Malaysia
Culture

Malaysia is a multicultural society, with Malays, Chinese and Indians living side by side. The Malays are the largest community. They are Muslims, speak Bahasa and are largely responsible for the political fortunes of the country. The Chinese comprise about a third of the population. They are Buddhists and Taoists, speak Hokkein, Hakka and Cantonese, and are dominant in the business community. 

The Indians account for about 10% of the population. They are mainly Hindu Tamils from southern India, they speak Tamil, Malayalam, and some Hindi, and live mainly in the larger towns on the west coast of the peninsula. There is also a sizeable Sikh community. Eurasians and indigenous tribes make up the remaining population. Despite Bahasa Malaysia being the official language, when members of these different communities talk to each other, they generally speak English, which was recently reinstated as the language of instruction in higher education.

The main indigenous tribe is the Iban of Sarawak, who number 395,000. They are largely longhouse dwellers and live along the Rejang and Baram rivers. The Bidayuh (107,000) are concentrated on Sarawak's Skrang River. The Orang Asli (80,000) live in small scattered groups in Peninsular Malaysia. Traditionally nomadic agriculturalists, many have been absorbed into modern Malaysia.

It's not easy to find authentic Malay food in Malaysian restaurants, though you can take your pick of Chinese, Nyonya (a local variation on Chinese and Malay food - Chinese ingredients, local spices), Indian, Indonesian or (sometimes) Western cuisines. Satays (meat kebabs in spicy peanut sauce) are a Malaysian creation and they're found everywhere. Other dishes include fried soybean curd in peanut sauce, sour tamarind fish curry, fiery curry prawns and spiced curried meat in coconut marinade. Muslim Indian dishes have developed a distinctly Malaysian style. The variety of wonderful tropical fruits and fruit juices available is huge, and strange sweet concoctions include endol (sugar syrup, coconut milk and green noodles) and is kacang (beans and jellies topped with shaved ice, syrups and condensed milk).

Music
Malaysian music is heavily influenced by Chinese and Islamic forms. The music is based largely around the endang (drum), but includes percussion instruments (some made of shells), flutes, trumpets and gongs. The country has a strong tradition of dance and dance dramas, some of Thai, Indian and Portuguese origin. Other artistic forms include ayang kulit (shadow-puppets), ilat (a stylised martial art) and crafts such as batik, weaving and silver and brasswork.

Malaysia's music is a product of a diverse population of immigrants and indigenous peoples. Outside influences show up mostly in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula in the form of Western, Chinese, or Indian music. The Malays are part of the drum and gong culture that is diffused over a large part of Southeast Asia. There are many types of drum and gong ensembles, which vary according to region, along with a type of double-reed oboe and a three-string spiked violin. There has recently been a revival of the Indonesian gamelan (percussion orchestra) tradition, which was imported in the 19th century and later fell into disuse. 

The Islamic courts of the peninsula keep their own nobat bands as a mark of power and sovereignty. Band members are generally from hereditary music families; instruments usually consist of a drum, which is paid special respect as a power symbol, along with other drums, oboe, long trumpets, and gongs. Ma'yong theatre, which includes music, dance, and singing, has been enjoying a revival as part of ritual healing ceremonies, which seek to exorcise disease-causing spirits through trance dance. Wayang kulit (shadow puppet theatre), with stories taken from the great Hindu epic Mahabharata, is also popular in the north, and employs ensembles of musicians between dialogue. There are also several types of Islamic praise singing, such as rodat, sung with alternating solo and chorus by women.

Among the many Aboriginal peoples, bamboo instruments are predominant, such as stamping tubes, zithers, flutes, and Jew's harps. The Chinese minority have maintained their traditions with some Western influence, especially from Western films and recordings. The Indian population cultivates mostly South Indian music traditions, the nagaswaram double-reed oboe being one of the most popular instruments. Western influence is also present in a burgeoning popular music market, often with songs in English. Music in the Sabah region is even closer to Indonesian traditions, such as in scale types and instrument forms. As in other areas of Southeast Asia, music in Sabah is often strongly separated into domestic and public venues, with instrument timbre and volume differing according to these contexts. Music in the Sarawak region is more diverse, and also shares similarities with Indonesian styles. Music there, and in many other regions of Malaysia, is closely associated with religion and life-cycle rituals.

Libraries and Museums
Three of Malaysia’s major museums—the National Museum of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, the Sabah Museum in Kota Kinabalu, and the Sarawak Museum in Kuching—exhibit collections of regional ethnographic and archaeological materials. Each state also has its own museum with ethnographic and archaeological materials. Most of these collections were put together before World War I. The Forest Research Institute in Kepong maintains an arboretum, herbarium, and museum. The National Library of Malaysia and the National Archives are in Kuala Lumpur.