I was born and raised in Malaysia. Malaysia is a country full of diverse races from all over the world. When I was young, I never felt or realized the difference in cultures between me and my peers. As I grew older, we had a subject in school where we were all separated into groups based on our religion. The Malay students had Agama class, the Chinese students had Chinese literature class, and the Indian students had Tamil class. It was then that I understood the differences in our cultures. Although there are many differences, there are also many similarities in our cultures that allows us to bond, communicate and respect each other's cultures and one another.
During festivals, holidays are given to allow those who are celebrating a chance to celebrate with their families. Malay families celebrate Hari Raya Aidilfitri by getting blessings from their elders. ‘Duit Raya’ is given by elders to the children which is an envelope containing money. They visit the graves of their deceased members. Then, the rest of the day is spent by visiting their relatives and spending time with one another.
Similarly, holidays are given during Chinese New Year. Chinese people celebrate Chinese New Year by wearing red cheongsams which is an auspicious color. The houses are decorated with red decorations. Chinese incense sticks are lighted up and blessings are given by elders with ‘Ang Pows’ which are envelopes containing money. They also visit houses of relatives and watching lion and dragon dances.
Just like Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Chinese New Year, holidays are given during Deepavali which is celebrated by Indians. The day is spent by offering blessings to the deceased and getting blessings from elders by touching their feet. Fireworks are released and oil laps are lighted up. The houses will be decorated with a ‘kolam’ which is an art decoration using colored rice and flour at the front of the house.
There are many other different races who celebrate different festivals in Malaysia. Although there are many differences in these cultures, there are also many similarities such as always respecting elders and spending time with friends and family members. During these festivals, open houses are held, and many friends and families of different races and religion are invited and it is celebrated together. These festivals are known to bring us Malaysians closer to one another and to always treat each other's religions with respect.
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