Culture of Brunei

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Residents of Tutong during a performance in 2023. 2023 Acara Pentas Perayaan (Tutong) 15.jpg
Residents of Tutong during a performance in 2023.

The culture of Brunei is strongly influenced by Malay culture and Islam. The culture is also influenced by the demographic makeup of the country: more than two-thirds of the population are Malay, and the remainder consists of Chinese, Indians and indigenous groups such as Muruts, Bisaya Brunei, Brunei Dusun and Kedayans. [1] While Standard Malay is the official language of Brunei, languages such as Brunei Malay and English are more commonly spoken.

Contents

Islam is the official religion of Brunei and Brunei has implemented Sharia since 2014.

Language

A sign with both English and Malay instructions. Bolkiah Garrison 19 February 2023.jpg
A sign with both English and Malay instructions.

Standard Malay, the language spoken by the ethnic Malays, who make up over 65% of Brunei's population, [1] is the official language of Brunei. [2] However, the most widely spoken language in Brunei is Brunei Malay, which differs greatly from Standard Malay in areas like pronunciation, lexis and syntax. [3] In addition, there are many other Malay dialects spoken by indigenous communities, [3] such as Dayak and Iban. [2] Usage of such Malay dialects has been on the decline due to assimilation of such ethnic culture with the mainstream culture; some varieties of these dialects are at risk of becoming extinct. [3]

English language is also used in Brunei. [2] It is taught at both primary and secondary levels in Brunei schools and frequently seen in street signage throughout the country. [2] Mandarin Chinese, the language used by the sizable minority Chinese community, is widely used as well. [4] Although not officially recognized, the language is taught at certain Chinese-run schools and as an elective subject at the state-run Universiti Brunei Darussalam. [4] Chinese dialects such as Hokkien are commonly spoken in the Chinese community, [4] although their usage has been declining as the younger generation pick up Mandarin Chinese at the expense of dialects. [3]

Arts

Religion

Kampong Telisai Mosque Brunei 16 July 2023 64.jpg
Kampong Telisai Mosque

Islam is the official religion of Brunei; Muslims make up over 78% of the population. [1] The Constitution of Brunei states that "The religion of Brunei Darussalam shall be the Muslim religion according to the Shafi'i sect of that religion", although it also guarantees religious freedom, albeit with restrictions. [5] The ruling monarch is depicted as the defender of Islam in the country under a system known as Malay Islamic Monarchy, [6] while the state's Ministry of Religious Affairs officially promotes Islam in Brunei. [7]

In 2014, Brunei controversially adopted Sharia law, becoming the first South-East Asian country to do so. [6] These laws applies to non-Muslims in the country and has been criticized by international organisations such as the United Nations and Amnesty International. [8] Prior to the introduction of Sharia law, Brunei has already adopted religiously motivated laws such as the prohibition of the sales of alcohol in the country. [8]

Christians and Buddhists make up the largest proportion of non-Muslims in Brunei. [1] There are several Christian churches, Chinese Buddhist or Daoist temples and Hindu temple, but these non-Muslim places of worship are not allowed to display visible signs of their religion outside of their premises. [7] These religions are not permitted to proselytize or to try and convert others into their faith. [7] A Non-Muslim woman marrying a Muslim is required by law to convert into Islam. [7]

Cuisine

Sports

A football match being played during the 2023 Brunei Super League. Jerudong-Lun Bawang 27 May 2023 66.jpg
A football match being played during the 2023 Brunei Super League.

Football is an extremely popular sport in Brunei. [9]

Brunei athletes has competed on the world stage in competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and South East Asian Games. [10] [11] In the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, Brunei sent a single competing athlete, while at the 2012 London Olympic Games, it sent two athletes, including its first female Olympic representative. [10] Although it has sent athletes to the Commonwealth Games since the 1990 edition, Brunei athletes has yet to win any medals at these Games. [12] Brunei has hosted the 1999 Southeast Asian Games. [13]

Symbols, flags and emblems

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brunei</span> Country in Southeast Asia

Brunei, officially State of Brunei, and formally Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, with its territory bifurcated by the Sarawak district of Limbang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malay language</span> Austronesian language of Southeast Asia

Malay is an Austronesian language that is an official language of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and that is also spoken in East Timor and parts of Thailand. Altogether, it is spoken by 290 million people across Maritime Southeast Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam in Malaysia</span> Overview of the role of Islam in Malaysia

Islam in Malaysia is represented by the Shafi‘i school of Sunni jurisprudence. Islam was introduced to Malaysia by traders arriving from Persia, Arabia, China and the Indian subcontinent. It became firmly established in the 15th century. In the Constitution of Malaysia, Islam is granted the status of "religion of the Federation" to symbolize its importance to Malaysian society, while defining Malaysia constitutionally as a secular state. Therefore, other religions can be practiced legally, though freedom of religion is still limited in Malaysia.

The indigenous peoples of Brunei are Bruneian people who belong to the ethnic groups considered indigenous to the country. It is more commonly attributed to indigenous people of the Malay race belonging to the seven ethnic groups, namely: Brunei, Tutong, Belait, Dusun, Murut, Kedayan and Bisaya. The local term rakyat jati refers to citizens of indigenous descent, in particular the aforementioned seven ethnic groups. The term bumiputera has also been sometimes used to refer to the indigenous peoples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Malaysia</span>

The Culture of Malaysia draws on the varied cultures of the different people of Malaysia. The first people to live in the area were indigenous tribes that still remain; they were followed by the Malays, who moved there from mainland Asia in ancient times. Chinese and Indian cultural influences made their mark when trade began with those countries, and increased with immigration to Malaysia. Other cultures that heavily influenced that of Malaysia include Persian, Arabic and British. The many different ethnicities that currently exist in Malaysia have their own unique and distinctive cultural identities, with some crossover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malaysia</span> Country in Southeast Asia

Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of 13 states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malaysia. Peninsular Malaysia shares a land and maritime border with Thailand and maritime borders with Singapore, Vietnam, and Indonesia. East Malaysia shares land and maritime borders with Brunei and Indonesia, as well as a maritime border with the Philippines and Vietnam. Kuala Lumpur is the national capital, the country's largest city, and the seat of the legislative branch of the federal government. Putrajaya is the administrative centre, which represents the seat of both the executive branch and the judicial branch of the federal government. With a population of over 34 million, the country is the world's 43rd-most populous country. Malaysia is tropical and is one of 17 megadiverse countries; it is home to numerous endemic species. Tanjung Piai in the Malaysian state of Johor is the southernmost point of continental Eurasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Islam in Brunei</span> Religion in Brunei

Islam is Brunei's official religion, 82.70 percent of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunnis of Malay, Arab and Indian origin who follow the Shafi'i school (76%) Hanafi and Maliki school (6%) of jurisprudence. Most of the other Muslim groups are Malay Kedayans, local Chinese and Dayak Iban converts. Islam was introduced to Brunei by traders arriving from Persia, Arabia, China and the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, other religions can be practiced freely.

Melayu Islam Beraja was officially proclaimed as the national philosophy of Brunei on the day of its independence on 1 January 1984 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethnic Chinese in Brunei</span> Ethnic group

Ethnic Chinese in Brunei are people of full or partial Chinese – particularly Han Chinese – ancestry who are citizens or residents in Brunei. As of 2015, they constitute 10.1% of the country's population, making them the second largest ethnic group in Brunei. Brunei is home to one of the smaller communities of overseas Chinese. Many Chinese in Brunei are stateless.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Languages of Brunei</span> Overview of the languages spoken in Brunei

There are a number of languages spoken in Brunei. The official language of the state of Brunei is Standard Malay, the same Malaccan dialect that is the basis for the standards in Malaysia and Indonesia. This came into force on 29 September 1959, with the signing of Brunei 1959 Constitution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddhism in Brunei</span>

Buddhism is the third largest religion in Brunei, after the majority state religion of Islam, and the slightly larger minority religion Christianity. Estimates vary, but some reports place the number of Buddhists in Brunei around 30,000, and the estimated percentage of Buddhists in Brunei around 7-8% of the total population. According to Brunei's official 2016 data, 7% (29,495) of the population practices Buddhism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Brunei</span> Country in Southeast Asia

The following outline is provided as an overview of and a topical guide to Brunei:

The politics of Brunei take place in a framework of an absolute monarchy, whereby the Sultan of Brunei is both head of state and head of government. As the only absolute monarchy still in existence in Asia, Brunei is the only ruling monarchy in Southeast Asia. As of 2023, Brunei is one of seven monarchic dictatorships in the world. The freedoms of assembly and the press have been severely restricted. Authorities regulate online discourse, yet it's nevertheless vibrant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Demographics of Brunei</span>

The demographic features of Brunei include population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. Like neighbouring countries, Brunei is a Malay-majority country. Many cultural and linguistic differences make Brunei Malays distinct from the larger Malay populations in nearby Malaysia and Indonesia, even though they are ethnically related and share the Muslim religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brunei Malay</span> Language spoken in parts of Southeast Asia

The Brunei Malay language, also called Bruneian Malay language, is the most widely spoken language in Brunei and a lingua franca in some parts of Sarawak and Sabah, such as Labuan, Limbang, Lawas, Sipitang and Papar. Though Standard Malay is promoted as the official national language of Brunei, Brunei Malay is socially dominant and it is currently replacing the minority languages of Brunei, including the Dusun and Tutong languages, existing in a diglossic speech, wherein Brunei Malay is commonly used for daily communication, coexisting with the aforementioned regional languages and Malay creoles, and standard Malay used in formal speech; code switching between standard Malay and Brunei Malay is spoken in informal speech as a lingua franca between Malay creoles and regional languages. It is quite similar to Standard Malay to the point of being almost mutually intelligible with it, being about 84% cognate with standard Malay. Standard Malay is usually spoken with Brunei pronunciation.

Sarawak's population is very diverse, comprising many races and ethnic groups. Sarawak has more than 40 sub-ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture and lifestyle. This makes Sarawak demography very distinct and unique compared to its Peninsular counterpart. However, it largely mirrors to other territories in Borneo - Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malayisation</span> Assimilation and acculturation to Malay culture

Malayisation or Malayization is a process of assimilation and acculturation, that involves acquisition or imposition of elements of Malay culture, in particular, Islam and the Malay language, as experienced by non-Malay populations of territories fully controlled or partially influenced by historical Malay sultanates and modern Malay-speaking countries. It is often described as a process of civilisational expansion, drawing a wide range of indigenous peoples into the Muslim, Malay-speaking polities of Maritime Southeast Asia. Examples of Malayisation have occurred throughout Asia including in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Sri Lanka.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Women in Brunei</span> Overview of the status of women in Brunei

Women in Brunei are women living in Brunei Darussalam. The U.S. Department of State has stated that discrimination against women is a problem in Brunei.

Brunei English is a regional dialect of English that is widely spoken in Brunei Darussalam, even though the national language is Malay. Although the lingua franca in the country is generally the local dialect of Malay, all educated people are proficient in English, as it has been the medium of instruction from the fourth year of primary school since 1985.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "The World Factbook: Brunei". Central Intelligence Agency . Retrieved 2015-11-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Baker, Colin; Prys Jones, Sylvia (18 September 1998). Encyclopedia of Bilingualism and Bilingual Education. Multilingual Matters. p. 372. ISBN   978-1-85359-362-8.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Deterding, David; Sharbawi, Salbrina (13 May 2013). Brunei English: A New Variety in a Multilingual Society. Springer Science & Business Media. pp. 22–23. ISBN   978-94-007-6346-3.
  4. 1 2 3 Gorter, Durk; F. Marten, Heiko; Van Mensel, Luk (6 January 2012). Minority Languages in the Linguistic Landscape. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 237. ISBN   978-0-230-36023-5.
  5. ↑ "Brunei" (PDF). United States Department of State . Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  6. 1 2 "Brunei country profile". BBC . 15 August 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Windows on Asia: Brunei - Religion". Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University . Archived from the original on 2015-11-17. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  8. 1 2 "Brunei adopts sharia law amid international outcry". CNN . 1 May 2014. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  9. ↑ "Bring back women's football to Brunei". Brunei Times . 2 June 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  10. 1 2 Lee Adams, William (5 July 2012). "Trailblazer: Meet Brunei's First Female Olympian — Ever". Time . Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  11. ↑ "Brunei". Olympic Council of Asia . Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  12. ↑ Fraser, Graham (5 November 2013). "Brunei's history-maker Maziah Mahusin targets Glasgow 2014". BBC . Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  13. ↑ "Commonwealth Games:Brunei Darussalam". Commonwealth Games Federation . Archived from the original on 2007-10-26. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
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