Malaysian art

During this era, influences from Portuguese, Dutch, and the British, were also visible especially in terms of fashion and architecture in many colonial towns of Malaya and Borneo such as Penang, Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and Jesselton.

Despite the influences of aboard, the indigenous art of Malaysia continues to survive among the Orang Asli of peninsular and numerous ethnic groups in Sarawak and Sabah.

Throughout many decades, the traditional Malaysian architecture has been influenced by Buginese and Javanese from the south, Islamic, Siamese, and Indian from the north, Portuguese, Dutch, British, Acehnese and Minangkabau from the west and southern Chinese from the east.

Its orchestra includes the sacred and highly revered instruments of nehara (kettledrums), gendang (double-headed drums), nafiri (trumpet), serunai (oboe), and sometimes a knobbed gong and a pair of cymbals.

[3] Traditional Malaysian music also include; Johor with its ghazal Melayu; Malacca with its dondang sayang; Negeri Sembilan with its bongai and tumbuk kalang; Kelantan with its dikir barat and rebana ubi; Sabah with their kulintangan, isun-isun and sompoton; Sarawak with their bermukun,[4] engkromong and sape; Perak with its belotah[5] and rebana Perak; Penang with its unique boria[6] and ghazal parti; Selangor with its cempuling[7] and keroncong; Terengganu with its middle-eastern inspired rodat and kertuk ulu.

Other well-known Malaysian dances are; mak inang from Malacca; ulek mayang from Terengganu; canggung and layang mas from Perlis, ngajat from Sarawak; mangunatip, mongigol and sumazau from Sabah.

The traditional Malaysian dance drama art form includes; awang batil in Perlis; mak yong,[11] menora, tok selampit in Kelantan; hamdolok in Johor; randai and tukang kaba in Negeri Sembilan; jikey,[12] mek mulung[13] in Kedah; bangsawan in Malacca and Penang.

Through a complex maze of sea channels and river capillaries that facilitated exchange and trade throughout the region, silat wound its way into the dense rainforest and up into the mountains.

The entrance to the Petronas Twin Towers is adorned with contemporary Malay motifs adapted from traditional handicrafts, including songket and timber carvings inspired by images of the tropical rainforests.

It serves as a testament of culture, cultivated by artistic appreciation and religious symbols, moulded by a craftsman who possessed a talent to redefined the essence of nature in the most ornamental manner.

In the contemporary era, the Malay gold jewels are mainly found in the form of anklets, bracelets, rings, necklaces, pendants and earrings.

Among the common traditional Malay items usually made of silver includes pillow ends, belt buckles, matt corners, stoppers for water vessels, kris sheaths, and tobacco boxes.

The awan larat (cloud patterns) and kerawang (vegetal motives) are among the popular designs for Malay decorative silver pillow ends and tobacco boxes.

[23] Other items in the traditional Malay weaponry includes sumpit (blowpipe) and busur dan panah (bow and arrow), which are distinct from the seven class of armaments.

The natural tropical settings where flora, fauna, and cosmic forces are abundant have inspired the motives to be depicted in an abstract or styled form on the timber board.

The Malay had traditionally adorned their monuments, boats, weapons, tombs, musical instruments, and utensils by motives of flora, calligraphy, geometry, and cosmic feature.

Although charcoal is considered as a controversial issue these days due to climate change, Matang, however, is recognised as a good model for sustainable mangrove forestry and conservation.

Due to its symbolic meaning in Peranakan culture, the phoenix and peony have a more prominent position in "Nyonyaware" more than that of other Chinese porcelain wares made for use in China itself.

Examples include tudung saji (dish cover), tikar mengkuang (pandanus straw mat), ketapu (Iban woven hat) to rattan ball for sepak takraw, which continues to be popular not only as functional tools but also as ornaments to adorn houses with.

These items also include a variety of high quality crafted paper model of houses, cars, treasure chests, clothes, or even daily utensils.

Other than for offerings, gifts, or souvenirs, flower garlands, also locally known as bunga malai is draped around a person's neck to show respect or worn as hair ornaments in weddings among Malay, Thai and Indian communities in the country.

The common era, however, witnessing the early arrivals of the merchants from east and west to the harbours of the Malay archipelago, together they bought new luxurious items, including fine cotton and silks.

The garments subsequently become a source of high Malay fashion and acquired a cultural role as the binding identity in the archipelago, especially in the peninsula, and the coastal areas of Borneo.

Since Malaysia comprises hundreds of different ethnic groups, each culture has its own traditional and religious articles of clothing all of which are gender-specific and may be adapted to local influences and conditions.

The remainder consists of the indigenous peoples of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo, the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia, the Peranakan and Eurasian creole communities, as well as a significant number of foreign workers and expatriates.

Different Malaysian regions are known for their unique signature dishes— Terengganu and Kelantan for their east coast nasi dagang, nasi kerabu and keropok lekor; Pahang and Perak for its durian-based cuisines, including gulai and pais tempoyak; Penang, Kedah and Perlis for their northern-style asam laksa, char kway teow, and rojak; Negeri Sembilan for its lemak-based dishes, rendang and lemang; Malacca for their peranakan cuisines and Eurasian cuisines; Selangor and Johor for its lontong, nasi ambeng, and bak kut teh; Sabah for its hinava, latok and tiyula itum; Sarawak for its ayam pansuh, laksa Sarawak and kek lapis Sarawak.

Since 2000, the Malaysian animation industry has gone far globally when Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) was launched by the government a few years earlier in an effort to transition Malaysia from a manufacturing economy to one based more in information and knowledge.

Several Malaysian animation films and series that have hit global market are The Kampung Boy, Upin & Ipin, BoBoiBoy and Ejen Ali.

[30] In 2012, as part of the annual George Town Festival, Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic created a series of wall murals depicting local Malaysian culture, inhabitants and lifestyles.

[31] These murals now stand as celebrated cultural landmarks of the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, with Children on a Bicycle becoming one of the most photographed spots in the city.