Malays / Raymond Firth [and nine others].

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Firth, Raymond, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Malays (Asian people).

Civilization.

Physical Description:

1 online resource

Place of Publication:

New Haven, Conn. : Human Relations Area Files, 2011.

Summary:

This collection of 22 documents, all in English, contains cultural, historical and socio-economic information from 1904-1996. Some of the documents were compiled by British government officials who spent most of their career in different parts of Malaysia beginning from early twentieth century. Together, these documents provide the earliest first hand information on Malayan culture and society. Topics covered in these works include history of Malayan culture and society, classic Malay literature, folklores and proverbs, customary law, and daily life and salient features of Malayan custom, arts and entertainment, magic and religious practitioners, traditional architecture, and aspects of material culture. Other themes include economic activities with particular reference to fishing, hunting, trapping, and rice farming. The information from these earlier documents is further enriched by the works of anthropologists Raymond and Rosemary Firth who conducted ethnographic fieldwork among Malayan villagers in Kelantan State 1939-1940. Together, these works provide a thorough description of pre-independence Malayan culture and society, but focusing primarily on economic organization and gender roles. The collection also includes the works of two Ph. D. students who completed their dissertation research in Malaysia under the guidance of Raymond Firth. Swift studied village life in Jelebu district, Negri Sembilan. Gullick describes the dynamics of indigenous Malayan political systems since 1870. The remaining documents in the collection were compiled by two contemporary American anthropologists; Michael Peletz and Douglas Raybeck. Based on fieldwork in the Jelebu district of Negri Sembilan state in 1978-1993, Peletz discusses the effects of colonialism and global market forces on property relations, kinship system and gender issues. Raybeck described the life and cultural values of Malayan villagers near the capital of Kelantan state as observed in 1968-1993. Together, these works provide rich information relating to important socioeconomic changes that have occurred at the family and village levels since the advent of colonialism in 1830.

Notes:

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.