Malay is the major ethnic group in Malaysia. Known as Melayu in their own language, the Malays inhabit the Malay Peninsula as well as the coast of Borneo, the east coast of Sumatra, Singapore, and some of the smaller islands. The Malay ethnic group is different from the Malay race, which includes other peoples sharing similar characteristics living in the region, including those in Indonesia and the Philippines.
Origin of the Malays
There are three theories stating that the Malays originated from either Yunnan through the Mekong river migration, from New Guinea, and from Taiwan. Their ancestors are believed to be seafarers moving through the region from New Zealand to Madagascar. Eventually they began to settle at different places. Some historians suggested that the Malays originated from Taiwan, migrated to their present location through the Philippines.
Origin of the word Melayu
The word Melayu is said to have originated in a Melayu River located in Jambi province in Sumatra, and that there was a Melayu Kingdom in Jambi. The word has been in use during the Sultanate of Melaka, and have been in popular use since the 17th century. The English word Malay comes from the Dutch Malayo, which in turn was derived from the Portuguese word Malaio, which is derived from the Malay word Melayu.
The Malay People
The Malays as an ethnic group forms the majority in Malaysia and Brunei. They are also a sizable minority in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as being a majority in five southern provinces in Thailand. The Malays speak a variety of regional dialects. Standard Malay as taught in the schools in Malaysia is based on the dialect spoken in the states of Pahang, Selangor and Johor. Among the regional variations of the Malay language includes the Kedah dialect, the Melaka dialect, the Negri Sembilan dialect with its Minangkabau influences, the Perak dialect, the Terengganu dialect, and the most difficult to understand, the Kelantanese dialect.
Religion of the Malays
The Malays have been Muslims since the 15th century, when the Sultans of Malacca embraced Islam, and the subjects followed suit.
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