Brunei - Golden Roof on Green Waves

Author: Shi Xiaoling
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The true tranquility and depth of the universe can be felt everywhere in Brunei, as if one can sense the inherent serenity and profoundness of the cosmos. This is likely closely related to its ethnic and religious background. The Malay ethnic group is the dominant nationality in Brunei, accounting for two-thirds of the country's population, and the royal family belongs to the Malay ethnic group. Tracing the origins of the Malay ethnic group requires focusing on the 13th to 15th centuries. Like the wind following the shadow and the water converging, they migrated from Sumatra, Malacca, Sabah, Sulu, the Philippines, and Indonesia, crossing mountains and seas to settle in the northern part of Borneo Island along the coast. The original purpose of their migration remains unverified, but by the 20th century, their intentions had become quite clear, driven by the demands for oil extraction and agriculture. The Malay ethnic group is a complex blend of various elements. In the Philippines alone, there are the Bisaya and Tagalog people; in Indonesia, there are the Javanese, Bugis, Kadayan, and Iban people, among others. The Malay ethnic group, formed by the convergence of people from various regions, belongs to the Mongoloid Malay type, speaks Malay, and initially practiced animism and Buddhism. After the 15th century, they converted to Islam, belonging to the Sunni branch. The ultimate unity of different places, races, habits, and cultures under one religion and belief lies at the root of Brunei's history and culture. The great integration of multicultural and cross-regional Malay traditions has led to the optimization of their culture and art. Poetry, music, dance, drama, and visual arts are unique and well-developed. There are numerous folk dances, such as the Sama Linangit, Anding, Adu-Adu, Jepen, Ade-Ade, Ponoran, and Sekakap dances. During celebrations, harvests, expressions of gratitude to Allah, prayers to spirits, and acts of redemption to deities, young men and women dress in vibrant attire, some bold and spirited, others graceful and virtuous. They sing their favorite songs, accompanied by coconut shells, violins, hand drums, and large drums, expressing their love, joy of harvest, and happiness in labor. Imagine the clear sky, the distant songs, and the swaying dance shadows. The Malay people pour their pure joys and sorrows into their songs and dances, addressing the heavens and the deities, as if the sky and earth are with them, and the deities live in their hearts! Today, as the dominant ethnic group, the Malay people are primarily employed in government institutions, finance, and the oil industry. The Chinese ethnic group is the second-largest in Brunei. It is said that since the Han Dynasty, there has been a history of trade between China and Brunei. During the Ming Dynasty's Yongle era, the relationship became so close that the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Alauddin, was buried in Nanjing. At that time, the Chinese who migrated to Brunei were likely merchants with an open mindset. Since the second half of the 19th century, people from southern China, including Guangdong, Fujian, and Hainan, migrated to Brunei more for livelihood, leaving their hometowns far behind in the South China Sea. This evokes images of frail bodies and aching hearts, as they were at the forefront of China's Opium War at that time. Their journeys carried not only homesickness but also national hardships. Such displacement must have been filled with sorrow and bloodshed. After 1930, Brunei implemented immigration restrictions, leading to a significant decrease in Chinese immigrants arriving directly from China. Subsequently, the Chinese population in Brunei consisted mainly of those born locally or in Malaysia and Singapore. In the 19th century, the Chinese in Brunei lived in Old Town (formerly Kampong Gambir), and now they are more widely distributed in Bandar Seri Begawan.