"The Crafts of Malaysia documents the development of Malaysian crafts from the past to the present, principally the traditions of pottery, fibrecraft, wood carving, textile weaving and metalwork. This lavishly produced volume combines beautiful studio photography of objects and location photography of craftspeople at work with images drawn from archives, and is a visual feast of crafts. It celebrates the masterpieces in the collections of Muzium Negara and the state museums, the living crafts of Malaysia today as well as the new crafts promoted and developed by Kraftangan, the Malaysian national craft organization."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Annotation. This bibliographical reference to Malaysia, updated from 1986, covers 1,052 English-language source materials. Entries are arranged into 42 categories, such as economics, languages, recreation, and environment. Annotations are 50-150 words. The volume includes an introduction, a glossary of foreign terms, and a list of abbreviations and acronyms. Indexed by author, title, and subject, and includes four maps. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.

Explore the contemporary culture and traditional customs of Singapore and Malaysia in a volume that belongs on shelves in every high school and public library. Culture and Customs of Singapore and Malaysia examines all aspects of contemporary life in these two geographically close and historically and culturally connected nations, starting with the people fighting to maintain a balance between the new and the traditional. The book shows how religion has evolved through time in the two nations and examines how literature and traditional crafts thrive today. It highlights the performing arts and entertainment, noting how Western culture has influenced and shaped new customs. Housing and architecture, both modern and traditional, are discussed, along with cuisine and fashion. Students can use the book to analyze gender roles and family life. They can also read about the ways in which festivals are celebrated and can compare and contrast leisure activities of Singapore and Malaysia with their own. The volume concludes with a look to the future of these two evolving countries, both moving toward modernity, but still holding on to the traditions of the past.

Malay society of the past has usually been characterized by the presence of the peasantry, a pre-modern class of producers, tied to the land and beholden to a feudalistic or feudal-like ruling structure. In contrast, this book explores the diversity which in fact colours the economic history of the Malays. The subject of this book is a relatively unknown class of people, the handloom weavers, who played a decisive role in the economies of the eastern Malay states of Terengganu, Kelantan, and Pahang. Today, the products of these handloom weavers, the beautiful hand-woven sarongs and cloths, grace the most elegant and auspicious of occasions. What is the story behind the vicissitudes, often brutal, of textile production in the early or proto-industrial phases of the Malay economy? Why was the handloom industry, at its height, halted from realizing its full potential of trans-forming into a full-fledged industrial manufacture? What exactly is the putting-out system of production and how did men and women actualize their roles in such production regimes? Why did the putting-out system endure? In answering such questions this book explores the origins of the Malay handloom industry, its technology, its people, and its turbulent relationship with the ambitions of both the colonial and modern nation-states.

While deepening our understanding of Southeast Asia, this fine introduction reminds us of the importance of history itself. ' - Anthony Milner, Basham Professor of Asian History, Australian National University 'still one of the best short introductory histories to the region even after nine editions.' - Eric Tagliacozzo, Cornell University The first edition of Southeast Asia; An introductory history was published in 1979 and immediately filled a need for travellers and students interested in a tantalisingly different part of the world. Subsequent editions have continued to document with great perception the enormous changes and dramatic growth experienced in the region. Dr Milton Osborne has been a resident, student and fascinated observer of Southeast Asia for over 40 years. This familiarity has resulted in a highly readable and lively chronicle. While giving due regard to the early history of the region, Osborne concentrates on the changes that have taken place since the eighteenth century; the impact of colonial rule, economic transformations of the 19th and 20th centuries, the emergence and triumph of the independence movements, the impact of social change and the pivotal roles played by religion, ethnic minorities and immigrant groups. He also provides an introduction to the art of the region and a comprehensive guide to literature about Southeast Asia. Clearly written and extensively illustrated this tenth edition of Southeast Asia; An introductory history remains a classic in the field.

Over 5,000 entries arranged in four parts. Part I comprises reference and general works to provide a guide to information on Southeast Asia. Part II provides the setting of space and time. Part III features the people and Part IV the many facets of culture and society — language; ideas, beliefs, values; institutions; creative expression; and social and cultural change. Within each section, the arrangement is geographical, beginning with Southeast Asia as a whole followed by the various countries in alphabetical order.

Although stretching back into the unwritten and often mythic past, traditional Malay performing arts have, until recent times, been almost totally neglected. In recent years, the subject has begun to attract the serious scholarly interest it deserves. Such attention is timely, for the principal theatre genres, including Mak Yong, Wayang Kulit and the comparatively modern Bangsawan, have begun to suffer decline. Indeed, many of them are on the verge of extinction and, with time, will come the loss of an important facet of the native Malay genius. This volume by an acknowledged expert on Malaysian theatre, Ghulam-Sarwar Yousof, is a pioneering work on the subject, an invaluable contribution to Malay cultural studies. It discusses theatre from the perspectives of history, performance principles, functions and problems that have contributed to the decline of traditional performing arts in Malaysia. Also included is a chapter on Semangat, the Malay concept of soul, a seminal belief whose understanding allows for a deeper appreciation of Malay theatre and its role in traditional society. A vital forerunner of several books on the traditional performing arts and cultural traditions of the Malays, this volume is a landmark in cultural research by a Malaysian scholar.