Peoples and Traditions/ Contents

A history of migration

Zuriani Majid, Mohd Taib Osman and Leonard Y. Andaya

 

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For much of 15th century, Melaka was the most prosperous trading city in Southeast Asia, attracting maritime traders from all corners of coastal Asia.

Artefacts from prehistoric times denote the presence of early cultural influences in the region. Indian, Chinese, Greek, Egyptian, Arab and Persian records include references to contact with the Malays. Bustling trade encouraged by its unique maritime location enhanced the diversity of nationalities found in the Malay Archipelago. During the 19th and 20th centuries, there was a great influx of Chinese and Indian labour, which contributed to the ethnic make-up of the country.

  • Information in the full article includes
  • Through the ages
  • Early cultural contacts
  • The Melaka Sultanate
  • The arrival of the Europeans
  • The Colonial era