Let's Have Some Fun...... at the same time, you will get to know more!

That's the way of making 'kuih dodol', one of our Malaysian delicious food......... Must try!

 

Preparing of Beef Rendang.  It tastes superb if you eat together with 'Lemang'.  You will find this dish in every Malay's house during Hari Raya Festival.  

Malaysia Traditional Games: Wayang Kulit

Wayang Kulit is a popular shadow puppet show in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, especially those in Kelantan and Terengganu, and also in Johor. The origin of the theatre is still remained a mistery, but it was brought to Malaya hundreds of years ago.  Wayang Kulit is a very unique form of theatre employing the principle of light and shadow. The puppets are crafted from buffalo hide and mounted on bamboo sticks. When held up behind a piece of white cloth, with an electric bulb or an oil lamp as the light source, shadows are cast on the screen.

Wayang Kulit plays are invariably based on romantic tales, especially adaptations of the classic Indian epics, "The Mahabarata" and "The Ramayana". Some of the plays are also based on local happenings (current issues) or other local secular stories. It is up to the conductor or "Tok Dalang" to decide his direction.  The Tok Dalang is the genius behind the entire performance. It is he who sits behind the screen and narrates the story. With a traditional orchestra in the background to provide a resonant melody and its conventional rhythm, the Tok Dalang modulates his voice to create suspense thus heightening the drama. Invariably, the play climaxes with the triumph of good over evil.

Malaysia Traditional Games: Top Spinning (better known as Gasing)

Giant top spinning is no child’s game! Each gasing or top weighs approximately 5kg and the wooden tops are as big as the size of a dinner plate. It calls for strength, coordination, and skill. The gasing, if expertly hurled, can spin for as long as 2 hours. Top spinning competitions are an annual feature in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia especially Kelantan and Terengganu.

Malaysia Traditional Games: Wau

Kite flying can be seen throughout the country though it is more popular in the East Coast, where farmers fly them on the levelled paddy fields after a harvest. A kite usually measure 1.7 metres in height and 1.5 metres from tip to tip of its wing. The most popular shape of the kite is the crescent moon (wau bulan) though other shapes are also found, which are abstract versions of animals such as cat, peacock, hawk, fish, eagle and quail. The tail of a kite is decorated with tassels while a bow is often attached across its neck. When the kite is flown, the bow produces a high-pitched humming noise. The bow is simply a strip of ribbon stretched over a strip of bamboo. A kite, is made of bamboo strips and foil paper, and its artwork is usually formalised by tradition. For instance, a required element in traditional design is to have a large central flower or "ibu" in the centre of the kite; furthermore, vines must emanate from the base of the kite and connect logically.

Malaysia Traditional Games: Congkak

Congkak is a game of wit played by womenfolk in ancient times. This game is usually played by 2 girls sitting face to face on the ground, using rubber seeds, saga or small marbles as the seeds. Seeds are points for the players. Total seed used depends on the number of pit in the congkak set. Say, if there are 5 pits, the total seed in each pit will be five and so on. The left most is the ‘Home’ for the player. To start the game, player chooses to take all the seeds from one pit and place one at a time into another pit including the player’s Home, moving in clockwise. Seeds are not to be put in opponent’s Home. If the last seeds in a play is placed in the player’s Home, she will be granted another turn on the other hand, if the last seed is placed in an empty pit on her side of the board, she will capture the seeds in the opposite pit and place in her own Home. The game will carry on till all the pits on one side are empty. The winner is the player who captured the most seeds.

Our Identity - Food

We, Malaysian are lucky enough to enjoy a huge variety choice of local food just because we are living in a multicultural country.  All the time, we can have not only our very own food type but also cross cultural food likewise Nyonya and Mamak.  

You may find that a dish with same name but can have different variety,style and taste. For instance, LAKSA can be in 2 flavours i.e. sour or spicy; Chinese Rojak and Indian Rojak is totally different in taste & look!!!  So, which food is given an identity to Malaysian???  Let's study  together and share.......

Wow... It's look so tempting, right?  That's the food represent Malay - Nasi Lemak (top) & Satay (bottom).  Nasi Lemak is rated as the Top no.1 food in Malaysia which most Malaysian love to have it.  It is a popular breakfast made of coconut milk rice served with sambal ikan bilis and a slice of hard boiled egg.  Sometimes, you can just add 'rendang' beef, chicken or squid for better satisfaction.  While, satay is a dish where marinated meat being barbecued over the charcoal.  You must have it together with peanut sauce.  Cucumber, onion and ketupat are companion to this dish.

Hmmm... when talk about Chinese Food, Hainanese Chicken Rice and Char Kuey Teow will definitely in the list.  These two dishes are identity food to Chinese.  Hainanese Chicken Rice is cooked with chicken stock and topped with steamed chicken. The specialty of the dish is the chicken meat where the smoothness and juiciness remains! Of course, dip the chicken with ginger is much delicious.  And, it is rated as Top no. 5 Malaysian food.  Char Kuey Teow is a type of fried noodle.  The name of the dish is come from Hokkien. 

What's the food represent Indian?  Definitely is Banana Leaf Rice and Roti Canai. These 2 dishes are in Top 10 Malaysian Food list. Banana Leaf Rice is served on banana leaf with dishes like fried fish, fried chicken, vegetables or anything that the consumer likes.  Roti Canai resembles local fried pancake which is made from dough which has wide variety of topping such as eggs, sardines, banana and anything you can named it.  Best served with Dhall, curry or even only white sugar. 

Not forgetting them........ Our other ethnic groups who also stay in Malaysia

As everyone know, Malaysia is famous for its PEOPLE..... Different skin, color, culture, lifestyle, believe, language, yet they still can live peacefully under one Roof !!! See.. this is truly '1 Malaysia' spirit.  Malaysia BOLEH! 

They are also stay together in Malaysia: -

Orang Asli
Orang Asli is a general term used for any indigenous groups that are found in both East and West Malaysia. They are divided into three main tribal groups: Negrito, Senoi and Proto-Malay. The Negrito usually live in the north, the Senoi in the middle and the Proto-Malay in the south. Each group or sub-group has its own language and culture. Some are fishermen, some farmers and some are semi-nomadic.

Kadazan Dusun
The largest ethnic group of Sabah, the Kadazan Dusuns form about 30% of the state's population. Actually consisting of two tribes; the Kadazan and the Dusun, they were grouped together as they both share the same language and culture. However, the Kadazan are mainly inhabitants of flat valley deltas, which are conducive to paddy field farming, while the Dusun traditionally lived in the hilly and mountainous regions of interior Sabah.

Bajau
The second largest ethnic group in Sabah, the Bajaus make up about 15% of the state's population. Historically a nomadic sea-faring people that worshipped the Omboh Dilaut or God of the Sea, they are sometimes referred to as the Sea Gypsies. Those who chose to leave their sea-faring ways became farmers and cattle-breeders. These land Bajaus are nicknamed 'Cowboys of the East' in tribute to their impressive equestrian skills, which are publicly displayed in the annual Tamu Besar festival at Kota Belud.

Murut
The third largest ethnic group in Sabah the Muruts make up about 3% of the state's population. Traditionally inhabiting the northern inland regions of Borneo, they were the last of Sabah's ethnic groups to renounce headhunting. Now, they are mostly shifting cultivators of hill paddy and tapioca, supplementing their diet with blowpipe hunting and fishing. Like most indigenous tribes in Sabah, their traditional clothing is decorated with distinctive beadwork.

 

Dayak

Dayak means upstream or inland. Traditionally inhabiting the northern regions of Borneo, they were the last of Sabah's ethnic groups to renounce headhunting. Now, they are mostly shifting cultivators of hill paddy and tapioca, supplementing their diet with blowpipe hunting and fishing.  They live in longhouses traditional community homes that can house 20 to 100 families.

Iban

Iban is the largest of Sarawak's ethnic groups with over 30% of the state's population. In the past, they were a fearsome warrior race known for headhunting and piracy. Sometimes wrongly called Sea Dayaks for their boating skills, they live in the heart of Kalimantan.

Bidayuh

The Bidayuh are peace loving and easy going but ironically have a history of headhunting. Their roundhouses are mainly located in Sarawak's mountainous regions.

Orang Ulu

Orang Ulu are the upriver tribes of Sarawak. Artistically inclined, their longhouses are ornately decorated with woodcarvings and murals. Their utensils are embellished with intricate beadwork; and aristocratic ladies cover their body with finely detailed tattoos.