Malaysian literature

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Malaysian literature is the collection of literary works produced in the Malay peninsula until 1963 and in Malaysia thereafter. Malaysian literature is typically written in any of the country's three main languages: Malay, English and Chinese. It portrays various aspects of Malaysian life and comprises an important part of the culture of Malaysia.^[1]

The earliest works of Malaysian literature were transmitted orally, in the absence of writing scripts. Oral literature encompasses a variety of genres of Malay folklore, such as myths, legends, folk tales, romances, epics, poetry, proverbs, origin stories and oral histories. Oral tradition thrived among the Malays, but continues to survive among the indigenous people of Malaysia, including the Orang Asli and numerous ethnic groups in Sarawak and Sabah.^[1]

History

Early Malay literature was influenced by Indian epics, such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which later included other traditions that now form the Malay literary heritage, such as the Hikayat Mara Karma, Hikayat Panca Tanderan and Hikayat Gul Bakawali. Malay romantic tales were also sourced from the Panji cycle of Hindu Java. There were also several forms of Malay poetry, which still remain popular until today.^[1]

For the Orang Asli, literature was and still is constituted by accounts of actual events. Different ethnic groups have different versions of the same story, although there are several recurring themes and elements in every tale.^[1]

The cultural practices of the indigenous people in Sarawak are shaped in part by oral traditions. Themes like the relationship of the people to their past, particularly their ancestry, and the spirit world, including its influence on the production of food and health are the primary themes of the oral literature of various ethnic groups in Sarawak. The recitation of oral literature is often accompanied by rituals.^[1]

The oral traditions of Sabah encompass folk tales and legends, such as creation myths, that have been preserved by the ethnic groups in the state. This oral literature is recited during ceremonies conducted by priestesses, who serve as ritual specialists, faith healers and spirit mediums.^[1]

By the 19th century, oral literature on the Malay peninsula was superseded by written literature. This was attributed largely in part to the introduction of Islam to the Peninsula by the 15th century and the adoption of the Jawi script. This tradition was influenced both by earlier oral traditions and Islamic literature from the Middle East. Works during this time ranged from theological literature and legal digests, to romances, moral anecdotes, popular tales of Islamic prophets and even animal tales, which were written in a number of styles ranging from religious to the Hikayat form.^[1]

The literary traditions of the Malay sultanates were distinct in that scribes were hired to record the significant events of the time. One important work of this period was Sejarah Melayu (The Malay Annals), which was written during the era of the Malacca Sultanate, rewritten in 1536 and revised in 1612.^[1]

Poetry

Traditional Malay poetry was used for entertainment and the recording of history and laws. There are three forms of traditional Malay poetry: the mantera, the pantun and the syair. Modern Malay poetry consists of the sajak.^[1]

List of writers

See also: List of writers in Malaysia

Works

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

• English language
  • And the Rain My Drink
  • The Gift of Rain
  • Chronicle of Malaysia
  • The Encyclopedia of Malaysia
  • The Malay Dilemma
  • Malaysia And The Club Of Doom
  • Malaysian Book of Records
  • Malaysian Politicians Say the Darndest Things
  • New Malaysian Essays
  • Of Bunga Telur and Bally Shoes
  • The Pencil
  • The Dead Crow
  • Si Tenggang's Homecoming^[2]
  • Monsoon History
• Malay language
  • Batu Bersurat Terengganu ^[3]
  • Hikayat Bayan Budiman^[4]
  • Hikayat Raja Pasai
  • Hikayat Muhammad Hanafiah
  • Undang-Undang Melaka
  • Hikayat Seri Rama
  • Hikayat Amir Hamzah
  • Hikayat Inderaputera
  • Hikayat Iskandar Zulkarnain
  • Qasidah al-Burdah
  • `Aqâ´id al-Nasafî
  • Syair Hamzah Fansuri
  • Spraek en Woord-Boek
  • Taj al-Salatin
  • Hikayat Aceh
  • Cerita Kutai
  • Bustan al-Salatin
  • Hujjat al-Siddîq
  • Hikayat Tanah Hitu
  • Hikayat Ibrahim ibn Adham
  • Hikayat Pelanduk Jenaka
  • Sejarah Melayu
  • Hikayat Banjar dan Kota Waringin
  • Tarjumân al-Mustafîd
  • Bab Takzir
  • Hikayat Ibrahim ibn Adham
  • Asal Bangsa Jin & Dewa-Dewa
  • Hikayat Hang Tuah
  • Hikayat Patani
  • Surat al-Anbiya
  • Syair Bidasari
  • Risalah Shihabuddin
  • Risalah fi 'l-Tawhid
  • Misa Melayu
  • Hikayat Nakhoda Muda
  • Hikayat Perintah Negeri Benggala
  • Syair Sultan Maulana
  • Syair Sinyor Kosta
  • Syair Raja Tedung dengan Raja Katak
  • Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina
  • Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa
  • Surat Keterangan Syeikh Jalaluddin
  • Silsilah Perak
  • Syair Kerajaan Bima
  • Syair Dagang Berjual-Beli
  • Syair Potong Gaji
  • Syair Tengku Perbu
  • Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah ke Kelantan
  • Hikayat Marakarma
  • Ceretera-ceretera karangan Abdullah
  • Hikayat Abdullah Munsyi
  • Syair-syair karangan Abdullah
  • Syair Engku Puteri
  • Hikayat Maharaja Marakarma
  • Syair Perang Johor
  • Hikayat Iblis
  • Syair Kunjungan Tengku Selangor
  • Kisah Pelayaran Abdullah ke Mekah
  • Mukhtasar Tawarikh al-Wustha
  • Hikayat Siak
  • Syair Kumbang Mengindera
  • Surat kepada Von de Wall
  • Syair Bayan Budiman
  • Syair Kumbang dan Melati
  • Syair Bunga Air Mawar
  • Syair Nuri dengan Simbangan
  • Syair Nyamuk dan Lalat
  • Syair Saudagar Bodoh
  • Hikayat Raja Damsyik
  • Syair Raja Damsyik
  • Syair Kiamat
  • Salasilah Melayu dan Bugis
  • Tuhfat al-Nafis
  • Syair Awai
  • Syair Bunga-Bungaan
  • Syair Burung Pungguk
  • Syair Unggas Soal Jawab
  • Syair Sang Kupu-Kupu
  • Kitab Suci
  • Muhimmat al-Nafa´is
  • Syair Perjalanan Sultan Lingga
  • Syair Raksi
  • Panas Salju
  • Trajedi Empat Disember
  • Meniti Kaca
  • Bukit Kepong
  • Konserto Terakhir
  • Pahlawan Pasir Salak
  • Bawang Putih Bawang Merah
  • Tuhfat al-Nafis
  • Jalan Sempit
  • Sikap Memburu-buru Membawa Padah
  • Lambaian Malar Hijau
  • Kerana manisnya epal
  • Aku, Kris dan Kristal
  • Jalan-jalan Raya Kotaku
  • Julia
  • Virus Zel kepada abahnya
  • Sabor

See also: List of Hikayat

Related articles

• May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969
• Terengganu Inscription Stone

See also

• Malaysian National Laureate

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i} http://www.encyclopedia.com.my/volume9/literaryheritage.html
2. ^ Malay Literature of the 19th Century By Siti Hawa Hj. Salleh
3. ^ Sejarah Darul Iman hingga 1337H; Muhammad Saleh bin Haji Awang (Haji)
4. ^ Hikayat Bayan Budiman atau Cherita Khojah Maimun; Sir R.O. Winstedt

• Sastera Melayu
• Adopted from Selected Poems and Short Stories Form 1 text book
• Adopted from Selected Poems and Short Stories Form 4 text book
• Adopted from Antologi Tingkatan 1 text book
• Adopted from Antologi Tingkatan 2 text book
• Adopted from Antologi Tingkatan 3 text book
• Adopted from Antologi Tingkatan 4 text book
• Adopted from Antologi Tingkatan 5 text book

External links

• Literature of Malaysia at The Encyclopedia of Malaysia