominent sports in the Malay world is Silat . Silat is a traditional martial art that originated in Malay. It is a form of self-defense that combines strikes, grappling, and throws to defend oneself against an attacker. Not only is it an essential aspect of Malay culture, but it is also a way for Malays to showcase their strength and agility.

Fact 6: Traditional Malay Architecture

The traditional Malay house, rumah kampung , is a wooden structure with a thatched roof . It is designed to keep Malays cool in the hot tropical climate. It features intricate wood carvings, woven mats, and traditional furnishings. This can be seen all over Malaysia, even in the capital of Kuala Lumpur.

Fact 7: Traditional Malay Literature

The Malay people have a rich cultural heritage, which is evident in their traditional literature. One of the most important historical texts in the Malay world is the Sejarah Melayu . This tells the story of the Malay people and their cultural heritage.

It contains accounts of the rise and fall of the Malay sultanates, the interactions between the Malay courts and the Indian and Chinese communities, and the cultural and political developments in the region.

Fact 8: Traditional Malay Medicine

Traditional Malay medicine is a long-standing practice in Malaysia that uses natural remedies for healing. The belief is that the body can heal itself, and the natural world provides the treatments necessary for good health. The following are the most common techniques used in traditional Malay medicine:

• Herbal Remedies : The use of plants and herbs to treat various illnesses and ailments. This practice is based on the belief that natural substances can stimulate the body’s healing process.
• Massage Therapy ( Urut ) : A physical therapy that involves manual manipulation of the body’s soft tissues to improve circulation, relieve pain, and increase mobility.
• Acupuncture : The practice of inserting needles into specific points on the body to boost energy flow, relieve pain, and promote healing.

Fact 9: Malay Family Structure And Values

The traditional Malay family structure is extended, with close relationships and a strong sense of unity and support within the family unit. The family is considered the most important social unit in classic Malay society and is highly valued. Some of the core values associated with the traditional Malay family include:

• Respect for elders : Older family members are highly regarded and treated with reverence and respect.
• Collectivism : The family is viewed as a collectivist unit, where individual needs and goals are subordinated to the well-being of the family as a whole.
• Sense of responsibility : Family members feel a strong sense of responsibility towards one another and often go to great lengths to help and support their relatives.

How Malay Traditions Are Preserved

Malay education and religion play a significant role in shaping the values and beliefs of the community. Here are two of the essential elements that help in keeping Malay traditions.

For many Malays, education begins at home, where parents and elders pass down valuable lessons and teachings. As children grow older, they attend Islamic religious schools, known as madrasahs , where they learn about the Quran and Islamic history and practice. In schools, this is where they learn and practice the traditions so that everyone will learn to appreciate the country’s fantastic heritage.

In addition to attending religious schools, Malays also attend mosques and engage in other religious activities, such as fasting during Ramadan and performing the Hajj pilgrimage. But the religion in Malaysia isn’t just about individual spiritual growth. It’s also about community and togetherness, the foundation of the common Malay traditions. Malays believe their religious practices bring them closer together and help create a solid and united community.

Common Phrases For Exploring Malay Traditions

Just like in any other foreign country, it is always helpful to know some common phrases to communicate effectively and respectfully. Here are some useful conversational Malay phrases for exploring the rich traditions and culture of Malaysia:

Learn The Malay Language With The Ling App

Now that you know Malay traditions and all the significant aspects of this rich culture, it’s time to dive even more profound. If you’re interested in learning the Malay language and the traditions that come with it, I’ve got just the thing for you!

The Ling app is the perfect solution to help you take your language-learning journey to the next level. With in-depth lessons and a focus on meeting the needs of our users, you’ll have everything you need to master the Malay language. Download the app from App Store and Google Play today and explore this fascinating world.

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MALAYSIA: Family Traditions

by Alison | Jan 17, 2012 | Family , Malaysia | 47 comments

I was asked a few months ago what my family traditions were.

I racked my brain and sadly, came up with nothing.

Not a thing.

My little family of three, soon to be four, is relatively new. We’ve been married just over four years and our son has just turned two. Most couples go into a relationship carrying traditions from their respective families – be it decorating the Christmas tree a week before the actual date; opening presents the night before; collecting personal ornaments, each with a story; celebrating birthdays with an experience and no cake; pizza night every Friday and game night every Saturday.

We came into our marriage empty handed, as far as traditions went. Our families were not big on celebrating occasions, especially birthdays and anniversaries, so we ended up being the same.

However, I do feel that family traditions are important.

Traditions help create memories.

Traditions help impart our life values to our children.

Traditions help give children a sense of identity.

Traditions help create a sense of belonging.

Traditions offer a sense of security.

I believe we have a wonderful opportunity to create new traditions with our children.

Like fun game nights every Friday.

Swimming every Saturday with Papa.

Home cooked weekend breakfasts of eggs and French toast.

Hot chocolate on Sunday nights, to ease the children into a new school week.

Library trips every week to pick a new book out.

Nightly ritual of story time and bedtime cuddles.

Sitting at the table every night as a family for dinner and exchanging our daily stories.

Baking cookies every end of the month together, just the boys and I, purely because we can.

Hiking as a family every so often.

Scrapbooking every birthday to remember the year that passed.

Annual trips to a beach to build sandcastles and laze in the sun.

I want my children to grow up with fond memories of doing things with their parents, be it on special occasions, or just something  we  did as a family.

I want them to grow up with a strong sense of who they are, who their parents are, what we believe in.

I want my sons to grow up with joy, and the desire to carry on these family traditions, and pass them on to their own families when the time comes.

Most of all, I want my children to know that their parents love them, and did their best to create a home that was safe, sound, joyful and wondrous.

Do you have family traditions? How do you feel about them and what are they?

This has been an original post to World Moms Blog by Alison Lee in Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia. She can also be found blogging at  Mama Wants This!  

Photo credit to Free Digital Photos . 

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to the World Moms Blog RSS feed . Thanks for traveling with us around the globe!

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Alison is a former PR professional turned stay-at-home mother to two boys. Growing up in a small city of Ipoh, Malaysia, Alison left home at 17 to pursue her studies in the big city of Kuala Lumpur. At 19, she headed to University of Leeds in England and graduated with a degree in Communications. Returning home to Malaysia in 1999, she began a 10-year career in public relations, event planning, and marketing, working for various PR agencies and one of the world's biggest sports brands. After a decade of launch parties and product launches, concerts and award shows, international press junkets and world travel, Alison traded all that in for a life as a first time mother in 2009, and has not looked back since. Aside from writing for her blog, Writing, Wishing , Alison is the Founder and chief social media strategist for Little Love Media .

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47 Comments

I love this sense of tradition. These cozy memories to wrap your family up tightly within.

You, my sweet friend, are going to rock it!

Yes, making memories – so important!! xo

It’s great to have family traditions. Sometimes it’s the simple things we do together as a family that forms the traditions. We hope to have game nights with the kids every Friday once they’re old enough to appreciate boardgames etc.

Yes, I’m definitely focusing on the simple things. We’ve already started the Sunday breakfast & swims, so we’re on track!

Sometimes it really is the little things. We go to Barnes and Noble, the girls always get steamers, they have a fav table there too .. Birthday lunches are typically at PF Changs, they order the same stuff and then have Dad cook their fav’s that night. Every night they have a bedtime routine, everyone always snuggles, even the 14 yr old 😉 We do family movie nights with Dad’s awesome nachos We have an annual cookie making day before Christmas Then another before Valentines and sometimes we squeeze one in for Easter … once you get started on some of the things you do – you have quite a list … and that makes me smile!

Such beautiful traditions, Nicole! I love that your 14 year old still snuggles 🙂

It sounds like you have wonderful plans. My family wasn’t big on traditions growing up, but my husband’s was. We’ve carried forward some of his family traditions – a new ornament for each of us for the Christmas tree each year, Shirley Temples to drink at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, Easter Bunny paw prints made of baby powder at Christmas. And we’ve made some of our own – dinner out at the Japanese Steakhouse and a trip to see a local lights show on Christmas Eve, everyone telling their days (that’s what we call it) at dinner each night…My oldest girl is especially big on making and keeping traditions. I love that she feels that way. And some are simple like you mentioned – playing games together, baking together, snuggling up and watching movies. You’re an awesome mom, Alison!

Thank you Katie, and thanks for sharing your traditions – they do sound wonderful! And it’s so good to hear that your daughter is already embracing and appreciating your traditions.

I don’t have any family traditions in my family either. But, I would like to. I agree with all the things you list as the values of traditions, and that’s why I would like to begin taking more seriously the task creating the kinds of traditions that my children can someday pass down to their children.

The good thing is? We still have time to do so 🙂

Traditions can be almost anything. For some reason, the one that jumps to mind is one we used to do when my boys were still little (now they are 10 and 12). We would play “cruise ship” in the bathtub. I would make them a plate of “hor dourves” – and they would lounge in the bath while they ate. I always loved that one since none of us has ever even been on a cruise – lol. Traditions = Memories

Yes, traditions do = memories! I think yours is really fun!

I think that you are exactly right (and very smart) to be purposeful and creative in providing opportunities to make memories for your children. My kids are now 12, 9 and 6 and they are constantly surprising me by telling me about the family “traditions” that they love. Often they are not things that I consider a tradition – and sometimes it is something we have only done once! So some family traditions will develop as your children grow and develop their own interests. Have fun!

Yes, you’re right, Jennifer! And we most certainly will 🙂

We are huge on Family Friday Fun – that is what we call our Friday nights with pizza from our favorite spot, a movie at home on the couch all snuggled up and popcorn with their favorite candy thrown in. We have been doing this since our youngest was born. We’re going on 8 years. We rarely miss any. Sometimes we may substitute the movie with some cartoons or DVR’d educational nature shows but we do our best to make it happen. Not only do our girls look forward to it but so do my husband and I.

That is exactly what I’m talking about, and it’s wonderful that you have that!!

You know, we didn’t have a whole lot of traditions, although we did the perfunctory cake and presents on birthday and the tree got itself up somehow for Christmas. We were definitely not game families, but I agree with you 100%. I think it’s important for the kids and helps them feel loved and secure.

Thank you Jennie. The thing is, it’s never too late to start a tradition 🙂

We always had certain traditions growing up and as we have gotten older and now have families of our own our traditions have shifted. Our family is now making new traditions, ones that our children will hopefully carry on into their adulthood as well.

Making our own traditions is the best part, isn’t it?

Our traditions revolve around the holidays, mostly. Red envelopes and Chinese food for Chinese New Year. Dyeing eggs & Easter egg hunts for Easter. Brunch for Mother’s Day. Balloons, decorations, cake, & a party for birthdays. The pumpkin patch & carving a pumpkin for Halloween. Turkey & pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. Cookies & milk for Santa. Christmas cards, wreaths, and a tree for Christmas. Not especially unique, but lots of fun, none the less!

They don’t have to be unique to be special, I think it’s great that you have traditions!

These are great traditions Alison! And soon your family of four will have so much fun enjoying these!

Oh yes we will. Especially the baking. For me.

Most of our family traditions are around, well, food!!! My daughters and I bake a heart-shaped cake for my husband every Valentine’s Day. It reminds me of the heart-shaped cakes my sister and I used to bake every Valentine’s Day.

Also, we started making these reindeer cookies for the holidays that are really easy for kids to help. We’ve been doing that every year now, too.

I like this concept of Friday Family Fun Day! I think I have to start getting something started!!

Thanks for another great post, Alison! 🙂

I think traditions based around food evoke very strong memories for families, so that’s great that yours do! 🙂

We say the same prayer every night at dinner. Our bedtime routine is the same almost every night. We have tons of traditions at Christmas time. I love have routine traditions and special holiday ones.

Routine traditions are the ones that firmly root the children, so I think that’s great that you have them!

I love that you are going to create your own traditions and I think the ones you listed are perfect! We have tons of traditions over here that come from our respective families but I still want to create our own too.

We’ve already gotten started on creating our own – weekend breakfasts, swimming, and yes, it is definitely fun!

These sound like great traditions you’re already creating. And hot chocolate on Sunday nights to ease the kids into a new school week…why didn’t I think of that?! Totally using this idea…thank you!

Oh you’re welcome! Let me know how it works out 🙂

Your list of traditions sounds great. You forgot one, you have the wonderful tradition of blogging, making a document of how much you love your children and contributing to it. That is a wonderful tradition. My husband and I came both from families with loads of traditions, we had plenty to pick from, but also started many of our own.

Ah yes, the blog. Their digital scrapbook (and mine). 🙂 Would love to hear about your family traditions, Mirjam!

It’s never too late to start a new tradition! And you probably have some and don’t even realize it. We have pancakes every saturday morning. I never though of it as a tradition before, but it really is. Have fun starting some new traditions with your beautiful family 🙂

Yes, it’s definitely never too late to start a new tradition. I look forward to starting ours!

This is lovely Allison! What a wonderful way to make traditions unique for your family and special to your children.

Thank you Leighann!

Beautiful Alison, to have your own traditions with your own little family. I too didn’t come from a family with strong traditions unless you count Christmas or New Year which includes praying and church.

Those are traditions too!

I come from a family who traditions were based around the holidays, but not much else. I too wanted to create our own traditions with the kids. We have family movie night about once a month, complete with popcorn and fun. We also have our weekly trip to the synagogue where we learn, meet with friends, pray and play. My son really enjoys it and looks forward to every Saturday morning (which is something that I never had, but somehow alway wanted). We also have some food traditions as well… My son bakes muffins with me, or cookies with daddy. Once my daughter is old enough I am sure that she will enjoy that as well. Great post Alison, and a great list of traditions that you will share with your brood for many years to come!

See, you’re already creating traditions with your children, wonderful!

When I was little, we didn’t have many traditions, so it took a few years for me to create traditions with my own children. For instance, we read a story together every night and every year we put together the nativity scene, week by week (we do a spiral).This year I want to try and start a lent/Easter ritual (more symbolically than religiously).

Same here, my family wasn’t much into traditions either, so I’m making extra effort to ensure my boys will not say the same thing when they’re older 🙂

We don’t have a ton of family traditions either and I don’t think we’ve started that many as a couple. There are traditions with my extended family – Christmas Day always finds all of us together at my grandma’s or my uncle’s, eating turkey and opening gifts – but otherwise, we do whatever we feel like each year. My husband and I both joined the Catholic Church as adults, so we’ve tried to adopt some Catholic traditions that we’ve heard about and liked (more or less successfully – somehow it’s easier to continue traditions than to start new ones). I like what you say about traditions and what they mean to us. 🙂

Thank you! Starting traditions is not easy, which is why we’re going with the stuff we sort of already do, and trying to make it regular enough to be known as a tradition 🙂

Such a nice list of traditions! I thought our family had no tradition neither. But reading your post, made me realize in fact we all have some sort of tradition. Having dinner together, listening to books we like in the car, saying good night every day before going to bed, …. They are so embeded in our daily life, that we don’t think of them as tradition any more. However, we all have traditions! Thanks for sharing! – bnchen.wordpress.com

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Traveling to Russia and beyond

Yekaterinburg, where Europe and Asia come together

Last Updated on January 6, 2024 by Irena Domingo

Yekaterinburg is the capital of the Urals and an obligatory stop of the Trans-Siberian Railway. It is the fourth city in the country and the place where Europe and Asia meet. It is historically known to be the place where in 1918 the Bolsheviks murdered Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family. In this post I’ll tell you what you can see in this beautiful city and its surroundings.

I'm going to talk about ...

The fourth Russian capital

Mineral and geological wealth, vital transport hub, some trivia, 2. practical information to organize the visit, 3.1. church on blood in honor of all the saints, formerly ipatiev house, 3.2. dam on the iset river and the sevastyanov house, 3.3. state academic opera and ballet theater, 3.4. yekaterinburg war memorial, 3.5. visotsky business center and observation platform, 3.6. vaynera street, 3.7. geological museum of the urals, 3.8. qwerty monument, 3.9. boris yeltsin presidential center, 4.1. europe-asia monument, 4.2. ganina yama monastery, 4.3. olenii ruchii national park, 4.4. chertovo gorodishche rocks, 1. yekaterinburg: capital of the urals and a trans-siberian railway stop.

Yekaterinburg is located in the western center of Russia, already within Asia, though by very little. It is the fourth city in the country by its number of inhabitants , behind Moscow (at a distance of 1,667 km), Saint Petersburg and Novosibirsk (the latter already in Siberia), and it is located in the territory of the long and low mountain range of the Ural Mountains, a natural border between Europe and Asia.

It is the capital of the oblast (or region) of Sverdlovsk and the federal district of the Ural. It has approximately 1,500,000 inhabitants , and it is located 237 meters above sea level, bathed by Iset River.

Its current prosperity comes from industry and metallurgy, as well as the mineral and geological wealth of its environment, currently combined with other scientific and educational developments.

As a curiosity, the Eiffel Tower in Paris was built with steel from the Urals for its construction and the Statue of Liberty in New York used copper from the same site.

It should be noted that Yekaterinburg today is an important transport and communications hub , from European Russia to Siberia, especially through the railway lines, consisting of seven lines, and it is a mandatory stop of the Trans-Siberian, Trans-Mongolian and Trans-Manchurian routes . At the same time, Yekaterinburg and its role of being the Eurasian connection bring us closer to knowing another reality of this fascinating and immense country called Russia.

It is a city with very cold winters and temperatures in the negative for about seven months, subjected to the arctic air that comes down from the north of Siberia, which however we can visit in summer with a joyous average temperature of about 14º C, as days in this season are over 20 degrees. July could be an ideal month.

From a historical perspective, Yekaterinburg is known mainly for its most important and shocking event: it was the place where in 1918 the Bolsheviks murdered Tsar Nicholas II and his entire family.

The name Yekaterinburg comes from Catherine I of Russia, though from 1924 to 1991 it was called Sverdlovsk by the Soviet politician Yakov Sverdlov.

• In 1963, Fidel Castro visited the city, and that same year there were 11 babies with the name of Fidel, in homage to the Cuban leader.
• Another historic episode, much more recent, took place on February 15, 2013, when a large meteorite crossed the city and fell on Lake Chebarkul, in Chelyabinsk, about 210 km south, but the shock wave was felt by the residents.
• The UMMC Yekaterinburg women’s basketball team is one of the best in Europe and has won several Euroleague or European Championships, the last in 2018.
• Many Olympic medalists of different disciplines have come from this city. Also, cross-country skiing is very practical.

To move around the city, you should consider some useful information, as well as having good links for transport and communications. So, you need to know that:

• The time zone is UTC + 6 (two hours ahead of Moscow and six hours ahead of Greenwich). It takes two hours to go from Moscow to Yekaterinburg by plane. By train, the journey can take at least 25 hours. There are very varied overnight offers on the Trans-Siberian trains.
• The main railway station is currently officially called Yekaterinburg- Passazhyrski , formerly Sverdlovsk, a name that is still used.
• Yekaterinburg Metro . From 06 to 00 hours. It was opened in 1991. Nine stations and one line. Very economical and well decorated, with stones from the Urals, granite and marble.
• Koltsovo Airport (SVX). One of the 5 Russian airports with international transit area of ​​the country. The Koltsovo Express train goes to the airport twice a day.
• Ural Airlines . Company that has its base in Yekaterinburg. From there you can fly to many parts of Europe and Asia, especially a good number of Russian cities, former Soviet republics or even Beijing.
• Official municipal website of tourist information . Includes attractions, accommodations, catering and events.
• Yekaterinburg City Pass card . It costs from 500 and up to 1,600 rubles, for one or two days, including discounts, guided tours and free visits to more than 30 historical, military, artistic or other museums that you can visit according to your tastes and interests. The City Pass of Yekaterinburg is a very good option.
• Official tourism portal of the Urals and the region (in English, French, German, Russian and Chinese).

3. What to see in Yekaterinburg

Being a very important railway point and junction of the Trans-Siberian Route, you can stop in Yekaterinburg to visit the city one or two days, as well as its surroundings.

Like any big city, the possibilities are great, but I will focus on what I personally consider most essential.

Thus, it is important to know that there is a tourist circular route following a red line through the center of the city , which will allow you to observe the main buildings and attractions.

The line goes on the asphalt and runs through 5.5 km and 35 points of interest in a project that was carried out by volunteers. The departure starts at 1905 Square, probably the most important in the city, but I will start with the Church on the Blood (number 14 on the map below), the nearest stop to the railway station of Yekaterinburg.

• Website :  http://www.ekbredline.ru/

From these 35 points of interest, which are many, I will show you below those that are the most relevant for me.

The Church on Blood is located around a 20 minutes’ walk from the main railway station, which is currently called and officially Yekaterinburg- Passazhyrski, formerly Sverdlovsk, a name that is still used.

It was built between 2000 and 2003, over the former Ipatiev House (demolished in 1977), where Tsar Nicholas II, Tsarina Alexandra, her five children and four workers were killed on July 17, 1918.

This Russian Orthodox church, of neo-Byzantine architecture, serves as a pilgrimage site to honor the memory of the executed Romanovs. It occupies 2,760 m2 and has a museum dedicated to the Russian imperial family.

On July 17th, 2018, around 100,000 people gathered in Yekaterinburg to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the execution of Tsar Nicholas II and his family at the hands of the Bolsheviks. The faithful departed on foot at 2:00 am to the place where the execution took place, in the center of Yekaterinburg, where the Ipatiev house was.

The remains of Nicholas II, his wife and his three children were found in 1979, and buried in the Peter and Paul Fortress of St. Petersburg in 1998.

At a 10-minute walk from the Church on the Blood, you have one of the key centers of the city, which is located in the dike or reservoir on the Iset River, in which you can enjoy the sights, and walk around on your own. It is a very centric backwater site.

Next to the dike is the Sevastyanov House, built in the first half of the 19th century on the banks of the Iset River, a national architectural heritage. It has eclectic style and very colorful. Located on Lenin Avenue, the main artery of the city.

Since it is part of a complex of official buildings, you can’t visit it in principle.

Very close to the dike, there is the State Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet , a public theater, baroque style, with very nice interior decoration. With varied and high-level programming. It is a very good opportunity to enjoy quality productions at very competitive prices.

You can buy tickets online. A good place to end the day. The performances normally take place in the afternoon, between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Near the theater, in the Soviet Army Plaza, at the intersection of Mamina-Sibiryaka and Pervomayskaya streets, you can find the Yekaterinburg War Memorial , a memorial against wars, in memory of fallen Russian soldiers in Afghanistan and Chechnya. It has an impressive sculpture, inaugurated in 1996.

If you like heights, then just behind the State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater you will see the Visotsky business center , which is located in what appears to be the tallest northern skyscraper in the world, a business tower-building of 188.3 m high, which also has a hotel, spa and restaurants.

On the 52nd floor, it has an open and secure observation deck at 186 meters high, with fabulous views up to 25 kilometers away. You can use audio guides.

Hours: Monday to Friday from 12m to 10:00 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Regular entry fee: 350 rubles and discounts for children under 12 and others. It is free for children under 5 years old. The payment is only in cash at the moment.

The name is due to Vladimir Visotsky, a popular poet, actor and musician, who has his own museum in the skyscraper. Web: http://visotsky-e.ru/en/

The Vaynera Street, known as the Arbat Street (in Moscow) of the Urals, can be reached in about 15 minutes on foot from Visotsky Business Center. It is perfect for shopping. A pedestrian walkway, and with sculptures in its route. You can look for high quality leather bags and wallets in the area.

Vaynera Street begins near 1905 Goda Square, the most important in the city, where the city hall of Yekaterinburg is located, and where you will also find a large statue of Lenin.

At the end of Vaynera Street, at number 39 Kuybysheva Street, you will find the Geological Museum of the Urals , where you can find numerous minerals from the Ural Mountains, worthy of being contemplated. It is a small but very well managed site. You can see various meteorites, including lunar and Martian rocks, as well as the Ural gems used in the Kremlin stars.

In your store you can find precious stones to give as gifts. Entry for 200 rubles.

Accessible by public transport and very close to the Geologicheskaya metro station.

It is a very intriguing and curious visit on the bank of the Iset River. It is the famous computer keyboard with large stones for each key, with a total of 86.

This largest keyboard in the world is located near Ploshchad 1905 Goda metro station.

Finally, though outside the tourist red line, you can find the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center . With a modern and dazzling exterior architecture, and inaugurated in 2015, it is a civic space and museum dedicated to the first president of the Russian Federation (1991-1999), Boris Yeltsin, born in the region, in the small locality of Bukta.

In the museum we can see Yeltsin’s life and get to know more on the formation of the Russian Federation, the previous perestroika or the Soviet era. With latest technologies and with authentic documents, it is a very interesting site.

It is open from Tuesdays to Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can buy the tickets online. Basic price: 200 rubles. Discounts for families. Optional guided tours in Russian or English (Tuesdays without surcharge on ticket price).

It is worth noting the beautiful views of the river and that it has a restaurant.

4. What to see around Yekaterinburg

The Europe-Asia Monument is located about 40 kilometers west of Yekaterinburg, about 5 kilometers from the city of Pervouralsk. It is located in the middle of the forest area of the Verkh-Isetsky district.

It is a visit where you can take a photo on the border or continental divide between Europe and Asia . The monument is a column or obelisk that measures 30 meters high, on top of a podium, and is made of red marble. It is accessed through a stone staircase, divided into two wings: on one side we will be in Europe and the other in Asia. A double-headed Russian bronze eagle crowns the column.

There are bus departures and excursions from various points, such as those that leave from the side of the main railway station.

And you need to pay attention, because there are a few monuments, landmarks, sculptures, signs or points of reference that mark the limit between Europe and Asia in the Ural Mountains. These are undoubtedly the most relevant.

It is a complex of wooden monastic buildings with different temples dedicated to the Romanov family, who were moved there after their death, which gives it a certain mysterious air. It can be reached on the bus that leaves from the main train station, around 15 kilometers to the north. Website: http://ganinayama.ru/

Around 150 km west of the city. You can get there by bus or train, but more directly by car, in perhaps less than two hours. It is beautiful path of forests and the Serga River. You will find caves, rocks and very marked karstic formations, authentic paleozoological monuments, such as the Druzhba cave (which mean Friendship).

A true outdoor natural history museum with multiple educational and environmental activities for all ages. Web: http://www.olen.ur.ru/

It is a natural geomorphological monument of granite, of volcanic origin of 20 meters high, formed 300 million years ago. It stands out for its strange shapes. It is about 40 km and 1 hour and 30 minutes from Yekaterinburg.

And here we finish this visit to Yekaterinburg and its surroundings. As you can see, it is very worthwhile. If you found this guide useful, you can help me by sharing it on your social networks. You can also leave your comments or thoughts below.

About Irena Domingo

Hello, my name is Irena. I was born in Russia in 1974 during the Soviet era. I worked as a Russian teacher and as a translator and interpreter for the past 30 years. One of my main hobbies is traveling. I started this blog with one aim: to create the most comprehensive guide ever written for traveling to Russia and beyond. Author of the Russia Guidebook 2024 (PDF)

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• Places - European, Western and Northern Russia

YEKATERINBURG: FACTORIES, URAL SIGHTS, YELTSIN AND THE WHERE NICHOLAS II WAS KILLED

Sverdlovsk oblast.

Sverdlovsk Oblast is the largest region in the Urals; it lies in the foothills of mountains and contains a monument indicating the border between Europe and Asia. The region covers 194,800 square kilometers (75,200 square miles), is home to about 4.3 million people and has a population density of 22 people per square kilometer. About 83 percent of the population live in urban areas. Yekaterinburg is the capital and largest city, with 1.5 million people. For Russians, the Ural Mountains are closely associated with Pavel Bazhov's tales and known for folk crafts such as Kasli iron sculpture, Tagil painting, and copper embossing. Yekaterinburg is the birthplace of Russia’s iron and steel industry, taking advantage of the large iron deposits in the Ural mountains. The popular Silver Ring of the Urals tourist route starts here.

In the summer you can follow in the tracks of Yermak, climb relatively low Ural mountain peaks and look for boulders seemingly with human faces on them. You can head to the Gemstone Belt of the Ural mountains, which used to house emerald, amethyst and topaz mines. In the winter you can go ice fishing, ski and cross-country ski.

Sverdlovsk Oblast and Yekaterinburg are located near the center of Russia, at the crossroads between Europe and Asia and also the southern and northern parts of Russia. Winters are longer and colder than in western section of European Russia. Snowfalls can be heavy. Winter temperatures occasionally drop as low as - 40 degrees C (-40 degrees F) and the first snow usually falls in October. A heavy winter coat, long underwear and good boots are essential. Snow and ice make the sidewalks very slippery, so footwear with a good grip is important. Since the climate is very dry during the winter months, skin moisturizer plus lip balm are recommended. Be alert for mud on street surfaces when snow cover is melting (April-May). Patches of mud create slippery road conditions.

Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg (kilometer 1818 on the Trans-Siberian Railway) is the fourth largest city in Russia, with of 1.5 million and growth rate of about 12 percent, high for Russia. Located in the southern Ural mountains, it was founded by Peter the Great and named after his wife Catherine, it was used by the tsars as a summer retreat and is where tsar Nicholas II and his family were executed and President Boris Yeltsin lived most of his life and began his political career. The city is near the border between Europe and Asia.

Yekaterinburg (also spelled Ekaterinburg) is located on the eastern slope of the Ural Mountains in the headwaters of the Iset and Pyshma Rivers. The Iset runs through the city center. Three ponds — Verkh-Isetsky, Gorodskoy and Nizhne-Isetsky — were created on it. Yekaterinburg has traditionally been a city of mining and was once the center of the mining industry of the Urals and Siberia. Yekaterinburg remains a major center of the Russian armaments industry and is sometimes called the "Pittsburgh of Russia.". A few ornate, pastel mansions and wide boulevards are reminders of the tsarist era. The city is large enough that it has its own Metro system but is characterized mostly by blocky Soviet-era apartment buildings. The city has advanced under President Vladimir Putin and is now one of the fastest growing places in Russia, a country otherwise characterized by population declines

Yekaterinburg is technically an Asian city as it lies 32 kilometers east of the continental divide between Europe and Asia. The unofficial capital of the Urals, a key region in the Russian heartland, it is second only to Moscow in terms of industrial production and capital of Sverdlovsk oblast. Among the important industries are ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine building and metalworking, chemical and petrochemicals, construction materials and medical, light and food industries. On top of being home of numerous heavy industries and mining concerns, Yekaterinburg is also a major center for industrial research and development and power engineering as well as home to numerous institutes of higher education, technical training, and scientific research. In addition, Yekaterinburg is the largest railway junction in Russia: the Trans-Siberian Railway passes through it, the southern, northern, western and eastern routes merge in the city.

Accommodation: There are two good and affordable hotels — the 3-star Emerald and Parus hotels — located close to the city's most popular landmarks and main transport interchanges in the center of Yekaterinburg. Room prices start at RUB 1,800 per night.

History of Yekaterinburg

Yekaterinburg was founded in 1723 by Peter the Great and named after his wife Catherine I. It was used by the tsars as a summer retreat but was mainly developed as metalworking and manufacturing center to take advantage of the large deposits of iron and other minerals in the Ural mountains. It is best known to Americans as the place where the last Tsar and his family were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918 and near where American U-2 spy plane, piloted by Gary Powers, was shot down in 1960.

Peter the Great recognized the importance of the iron and copper-rich Urals region for Imperial Russia's industrial and military development. In November 1723, he ordered the construction of a fortress factory and an ironworks in the Iset River Valley, which required a dam for its operation. In its early years Yekaterinburg grew rich from gold and other minerals and later coal. The Yekaterinburg gold rush of 1745 created such a huge amount of wealth that one rich baron of that time hosted a wedding party that lasted a year. By the mid-18th century, metallurgical plants had sprung up across the Urals to cast cannons, swords, guns and other weapons to arm Russia’s expansionist ambitions. The Yekaterinburg mint produced most of Russia's coins. Explorations of the Trans-Baikal and Altai regions began here in the 18th century.

Iron, cast iron and copper were the main products. Even though Iron from the region went into the Eiffel Tower, the main plant in Yekaterinburg itself was shut down in 1808. The city still kept going through a mountain factory control system of the Urals. The first railway in the Urals was built here: in 1878, the Yekaterinburg-Perm railway branch connected the province's capital with the factories of the Middle Urals.

In the Soviet era the city was called Sverdlovsk (named after Yakov Sverdlov, the man who organized Nicholas II's execution). During the first five-year plans the city became industrial — old plants were reconstructed, new ones were built. The center of Yekaterinburg was formed to conform to the historical general plan of 1829 but was the layout was adjusted around plants and factories. In the Stalin era the city was a major gulag transhipment center. In World War II, many defense-related industries were moved here. It and the surrounding area were a center of the Soviet Union's military industrial complex. Soviet tanks, missiles and aircraft engines were made in the Urals. During the Cold War era, Yekaterinburg was a center of weapons-grade uranium enrichment and processing, warhead assembly and dismantlement. In 1979, 64 people died when anthrax leaked from a biological weapons facility. Yekaterinburg was a “Closed City” for 40 years during the Cold Soviet era and was not open to foreigners until 1991

In the early post-Soviet era, much like Pittsburgh in the 1970s, Yekaterinburg had a hard struggle d to cope with dramatic economic changes that have made its heavy industries uncompetitive on the world market. Huge defense plants struggled to survive and the city was notorious as an organized crime center in the 1990s, when its hometown boy Boris Yeltsin was President of Russia. By the 2000s, Yekaterinburg’s retail and service was taking off, the defense industry was reviving and it was attracting tech industries and investments related to the Urals’ natural resources. By the 2010s it was vying to host a world exhibition in 2020 (it lost, Dubai won) and it had McDonald’s, Subway, sushi restaurants, and Gucci, Chanel and Armani. There were Bentley and Ferrari dealerships but they closed down

Transportation in Yekaterinburg

Getting There: By Plane: Yekaterinburg is a three-hour flight from Moscow with prices starting at RUB 8,000, or a 3-hour flight from Saint Petersburg starting from RUB 9,422 (direct round-trip flight tickets for one adult passenger). There are also flights from Frankfurt, Istanbul, China and major cities in the former Soviet Union.

By Train: Yekaterinburg is a major stop on the Trans-Siberian Railway. Daily train service is available to Moscow and many other Russian cities.Yekaterinburg is a 32-hour train ride from Moscow (tickets RUB 8,380 and above) or a 36-hour train ride from Saint Petersburg (RUB 10,300 and above). The ticket prices are round trip for a berth in a sleeper compartment for one adult passenger). By Car: a car trip from Moscow to Yekateringburg is 1,787 kilometers long and takes about 18 hours. The road from Saint Petersburg is 2,294 kilometers and takes about 28 hours.

Regional Transport: The region's public transport includes buses and suburban electric trains. Regional trains provide transport to larger cities in the Ural region. Buses depart from Yekaterinburg’s two bus stations: the Southern Bus Station and the Northern Bus Station.

Regional Transport: According the to Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT): “Public transportation is well developed. Overcrowding is common. Fares are low. Service is efficient. Buses are the main form of public transport. Tram network is extensive. Fares are reasonable; service is regular. Trams are heavily used by residents, overcrowding is common. Purchase ticket after boarding. Metro runs from city center to Uralmash, an industrial area south of the city. Metro ends near the main railway station. Fares are inexpensive.

“Traffic is congested in city center. Getting around by car can be difficult. Route taxis (minivans) provide the fastest transport. They generally run on specific routes, but do not have specific stops. Drivers stop where passengers request. Route taxis can be hailed. Travel by bus or trolleybuses may be slow in rush hour. Trams are less affected by traffic jams. Trolley buses (electric buses) cannot run when temperatures drop below freezing.”

Entertainment, Sports and Recreation in Yekaterinburg

The performing arts in Yekaterinburg are first rate. The city has an excellent symphony orchestra, opera and ballet theater, and many other performing arts venues. Tickets are inexpensive. The Yekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theater is lavishly designed and richly decorated building in the city center of Yekaterinburg. The theater was established in 1912 and building was designed by architect Vladimir Semyonov and inspired by the Vienna Opera House and the Theater of Opera and Ballet in Odessa.

Vaynera Street is a pedestrian only shopping street in city center with restaurants, cafes and some bars. But otherwise Yekaterinburg's nightlife options are limited. There are a handful of expensive Western-style restaurants and bars, none of them that great. Nightclubs serve the city's nouveau riche clientele. Its casinos have closed down. Some of them had links with organized crime. New dance clubs have sprung up that are popular with Yekaterinburg's more affluent youth.

Yekaterinburg's most popular spectator sports are hockey, basketball, and soccer. There are stadiums and arenas that host all three that have fairly cheap tickets. There is an indoor water park and lots of parks and green spaces. The Urals have many lakes, forests and mountains are great for hiking, boating, berry and mushroom hunting, swimming and fishing. Winter sports include cross-country skiing and ice skating. Winter lasts about six months and there’s usually plenty of snow. The nearby Ural Mountains however are not very high and the downhill skiing opportunities are limited..

Sights in Yekaterinburg

Sights in Yekaterinburg include the Museum of City Architecture and Ural Industry, with an old water tower and mineral collection with emeralds. malachite, tourmaline, jasper and other precious stone; Geological Alley, a small park with labeled samples of minerals found in the Urals region; the Ural Geology Museum, which houses an extensive collection of stones, gold and gems from the Urals; a monument marking the border between Europe and Asia; a memorial for gulag victims; and a graveyard with outlandish memorials for slain mafia members.

The Military History Museum houses the remains of the U-2 spy plane shot down in 1960 and locally made tanks and rocket launchers. The fine arts museum contains paintings by some of Russia's 19th-century masters. Also worth a look are the History an Local Studies Museum; the Political History and Youth Museum; and the University and Arboretum. Old wooden houses can be seen around Zatoutstovsya ulitsa and ulitsa Belinskogo. Around the city are wooded parks, lakes and quarries used to harvest a variety of minerals. Weiner Street is the main street of Yekaterinburg. Along it are lovely sculptures and 19th century architecture. Take a walk around the unique Literary Quarter

Plotinka is a local meeting spot, where you will often find street musicians performing. Plotinka can be described as the center of the city's center. This is where Yekaterinburg holds its biggest events: festivals, seasonal fairs, regional holiday celebrations, carnivals and musical fountain shows. There are many museums and open-air exhibitions on Plotinka. Plotinka is named after an actual dam of the city pond located nearby (“plotinka” means “a small dam” in Russian).In November 1723, Peter the Great ordered the construction of an ironworks in the Iset River Valley, which required a dam for its operation. “Iset” can be translated from Finnish as “abundant with fish”. This name was given to the river by the Mansi — the Finno-Ugric people dwelling on the eastern slope of the Northern Urals.

Vysotsky and Iset are skyscrapers that are 188.3 meters and 209 meters high, respectively. Fifty-story-high Iset has been described by locals as the world’s northernmost skyscraper. Before the construction of Iset, Vysotsky was the tallest building of Yekaterinburg and Russia (excluding Moscow). A popular vote has decided to name the skyscraper after the famous Soviet songwriter, singer and actor Vladimir Vysotsky. and the building was opened on November 25, 2011. There is a lookout at the top of the building, and the Vysotsky museum on its second floor. The annual “Vysotsky climb” (1137 steps) is held there, with a prize of RUB 100,000. While Vysotsky serves as an office building, Iset, owned by the Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company, houses 225 premium residential apartments ranging from 80 to 490 square meters in size.

Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center

The Boris Yeltsin Presidential Center (in the city center: ul. Yeltsina, 3) is a non-governmental organization named after the first president of the Russian Federation. The Museum of the First President of Russia as well as his archives are located in the Center. There is also a library, educational and children's centers, and exposition halls. Yeltsin lived most of his life and began his political career in Yekaterinburg. He was born in Butka about 200 kilometers east of Yekaterinburg.

The core of the Center is the Museum. Modern multimedia technologies help animate the documents, photos from the archives, and artifacts. The Yeltsin Museum holds collections of: propaganda posters, leaflets, and photos of the first years of the Soviet regime; portraits and portrait sculptures of members of Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of various years; U.S.S.R. government bonds and other items of the Soviet era; a copy of “One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich” by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, published in the “Novy Mir” magazine (#11, 1962); perestroika-era editions of books by Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Vasily Grossman, and other authors; theater, concert, and cinema posters, programs, and tickets — in short, all of the artifacts of the perestroika era.

The Yeltsin Center opened in 2012. Inside you will also find an art gallery, a bookstore, a gift shop, a food court, concert stages and a theater. There are regular screenings of unique films that you will not find anywhere else. Also operating inside the center, is a scientific exploritorium for children. The center was designed by Boris Bernaskoni. Almost from the its very opening, the Yeltsin Center has been accused by members of different political entities of various ideological crimes. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 10:00am to 9:00pm.

Where Nicholas II was Executed

On July, 17, 1918, during this reign of terror of the Russian Civil War, former-tsar Nicholas II, his wife, five children (the 13-year-old Alexis, 22-year-old Olga, 19-year-old Maria and 17-year-old Anastasia)the family physician, the cook, maid, and valet were shot to death by a Red Army firing squad in the cellar of the house they were staying at in Yekaterinburg.

Ipatiev House (near Church on the Blood, Ulitsa Libknekhta) was a merchant's house where Nicholas II and his family were executed. The house was demolished in 1977, on the orders of an up and coming communist politician named Boris Yeltsin. Yeltsin later said that the destruction of the house was an "act of barbarism" and he had no choice because he had been ordered to do it by the Politburo,

The site is marked with s cross with the photos of the family members and cross bearing their names. A small wooden church was built at the site. It contains paintings of the family. For a while there were seven traditional wooden churches. Mass is given ay noon everyday in an open-air museum. The Church on the Blood — constructed to honor Nicholas II and his family — was built on the part of the site in 1991 and is now a major place of pilgrimage.

Nicholas and his family where killed during the Russian civil war. It is thought the Bolsheviks figured that Nicholas and his family gave the Whites figureheads to rally around and they were better of dead. Even though the death orders were signed Yakov Sverdlov, the assassination was personally ordered by Lenin, who wanted to get them out of sight and out of mind. Trotsky suggested a trial. Lenin nixed the idea, deciding something had to be done about the Romanovs before White troops approached Yekaterinburg. Trotsky later wrote: "The decision was not only expedient but necessary. The severity of he punishment showed everyone that we would continue to fight on mercilessly, stopping at nothing."

Ian Frazier wrote in The New Yorker: “Having read a lot about the end of Tsar Nicholas II and his family and servants, I wanted to see the place in Yekaterinburg where that event occurred. The gloomy quality of this quest depressed Sergei’s spirits, but he drove all over Yekaterinburg searching for the site nonetheless. Whenever he stopped and asked a pedestrian how to get to the house where Nicholas II was murdered, the reaction was a wince. Several people simply walked away. But eventually, after a lot of asking, Sergei found the location. It was on a low ridge near the edge of town, above railroad tracks and the Iset River. The house, known as the Ipatiev House, was no longer standing, and the basement where the actual killings happened had been filled in. I found the blankness of the place sinister and dizzying. It reminded me of an erasure done so determinedly that it had worn a hole through the page. [Source: Ian Frazier, The New Yorker, August 3, 2009, Frazier is author of “Travels in Siberia” (2010)]

“The street next to the site is called Karl Liebknecht Street. A building near where the house used to be had a large green advertisement that said, in English, “LG—Digitally Yours.” On an adjoining lot, a small chapel kept the memory of the Tsar and his family; beneath a pedestal holding an Orthodox cross, peonies and pansies grew. The inscription on the pedestal read, “We go down on our knees, Russia, at the foot of the tsarist cross.”

Books: The Romanovs: The Final Chapter by Robert K. Massie (Random House, 1995); The Fall of the Romanovs by Mark D. Steinberg and Vladimir Khrustalëv (Yale, 1995);

See Separate Article END OF NICHOLAS II factsanddetails.com

Execution of Nicholas II

According to Robert Massie K. Massie, author of Nicholas and Alexandra, Nicholas II and his family were awakened from their bedrooms around midnight and taken to the basement. They were told they were to going to take some photographs of them and were told to stand behind a row of chairs.

Suddenly, a group of 11 Russians and Latvians, each with a revolver, burst into the room with orders to kill a specific person. Yakob Yurovsky, a member of the Soviet executive committee, reportedly shouted "your relatives are continuing to attack the Soviet Union.” After firing, bullets bouncing off gemstones hidden in the corsets of Alexandra and her daughters ricocheted around the room like "a shower of hail," the soldiers said. Those that were still breathing were killed with point black shots to the head.

The three sisters and the maid survived the first round thanks to their gems. They were pressed up against a wall and killed with a second round of bullets. The maid was the only one that survived. She was pursued by the executioners who stabbed her more than 30 times with their bayonets. The still writhing body of Alexis was made still by a kick to the head and two bullets in the ear delivered by Yurovsky himself.

Yurovsky wrote: "When the party entered I told the Romanovs that in view of the fact their relatives continued their offensive against Soviet Russia, the Executive Committee of the Urals Soviet had decided to shoot them. Nicholas turned his back to the detachment and faced his family. Then, as if collecting himself, he turned around, asking, 'What? What?'"

"[I] ordered the detachment to prepare. Its members had been previously instructed whom to shoot and to am directly at the heart to avoid much blood and to end more quickly. Nicholas said no more. he turned again to his family. The others shouted some incoherent exclamations. All this lasted a few seconds. Then commenced the shooting, which went on for two or three minutes. [I] killed Nicholas on the spot."

Nicholas II’s Initial Burial Site in Yekaterinburg

Ganina Yama Monastery (near the village of Koptyaki, 15 kilometers northwest of Yekaterinburg) stands near the three-meter-deep pit where some the remains of Nicholas II and his family were initially buried. The second burial site — where most of the remains were — is in a field known as Porosyonkov (56.9113628°N 60.4954326°E), seven kilometers from Ganina Yama.

On visiting Ganina Yama Monastery, one person posted in Trip Advisor: “We visited this set of churches in a pretty park with Konstantin from Ekaterinburg Guide Centre. He really brought it to life with his extensive knowledge of the history of the events surrounding their terrible end. The story is so moving so unless you speak Russian, it is best to come here with a guide or else you will have no idea of what is what.”

In 1991, the acid-burned remains of Nicholas II and his family were exhumed from a shallow roadside mass grave in a swampy area 12 miles northwest of Yekaterinburg. The remains had been found in 1979 by geologist and amateur archeologist Alexander Avdonin, who kept the location secret out of fear that they would be destroyed by Soviet authorities. The location was disclosed to a magazine by one his fellow discovers.

The original plan was to throw the Romanovs down a mine shaft and disposes of their remains with acid. They were thrown in a mine with some grenades but the mine didn't collapse. They were then carried by horse cart. The vats of acid fell off and broke. When the carriage carrying the bodies broke down it was decided the bury the bodies then and there. The remaining acid was poured on the bones, but most of it was soaked up the ground and the bones largely survived.

After this their pulses were then checked, their faces were crushed to make them unrecognizable and the bodies were wrapped in bed sheets loaded onto a truck. The "whole procedure," Yurovsky said took 20 minutes. One soldiers later bragged than he could "die in peace because he had squeezed the Empress's -------."

The bodies were taken to a forest and stripped, burned with acid and gasoline, and thrown into abandoned mine shafts and buried under railroad ties near a country road near the village of Koptyaki. "The bodies were put in the hole," Yurovsky wrote, "and the faces and all the bodies, generally doused with sulfuric acid, both so they couldn't be recognized and prevent a stink from them rotting...We scattered it with branches and lime, put boards on top and drove over it several times—no traces of the hole remained.

Shortly afterwards, the government in Moscow announced that Nicholas II had been shot because of "a counterrevolutionary conspiracy." There was no immediate word on the other members of the family which gave rise to rumors that other members of the family had escaped. Yekaterinburg was renamed Sverdlov in honor of the man who signed the death orders.

For seven years the remains of Nicholas II, Alexandra, three of their daughters and four servants were stored in polyethylene bags on shelves in the old criminal morgue in Yekaterunburg. On July 17, 1998, Nicholas II and his family and servants who were murdered with him were buried Peter and Paul Fortress in St. Petersburg along with the other Romanov tsars, who have been buried there starting with Peter the Great. Nicholas II had a side chapel built for himself at the fortress in 1913 but was buried in a new crypt.

Near Yekaterinburg

Factory-Museum of Iron and Steel Metallurgy (in Niznhy Tagil 80 kilometers north of Yekaterinburg) a museum with old mining equipment made at the site of huge abandoned iron and steel factory. Officially known as the Factory-Museum of the History of the Development of Iron and Steel Metallurgy, it covers an area of 30 hectares and contains a factory founded by the Demidov family in 1725 that specialized mainly in the production of high-quality cast iron and steel. Later, the foundry was renamed after Valerian Kuybyshev, a prominent figure of the Communist Party.

The first Russian factory museum, the unusual museum demonstrates all stages of metallurgy and metal working. There is even a blast furnace and an open-hearth furnace. The display of factory equipment includes bridge crane from 1892) and rolling stock equipment from the 19th-20th centuries. In Niznhy Tagil contains some huge blocks of malachite and

Nizhnyaya Sinyachikha (180 kilometers east-northeast of Yekaterinburg) has an open air architecture museum with log buildings, a stone church and other pre-revolutionary architecture. The village is the creation of Ivan Samoilov, a local activist who loved his village so much he dedicated 40 years of his life to recreating it as the open-air museum of wooden architecture.

The stone Savior Church, a good example of Siberian baroque architecture. The interior and exterior of the church are exhibition spaces of design. The houses are very colorful. In tsarist times, rich villagers hired serfs to paint the walls of their wooden izbas (houses) bright colors. Old neglected buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries have been brought to Nizhnyaya Sinyachikha from all over the Urals. You will see the interior design of the houses and hear stories about traditions and customs of the Ural farmers.

Verkhoturye (330 kilometers road from Yekaterinburg) is the home a 400-year-old monastery that served as 16th century capital of the Urals. Verkhoturye is a small town on the Tura River knows as the Jerusalem of the Urals for its many holy places, churches and monasteries. The town's main landmark is its Kremlin — the smallest in Russia. Pilgrims visit the St. Nicholas Monastery to see the remains of St. Simeon of Verkhoturye, the patron saint of fishermen.

Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains are the traditional dividing line between Europe and Asia and have been a crossroads of Russian history. Stretching from Kazakhstan to the fringes of the Arctic Kara Sea, the Urals lie almost exactly along the 60 degree meridian of longitude and extend for about 2,000 kilometers (1,300 miles) from north to south and varies in width from about 50 kilometers (30 miles) in the north and 160 kilometers (100 miles) the south. At kilometers 1777 on the Trans-Siberian Railway there is white obelisk with "Europe" carved in Russian on one side and "Asia" carved on the other.

The eastern side of the Urals contains a lot of granite and igneous rock. The western side is primarily sandstone and limestones. A number of precious stones can be found in the southern part of the Urals, including emeralds. malachite, tourmaline, jasper and aquamarines. The highest peaks are in the north. Mount Narodnaya is the highest of all but is only 1884 meters (6,184 feet) high. The northern Urals are covered in thick forests and home to relatively few people.

Like the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States, the Urals are very old mountains — with rocks and sediments that are hundreds of millions years old — that were one much taller than they are now and have been steadily eroded down over millions of years by weather and other natural processes to their current size. According to Encyclopedia Britannica: “The rock composition helps shape the topography: the high ranges and low, broad-topped ridges consist of quartzites, schists, and gabbro, all weather-resistant. Buttes are frequent, and there are north–south troughs of limestone, nearly all containing river valleys. Karst topography is highly developed on the western slopes of the Urals, with many caves, basins, and underground streams. The eastern slopes, on the other hand, have fewer karst formations; instead, rocky outliers rise above the flattened surfaces. Broad foothills, reduced to peneplain, adjoin the Central and Southern Urals on the east.

“The Urals date from the structural upheavals of the Hercynian orogeny (about 250 million years ago). About 280 million years ago there arose a high mountainous region, which was eroded to a peneplain. Alpine folding resulted in new mountains, the most marked upheaval being that of the Nether-Polar Urals...The western slope of the Urals is composed of middle Paleozoic sedimentary rocks (sandstones and limestones) that are about 350 million years old. In many places it descends in terraces to the Cis-Ural depression (west of the Urals), to which much of the eroded matter was carried during the late Paleozoic (about 300 million years ago). Found there are widespread karst (a starkly eroded limestone region) and gypsum, with large caverns and subterranean streams. On the eastern slope, volcanic layers alternate with sedimentary strata, all dating from middle Paleozoic times.”

Southern Urals

The southern Urals are characterized by grassy slopes and fertile valleys. The middle Urals are a rolling platform that barely rises above 300 meters (1,000 feet). This region is rich in minerals and has been heavily industrialized. This is where you can find Yekaterinburg (formally Sverdlovsk), the largest city in the Urals.

Most of the Southern Urals are is covered with forests, with 50 percent of that pine-woods, 44 percent birch woods, and the rest are deciduous aspen and alder forests. In the north, typical taiga forests are the norm. There are patches of herbal-poaceous steppes, northem sphagnous marshes and bushy steppes, light birch forests and shady riparian forests, tall-grass mountainous meadows, lowland ling marshes and stony placers with lichen stains. In some places there are no large areas of homogeneous forests, rather they are forests with numerous glades and meadows of different size.

In the Ilmensky Mountains Reserve in the Southern Urals, scientists counted 927 vascular plants (50 relicts, 23 endemic species), about 140 moss species, 483 algae species and 566 mushroom species. Among the species included into the Red Book of Russia are feather grass, downy-leaved feather grass, Zalessky feather grass, moccasin flower, ladies'-slipper, neottianthe cucullata, Baltic orchis, fen orchis, helmeted orchis, dark-winged orchis, Gelma sandwart, Krasheninnikov sandwart, Clare astragalus.

The fauna of the vertebrate animals in the Reserve includes 19 fish, 5 amphibian and 5 reptile. Among the 48 mammal species are elks, roe deer, boars, foxes, wolves, lynxes, badgers, common weasels, least weasels, forest ferrets, Siberian striped weasel, common marten, American mink. Squirrels, beavers, muskrats, hares, dibblers, moles, hedgehogs, voles are quite common, as well as chiropterans: pond bat, water bat, Brandt's bat, whiskered bat, northern bat, long-eared bat, parti-coloured bat, Nathusius' pipistrelle. The 174 bird bird species include white-tailed eagles, honey hawks, boreal owls, gnome owls, hawk owls, tawny owls, common scoters, cuckoos, wookcocks, common grouses, wood grouses, hazel grouses, common partridges, shrikes, goldenmountain thrushes, black- throated loons and others.

Activities and Places in the Ural Mountains

The Urals possess beautiful natural scenery that can be accessed from Yekaterinburg with a rent-a-car, hired taxi and tour. Travel agencies arrange rafting, kayaking and hiking trips. Hikes are available in the taiga forest and the Urals. Trips often include walks through the taiga to small lakes and hikes into the mountains and excursions to collect mushrooms and berries and climb in underground caves. Mellow rafting is offered in a relatively calm six kilometer section of the River Serga. In the winter visitor can enjoy cross-mountains skiing, downhill skiing, ice fishing, dog sledding, snow-shoeing and winter hiking through the forest to a cave covered with ice crystals.

Lake Shartash (10 kilometers from Yekaterinburg) is where the first Ural gold was found, setting in motion the Yekaterinburg gold rush of 1745, which created so much wealth one rich baron of that time hosted a wedding party that lasted a year. The area around Shartash Lake is a favorite picnic and barbecue spot of the locals. Getting There: by bus route No. 50, 054 or 54, with a transfer to suburban commuter bus route No. 112, 120 or 121 (the whole trip takes about an hour), or by car (10 kilometers drive from the city center, 40 minutes).

Revun Rapids (90 kilometers road from Yekaterinburg near Beklenishcheva village) is a popular white water rafting places On the nearby cliffs you can see the remains of a mysterious petroglyph from the Paleolithic period. Along the steep banks, you may notice the dark entrance of Smolinskaya Cave. There are legends of a sorceress who lived in there. The rocks at the riverside are suited for competitive rock climbers and beginners. Climbing hooks and rings are hammered into rocks. The most fun rafting is generally in May and June.

Olenii Ruchii National Park (100 kilometers west of Yekaterinburg) is the most popular nature park in Sverdlovsk Oblast and popular weekend getaway for Yekaterinburg residents. Visitors are attracted by the beautiful forests, the crystal clear Serga River and picturesque rocks caves. There are some easy hiking routes: the six-kilometer Lesser Ring and the 15-kilometer Greater Ring. Another route extends for 18 km and passes by the Mitkinsky Mine, which operated in the 18th-19th centuries. It's a kind of an open-air museum — you can still view mining an enrichment equipment here. There is also a genuine beaver dam nearby.

Among the other attractions at Olenii Ruchii are Druzhba (Friendship) Cave, with passages that extend for about 500 meters; Dyrovaty Kamen (Holed Stone), created over time by water of Serga River eroding rock; and Utoplennik (Drowned Man), where you can see “The Angel of Sole Hope”., created by the Swedish artist Lehna Edwall, who has placed seven angels figures in different parts of the world to “embrace the planet, protecting it from fear, despair, and disasters.”

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: Federal Agency for Tourism of the Russian Federation (official Russia tourism website russiatourism.ru ), Russian government websites, UNESCO, Wikipedia, Lonely Planet guides, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, The New Yorker, Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Yomiuri Shimbun and various books and other publications.

Updated in September 2020

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Sverdlovsk Oblast

Natural resources

Early history, medieval history and russian expansion, rise of the mining-metallurgical era, soviet ural, post-soviet transition, administrative divisions, demographics, settlements, ethnic groups, chairmen of the oblast duma, chairmen of the house of representatives of the legislative assembly, economy and transportation, sister relationships, notable people, external links.

Most of the oblast is spread over the eastern slopes of the Middle and North Urals and the Western Siberian Plain . Only in the southwest does the oblast stretch onto the western slopes of the Ural Mountains .

The highest mountains all rise in the North Urals, Konzhakovsky Kamen at 1,569 metres (5,148   ft) and Denezhkin Kamen at 1,492 metres (4,895   ft) . The Middle Urals is mostly hilly country with no discernible peaks; the mean elevation is closer to 300 to 500 metres (980 to 1,640   ft) above sea level. [9] Principal rivers include the Tavda , the Tura , the Chusovaya , and the Ufa , the latter two being tributaries of the Kama .

Sverdlovsk Oblast borders with, clockwise from the west, Perm Krai , the Komi Republic , Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug , Tyumen Oblast , Kurgan , and Chelyabinsk Oblasts , and the Republic of Bashkortostan .

The area is traversed by the northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude.

Rich in natural resources, the oblast is especially famous for metals ( iron , copper , gold , platinum ), minerals ( asbestos , gemstones , talcum ), marble and coal . It is mostly here that the bulk of Russian industry was concentrated in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The area has continental climate patterns, with long cold winters (average temperatures reaching −15   °C (5   °F) to −25   °C (−13   °F) on the Western Siberian Plain) and short warm summers. Only in the southeast of the oblast do temperatures reach +30   °C (86   °F) in July.

• You can help expand this section with text translated from the corresponding article in Russian . (November 2020) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Russian article.

The territory of the region has been inhabited since ancient times. Numerous sites of ancient people were discovered, dating from the Paleolithic to the Iron Age. The Upper Paleolithic includes the Garinsky site on the right bank of the Sosva river near the village of Gari , the site in the Shaitansky grotto, and the site in the Bezymyanny cave (X millennium BC). [10] [11] In 1890, the 11 thousand years old (Mesolithic) Shigir idol was discovered. [12]

A settlement and a burial ground in the Kalmatsky Brod tract are located on the right bank of the Iset river and date back to the Sarmatian time (from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century AD). They belong to the Kalmak archaeological culture. In the Kalmatsky Brod burial ground, the skeletal skulls were strongly deformed by tight bandaging in early childhood, which indicates the penetration of steppe ethnic elements to the north. [13]

There are numerous pictograms on the Koptelovsky stone, on the Oblique stone, on the Two-eyed stone, Starichnaya, Serginskaya, the rock paintings of the Bronze Age on the Neyva River, Tagil River (villages Brekhovaya, Gaevaya, Komelskaya), rock carvings on Shaitan-Kamen on the right bank of the Rezh river tied to indigenous Ural population, possibly speakers of a Ugric language . [14] [15] The Gostkovskaya Pisanitsa refers to the Middle Ages. [12]

Before the first Russian colonists arrived to the region, it was populated by various Turkic and Ugrian tribes. By the 16th century, when the Middle Urals were under influence of various Tatar khanates, the strongest local state was the Vogul Pelym principality with its center in Pelym .

The Russian conquest of the Khanate of Kazan in the 1550s paved the way further east, which was now free from Tatar depredations (see Yermak Timofeyevich ). The first surviving Russian settlements in the area date back to the late 16th   – early 17th centuries ( Verkhoturye , 1598; Turinsk , 1600; Irbit , 1633; Alapayevsk , 1639). At that time, those small trading posts were governed under Siberian administration in Tobolsk . After the 1708 administrative reform, Verkhoturye, Pelym and Turinsk became a part of the new Siberian Governorate , in 1737 their territories were assigned to the Kazan Governorate .

During the 18th century, rich resources of iron and coal made Ural an industrial heartland of Russia. After getting control over Ural mines, the Demidov family put the region in the forefront of Russian industrialization. Yekaterinburg , Nevyansk and Tagil ironworks, founded in the 1700s to 1720s, soon joined the ranks of the major producers in Europe. Throughout the 18th and 19th century those newly founded factory towns enjoyed a status of special mining-metallurgical districts allowed to have a certain rate of financial and proprietary autonomy. During the 1781 reform middle Ural finally got its own regional administration in the form of the Perm Governorate .

When in 1812 the Russian government legalized gold digging for its citizens, Middle Ural became a center of gold mining. Entrepreneurs of the Perm Governorate also started the gold rush in West Siberia, soon Yekaterinburgers began to dominate the Russian market of precious metals and gemstones.

After the emancipation reform of 1861 , major Middle Uralian industries that were heavily dependent on serf labor entered decline, although it also allowed light industry to thrive. In 1878, Perm and Yekaterinburg were connected with a railroad, in 1888, railroads reached Tyumen , and ultimately, in 1897, Yekaterinburg joined the Trans-Siberian network . Emergence of railroad transportation helped to revitalize economy of Ural.

The Bolsheviks established their power in Yekaterinburg and Perm during the first days of the October Revolution of 1917. In early 1918 the dethroned Czar Nicholas II and his family were transferred under custody to Yekaterinburg. Local Bolsheviks decided autonomously to execute the royal family on July 17, 1918, to prevent its rescue of by the approaching White Army forces. Ten days later Yekaterinburg was captured by the Czechoslovak troops of Sergei Wojciechowski . For the next year the Anti-bolshevik forces took control over the region. On 19 August 1918, Provisional Government of Ural was formed in Yekaterinburg by a coalition of liberal and democratic socialist parties, it was supposed to serve as a buffer between the Komuch and Provisional Siberian governments. After the Kolchak coup d'état in Omsk in November 1918, the Government of Ural was disbanded.

In July 1919, in the course of the Yekaterinburg offense, Yekaterinburg and the surrounding areas were recaptured by the Red Army forces under command of Vasily Shorin . On the July 15th, the Perm Governorate was split by the Soviets and the east, for the first time in history, became a separate region, the Yekaterinburg Governorate. It was soon abolished and replaced by the Ural Oblast (1923-1934).

In the 1930s many industrial enterprises were established and built with the help of forced labour. [16] Local industry received another impetus during World War II, when important producing facilities were relocated here from the European part of Russia to safeguard them from the advancing Germans (for example, IMZ-Ural , Kamensk-Uralsky Metallurgical Works ). In the postwar period much of the region was off-limits to foreigners. It was over Sverdlovsk that the American U-2 spy plane pilot Gary Powers was shot down on May 1, 1960, while on a reconnaissance mission.

In 1979, there was an anthrax outbreak caused by an accident in a facility to develop biological weapons.

In 1993, Governor Eduard Rossel responded to perceived economic inequality by attempting to create a " Ural Republic ." Sverdlovsk led the "Urals Five" ( Kurgan Oblast , Orenburg Oblast , Perm Krai , Chelyabinsk Oblast and Sverdlovsk) in a call for greater regional power. They argued that the oblasts deserved as much power as the ethnic homeland republics . The Urals Republic Constitution went into effect on October 27, 1993. Then Russian President Boris Yeltsin dissolved the Urals Republic and the Sverdlovsk Parliament 10 days later (on November 9).

Population : 4,268,998   ( 2021 Census ) ; [5] 4,297,747   ( 2010 Russian census ) ; [17] 4,486,214   ( 2002 Census ) ; [18] 4,716,768   ( 1989 Soviet census ) . [19]

Vital statistics for 2022: [20] [21]

• Births: 39,958 (9.4 per 1,000)
• Deaths: 59,316 (13.9 per 1,000)

Total fertility rate (2022): [22] 1.56 children per woman

Life expectancy (2021): [23] Total — 68.79 years (male   — 63.72, female   — 73.80)

There were twenty-one recognized ethnic groups of more than two thousand persons each in the oblast. Residents identified themselves as belonging to a total of 148 different ethnic groups, including: [17]

• 3,684,843 Russians (90.6%);
• 143,803 Tatars (3.5%);
• 35,563 Ukrainians (0.9%);
• 31,183 Bashkirs (0.8%);
• 23,801 Mari (0.6%);
• 14,914 Germans (0.4%);
• 14,215 Azerbaijanis (0.3%);
• 13,789 Udmurts (0.3%);
• 11,670 Belarusians (0.3%);
• 11,510 Chuvash (0.26%);
• 11,501 Armenians (0.3%);
• 11,138 Tajiks (0.3%);
• 9,702 Mordovians (0.22%);
• 9,358 Uzbeks (0.2%);

232,978 people were registered from administrative databases, and could not declare an ethnicity. It is estimated that the proportion of ethnicities in this group is the same as that of the declared group. [24]

Christianity is the largest religion in Sverdlovsk Oblast. According to a 2012 survey [25] 43% of the population of Sverdlovsk Oblast adheres to the Russian Orthodox Church , 5% are nondenominational Christians (excluding Protestant churches), 3% are Muslims , 2% are Orthodox Christian believers without belonging to any Church or are members of other Orthodox churches , 1% are adherents of the Slavic native faith (Rodnovery), and 0.3% are adherents of forms of Hinduism ( Vedism , Krishnaism or Tantrism ). In addition, 36% of the population declares to be "spiritual but not religious", and 9.7% is atheist . [25]

The most important institutions of higher education include Ural Federal University , Ural State Medical University , Ural State University of Economics , Ural State Law University , Ural State Mining University and Ural State Academy of Architecture and Arts , all located in the capital Yekaterinburg.

The oblast's Charter, adopted on 17 December 1994, with subsequent amendments, establishes the oblast government. The Governor is the chief executive, who appoints the Government, consisting of ministries and departments. The Chairman of the Government, commonly referred to as the Prime Minister, is appointed with the consent of the lower house of the legislature , a process similar to the appointment of the federal Prime Minister . But the Governor cannot nominate the same candidate more than twice, yet he/she can dismiss the house after three failed attempts to appoint the Premier. [ needs update ]

The Legislative Assembly is the regional parliament of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Until 2011, it was a bicameral legislature consisting of the Oblast Duma, the lower house , and the House of Representatives, the upper house . [27] Before the reform, members of the legislature served four-year terms with half of the Duma re-elected every two years. The Duma (28   members) was elected in party lists. The 21   members of the House of Representatives were elected in single-seat districts in a first-past-the-post system. The Legislative Assembly was the first bicameral legislature outside an autonomous republic, and the first regional legislature in Russia to elect members based on both party lists and single-seat districts . As of 2021, the Legislative Assembly is a unicameral legislature with a total of 50 seats, with half of the members elected by single-mandate constituencies and the other half elected in party lists for five-year terms. [28] [29]

Compliance with the Charter is enforced by the Charter Court. The existence of such regional courts in Russia, formed and functioning outside the federal judiciary, although challenged, has been upheld and persisted successfully in most constituent members of the Federation where they were established.

Until President Putin 's reforms of 2004, the Governor was elected by direct vote for terms of four years. Eduard Rossel has been the only elected governor (first elected governor for an oblast in Russia) since 1995 (appointed in 1991 and dismissed in 1993 by President Yeltsin ), re-elected in 1999 and 2003.

Since 2012, the oblast's Governor is Yevgeny Kuyvashev .

In the 1990s, the Oblast's population was distinguished by relatively high support for parties and candidates of the right and democratic persuasion. In the 1996 presidential election, Boris Yeltsin , a native of the region who lived in Sverdlovsk until the 1980s, won over 70% of the vote. In the regional elections in 2010 in the Sverdlovsk Oblast, United Russia received minimal support relative to other regions - only 39.79% of votes. [30]

Even though it could do with modernizing, the region's industries are quite diverse. 12% of Russia's iron and steel industry is still concentrated in Sverdlovsk oblast. Iron and copper are mined and processed here, the logging industry and wood-processing are important, too.

The largest companies in the region include Ural Mining and Metallurgical Company , UralVagonZavod , Enel Russia , Nizhniy Tagil Iron and Steel Works , Federal Freight . [31]

Yekaterinburg is a prominent road, rail and air hub in the Ural region. As the economic slump subsided, several European airlines started or resumed flights to the city. These include Lufthansa , British Airways , CSA , Turkish Airlines , Austrian Airlines and Finnair . Malév Hungarian Airlines used to be among those carriers but they had to drop their flights to SVX ( IATA airport code for Sverdlovsk) after a few months.

The Alapaevsk narrow-gauge railway serves the communities around Alapayevsk .

• Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu province , Vietnam
• Harbin , China
• Vladik Dzhabarov , Russian cyclist
• Andrey Fedyaev , Russian cosmonaut
• Yakov Sverdlov , a communist revolutionary after whom Sverdlovsk and subsequently Sverdlovsk Oblast were named.
• Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary , a building of regional historical significance in Staropyshminsk village.

Related Research Articles

Chelyabinsk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia in the Ural Mountains region, on the border of Europe and Asia. Its administrative center is the city of Chelyabinsk.

Irbit is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located 203 kilometers (126 mi) from Yekaterinburg by train or 250 kilometers (160 mi) by car, on the right bank of the Nitsa. Population: 37,009 (2021 Census) ; 38,357 (2010 Russian census) ; 43,318 (2002 Census) ; 51,708 (1989 Soviet census) .

Alapayevsk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located at the confluence of the Neyva and Alapaikha rivers. Population: 38,192 (2010 Russian census) ; 44,263 ; 50,060 ; 49,000 (1968).

Kushva is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located in the Ural Mountains near Yekaterinburg. Population: 30,167 (2010 Russian census) ; 35,555 (2002 Census) ; 43,096 (1989 Soviet census) .

Nizhniye Sergi is a town and the administrative center of Nizhneserginsky District in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on a rolling plain surrounded by the Ural Mountains, on the Serga River 120 kilometers (75 mi) from Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 10,336 (2010 Russian census) ; 12,567 (2002 Census) ; 14,938 (1989 Soviet census) .

Verkhnyaya Pyshma is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located 1 kilometer (0.62 mi) north of Yekaterinburg. Population: 59,749 (2010 Russian census) ; 58,016 (2002 Census) ; 53,102 (1989 Soviet census) .

Novouralsk is a closed town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the eastern side of the Ural Mountains, about 70 kilometers (43 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 85,522 (2010 Russian census) ; 95,414 (2002 Census) .

Krasnoufimsk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Ufa River, 224 kilometers (139 mi) from Yekaterinburg. Population: 39,765 (2010 Russian census) ; 43,595 (2002 Census) ; 45,618 (1989 Soviet census) .

Revda is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 61,875 (2010 Russian census) ; 62,667 (2002 Census) ; 65,757 (1989 Soviet census) .

Sredneuralsk is a town under the administrative jurisdiction of the Town of Verkhnyaya Pyshma in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the shore of Iset Lake, at the head of the Iset River, 25 kilometers (16 mi) north of Yekaterinburg. Population: 20,449 (2010 Russian census) ; 19,555 ; 18,786 (1989 Soviet census) .

Kachkanar is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located between the Isa and Vyya Rivers in the Tura River's basin, 205 kilometers (127 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 41,426 (2010 Russian census) ; 44,664 (2002 Census) ; 48,251 (1989 Soviet census) . The town of Kachkanar is located at the foot of mountain Kachkanar.

Ivdel is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Ivdel River near its confluence with the Lozva River, 535 kilometers (332 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 17,775 (2010 Russian census) ; 19,324 (2002 Census) ; 19,014 (1989 Soviet census) .

Severouralsk is a town in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Vagran River at its confluence with the Kolonga River, 512 kilometers (318 mi) north of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 29,263.

Pelym is an urban locality under the administrative jurisdiction of the Town of Ivdel in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 3,376 (2010 Russian census) ; 3,708 (2002 Census) .

Sukhoy Log is a town and the administrative center of Sukholozhsky District in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, located on the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains on the Pyshma River, 114 kilometers (71 mi) east of Yekaterinburg, the administrative center of the oblast. As of the 2010 Census, its population was 34,554.

Gornozavodsky District is an administrative district (raion) of Perm Krai, Russia; one of the thirty-three in the krai. Municipally, it is incorporated as Gornozavodsky Municipal District . It is located on the western slopes of the Ural Mountains in the east of the krai. The area of the district is 7,057 square kilometers (2,725 sq mi). Its administrative center is the town of Gornozavodsk. Population: 26,044 (2010 Russian census) ; 30,172 (2002 Census) ; 38,004 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Gornozavodsk accounts for 46.3% of the district's total population.

Garinsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Garinsky Urban Okrug . The area of the district is 16,770 square kilometers (6,470 sq mi). Its administrative center is the urban locality of Gari. Population: 4,904 ; 7,832 (2002 Census) ; 9,381 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Gari accounts for 50.4% of the district's total population. The main point of historical interest is the former town of Pelym, which was one of the first Russian settlements east of the Urals, marking the eastern terminus of the Cherdyn Road from Europe to Siberia.

Turinsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the thirty in Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Turinsky Urban Okrug . Its administrative center is the town of Turinsk. Population: 28,274 ; 32,540 (2002 Census) ; 40,749 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Turinsk accounts for 63.4% of the district's total population.

Isetsky District is an administrative district (raion), one of the twenty-two in Tyumen Oblast, Russia. As a municipal division, it is incorporated as Isetsky Municipal District . It is located in the west of the oblast. The area of the district is 2,751 square kilometers (1,062 sq mi). Its administrative center is the rural locality of Isetskoye. Population: 26,061 ; 26,565 (2002 Census) ; 25,862 (1989 Soviet census) . The population of Isetskoye accounts for 28.7% of the district's total population.

Bisert is an urban locality in Nizhneserginsky District of Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia. Population: 10,233 (2010 Russian census) ; 11,262 (2002 Census) ; 12,646 (1989 Soviet census) .

• ↑ Президент Российской Федерации.   Указ   №849   от   13 мая 2000 г. «О полномочном представителе Президента Российской Федерации в федеральном округе». Вступил в силу   13 мая 2000 г. Опубликован: "Собрание законодательства РФ", No.   20, ст. 2112, 15 мая 2000 г. (President of the Russian Federation.   Decree   # 849   of   May 13, 2000 On the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in a Federal District . Effective as of   May 13, 2000.).
• ↑ Госстандарт Российской Федерации.   №ОК 024-95   27 декабря 1995 г. «Общероссийский классификатор экономических регионов. 2.   Экономические районы», в ред. Изменения №5/2001 ОКЭР. ( Gosstandart of the Russian Federation.   # OK 024-95   December 27, 1995 Russian Classification of Economic Regions. 2.   Economic Regions , as amended by the Amendment   # 5/2001 OKER. ).
• ↑ Official website of the Governor of Sverdlovsk Oblast. Alexander Sergeyevich Misharin (in Russian)
• 1 2 3 Russian Federal State Statistics Service. Всероссийская перепись населения 2020 года. Том 1 [ 2020 All-Russian Population Census, vol. 1 ] (XLS) (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service .
• ↑ "26. Численность постоянного населения Российской Федерации по муниципальным образованиям на 1 января 2018 года" . Federal State Statistics Service . Retrieved 23 January 2019 .
• ↑ "Об исчислении времени" . Официальный интернет-портал правовой информации (in Russian). 3 June 2011 . Retrieved 19 January 2019 .
• ↑ Official throughout the Russian Federation according to Article   68.1 of the Constitution of Russia .
• ↑ "Russia: Impact of Climate Change to 2030" (PDF) . Retrieved 25 April 2023 .
• ↑ Сериков Ю. Б. Новые находки раннего палеолита в Среднем Зауралье // Ранний палеолит Евразии: новые открытия // Материалы Международной конференции, Краснодар – Темрюк, 1–6 сентября 2008 г.
• ↑ Сериков Ю. Б. Следы раннего палеолита на территории Среднего Зауралья // Вестник археологии, антропологии и этнографии, 2015 № 4 (31)
• 1 2 Объекты культурного наследия Свердловской области (список)
• ↑ Сальников К. В. Древнейшие памятники истории Урала , 1952.
• ↑ Khimiya i Zhizn , 9, 1974, p. 80
• ↑ Писаницы Урала (in Russian). Ural.ru . Retrieved 26 December 2010 .
• ↑ V.A. Kravchenko: I chose freedom (1946)
• 1 2 Russian Federal State Statistics Service (2011). Всероссийская перепись населения 2010 года. Том   1 [ 2010 All-Russian Population Census, vol.   1 ] . Всероссийская перепись населения 2010   года [2010 All-Russia Population Census] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service .
• ↑ Federal State Statistics Service (21 May 2004). Численность населения России, субъектов Российской Федерации в составе федеральных округов, районов, городских поселений, сельских населённых пунктов   – районных центров и сельских населённых пунктов с населением 3   тысячи и более человек [ Population of Russia, Its Federal Districts, Federal Subjects, Districts, Urban Localities, Rural Localities—Administrative Centers, and Rural Localities with Population of Over 3,000 ] (XLS) . Всероссийская перепись населения 2002   года [All-Russia Population Census of 2002] (in Russian).
• ↑ Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989   г. Численность наличного населения союзных и автономных республик, автономных областей и округов, краёв, областей, районов, городских поселений и сёл-райцентров [ All Union Population Census of 1989: Present Population of Union and Autonomous Republics, Autonomous Oblasts and Okrugs, Krais, Oblasts, Districts, Urban Settlements, and Villages Serving as District Administrative Centers ] . Всесоюзная перепись населения 1989   года [All-Union Population Census of 1989] (in Russian). Институт демографии Национального исследовательского университета: Высшая школа экономики [Institute of Demography at the National Research University: Higher School of Economics]. 1989 – via Demoscope Weekly .
• ↑ "Information on the number of registered births, deaths, marriages and divorces for January to December 2022" . ROSSTAT . Archived from the original on 2 March 2023 . Retrieved 21 February 2023 .
• ↑ "Birth rate, mortality rate, natural increase, marriage rate, divorce rate for January to December 2022" . ROSSTAT . Archived from the original on 2 March 2023 . Retrieved 21 February 2023 .
• ↑ Суммарный коэффициент рождаемости [ Total fertility rate ] . Russian Federal State Statistics Service (in Russian). Archived from the original (XLSX) on 10 August 2023 . Retrieved 10 August 2023 .
• ↑ "Демографический ежегодник России" [ The Demographic Yearbook of Russia ] (in Russian). Federal State Statistics Service of Russia (Rosstat) . Retrieved 1 June 2022 .
• ↑ "ВПН-2010" . www.perepis-2010.ru .
• 1 2 3 "Arena: Atlas of Religions and Nationalities in Russia" . Sreda, 2012.
• ↑ 2012 Arena Atlas Religion Maps . "Ogonek", № 34 (5243), 27/08/2012. Retrieved 21/04/2017. Archived .
• ↑ Formation of the legislative body of Sverdlovsk Oblast , old.zsso.ru
• ↑ General information , zsso.ru
• ↑ "Свердловская область" . council.gov.ru .
• ↑ "Результат единороссов по Свердловской области был самым худшим для партии власти" [ The result of United Russia in the Sverdlovsk region was the worst for the ruling party ] . Archived from the original on 10 June 2010 . Retrieved 2 January 2011 .
• ↑ "Sverdlovsk region Industries" . investinregions.ru . Retrieved 7 November 2018 .
• Sverdlovsk Oblast on Facebook
• Investment portal of Sverdlovsk Oblast
• (in Russian) Official website of the Government of Sverdlovsk Oblast