HYBRID GROUPS AND HARMONY:LESSONS FROM THE PAST

The acculturation experiences of ethnic minorities covered in this book provide interesting insights into possibilities for improving ethnic relations in Malaysia. Firstly, their experiences demonstrate that Malaysians should not fear acculturation; it is possible to acculturate without being assimilated, without losing one's core religious beliefs, values and identities. These groups freely absorbed elements of language, cuisine, dress, music, performing arts and architecture from the Malay community and from each other. Today the hybrid heritage resulting from such inter–cultural fertilization remains, though the consciousness of its shared elements has been virtually forgotten. This book recalled some shared elements which have made these ethnic minorities an epitome of cross–cultural influences. Secondly, it illustrates the preconditions for acculturation. These include working, living, and schooling together, and the critical importance of Malay as a truly Malaysian language belonging to all communities.

However the experiences of these minorities indicate that acculturation is by itself an important but insufficient factor in fostering inter–ethnic harmony; a sense of belonging is equally essential. In the course of fieldwork for this book I was struck by the fact that despite their long settlement and deep acculturation, some among these minorities feel left out by an ethnic–based political party system where they are inhibited by the lack of a clear–cut identity and numerical strength. Believing that bumiputeras gain the most from affirmative action, they harness multiple identities, including an indigenous identity, hoping this will give them greater State cultural recognition and economic opportunity. They see this as an effective way to protect their land and housing, gain better educational, occupational and economic opportunities, and bolster their cultural pride. This yearning for an indigenous identity was an unexpected finding of my research, but it requires some elaboration since it is a recurring theme, with implications for ethnic relations.

YEARNING TO BELONG:HARNESSING MULTIPLE IDENTITIES

Unlike larger groups with more defined State categories, hybrid groups are able to develop new ethnic routes by drawing upon their multiple identities. All ethnic groups utilize multiple identities, but in a complex multi–ethnic society the pressure to harness such identities is often more intense among minorities, particularly if they perceive marginalization.