Insular Southeast Asia - Dragons and Tigers: A Geography of South, East and Southeast Asia - page 450

Figure 16-1
This man is an Orang Asli, one of the original
inhabitants of the Malay Peninsula. He is carving
a sago palm, one of the most useful palms in the
forest. The carbohydrate-rich pith is dried as
“pearl sugar” and is eaten with fish or fruit. The
palm provides fiber for rope, matting, or cloth; the
leaves can be used for thatch; and the sap ferments
into a liquor . Photograph courtesy of B. A. Weightman.

Sumatra, and for centuries the Strait of Malacca served as
a corridor for interaction between the two regions.
T Together with the Orang Asli, all these people
share a common culture and make up the Bumiputera
(Bumiputra) —“Sons of the Soil.” Cultural characteristics
were rooted in an agrarian-maritime economy and were
reflected in village society , where leadership was largely
consensual and attitudes were impregnated by a belief in
an all-pervasive spiritual world. Although this culture
came to be overlaid by Hinduism, Islam, and Western
ideologies, elements of the basic culture persist.
T Trade with China and India began around the first
century BC, although Hindu and Buddhist elements from
India were more influential in terms of impacts on lan-
guage, literature, and social customs. Numerous temples
were constructed throughout the region. For the greater
part of this time, Malaysia was subject to either Javanese
or Sumatran power structures.

park, housing the world' s largest traditional Chi-
nese cemetery .
Subsequent generations of Straits Chinese be-
came known as Peranakan. The Peranakans were
known for their business acumen and lavish
lifestyles. They built classic townhouses and devel-
oped all the trappings of “high society”. They also
developed their own cuisine, a blend of Malay and
Chinese, which is noted for its meticulous prepara-
tion and pungent flavors.
Blending easily into British society , the Per-
anakan remained divorced from other Chinese.
Many became doctors, lawyers, and entered public
office. In Pinang, they were known as the “Queen' s
Chinese.”

The Hindu-Buddhist period of Malaysian history
ended with the arrival of Islam. Introduced primarily by
Indian and Arab traders, Islam became a major influence
after 1400 with the conversion of formerly Hindu rulers
of Malacca. Islam diffused along the trade routes into the
rest of the insular region. The Sultanate of Malacca and
the Kingdom of Brunei became major proponents of the
faith.
Both Malacca and Brunei were shattered by the in-
flux of Europeans. The Portuguese, Dutch, and Span-
ish made their presence felt through force of arms.
Despite their technological superiority , the Europeans

The Peranakan

By 1400, Malacca had become an important outpost
for Chinese traders. They arrived from November
to March on the northeast monsoon and departed
in June with the southwest monsoon. Malacca' s sul-
tans even paid tribute to the Ming court. Many Chi-
nese settled in Malacca, especially around Bukit
Cina —Chinese Hill. T Today, , Bukit Cina is a historical