09/06/2026

LYFE TUESDAY | JUNE 9, 2026

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Ű BY AMEEN HAZIZI

C HILDREN do not have to wait for Hari Raya, Chinese New Year, Deepavali, Gawai or Kaamatan to learn about Malaysia’s cultural traditions. Festivals are often the most visible entry points but culture is also found in food, language, music, clothing, family stories, markets, crafts and everyday habits. Malaysia’s diversity is often described through broad categories such as Malay, Chinese, Indian and Bumiputera communities in Sabah and Sarawak. However, those labels are only a starting point. Each group carries its own languages, regions, family histories and practices. For parents, cultural learning does not need to feel like homework. A trip to a market, a meal cooked at home or a conversation with grandparents can become a simple introduction to heritage. Start with everyday culture Malaysia’s traditions are often lived through small habits. These include how people greet elders, what is served when guests visit, why certain clothes are worn for formal occasions and how different communities mark weddings, births and family gatherings. Parents can begin by asking children to observe what happens around them. Why do some families remove shoes before entering a home? Why are certain dishes cooked for guests? Why do older relatives use specific greetings or family titles? These questions help children understand that culture is not limited to public celebrations. It is also found in manners, memory and routine. Learning through Malay traditions Malay culture can be explored through food, language, etiquette and family life. Parents can introduce children to dishes such as nasi ulam , asam pedas , rendang , kerabu , kuih and sambal by letting them help with simple kitchen tasks. Washing herbs, folding banana leaves or learning the names of spices can become practical lessons in how food carries family memory. Children can also be introduced to pantun , folk stories and traditional music. Stories involving Sang Kancil remain useful because they are simple, memorable and built around wit, caution and moral choices. Parents can also explain the role of kompang at weddings or show children how batik and songket are made. The National Textile Museum in Kuala Lumpur, run under the Museums Department, is one place where families can introduce children to traditional textiles and the work behind them. A visit can turn batik, songket and embroidery from familiar words into something children can see up close. Exploring Chinese heritage Chinese Malaysian traditions can be introduced through food, language, family history and neighbourhood spaces. Parents can take children to a morning market, herbal medicine shop, clan association building or old temple area and explain how these places served earlier generations of Malaysian Chinese families. Food is often the most direct route. Children can learn why families make dumplings, mooncakes, tang yuan , longevity noodles or

Malay family traditions often begin at home, where children learn values through shared meals, family gatherings and daily manners. – ALL PICS 123RF

Exploring cultural traditions with your children o Helping kids learn about Malaysia’s customs, beliefs

memory and identity. For Sabah, parents can introduce children to Kadazan-Dusun, Bajau, Murut and other cultures through food, traditional attire, music, gongs, dances and craftwork. Kaamatan also shows how harvest traditions remain closely tied to food, attire, music and community celebration. Learning with respect Exploring another culture should be done with care. Parents can teach children to ask before taking photos, avoid mocking unfamiliar practices and understand that not every tradition is meant for entertainment. Children should also learn Malaysia’s communities are diverse within themselves. Not every Malay, Chinese, Indian or Bornean family practises culture in the same way. Some traditions change across states, languages, religions and family histories. The aim is not to turn culture into homework. It is to help children see Malaysia’s traditions as living parts of everyday life. When children ask questions, take part and listen, cultural learning becomes a way of understanding the people around them.

of spices such as cumin, cardamom, mustard seed and turmeric. Parents can explain how food connects to region, religion, family habits and hospitality. Kolam drawing can also be practised beyond Deepavali as an art activity that teaches patience, symmetry and symbolism. Parents can also treat it as a hands-on way to teach pattern, colour and meaning outside the festival period. Discovering Bornean identities Bornean traditions are closely tied to land, rivers, harvest, longhouses, beadwork, weaving, oral history and community life. Parents can introduce children to Sarawakian and Sabahan cultures through museums, craft markets, documentaries, music and conversations with people from different indigenous communities. For Sarawak, children can learn about Iban, Bidayuh, Orang Ulu, Melanau and other communities through traditional dances, sape music, pua kumbu weaving, beadwork and stories about longhouse life. Pua kumbu, in particular, is part of Iban textile tradition and can help parents introduce children to craft,

steamed dishes, even outside major celebrations. Parents can also talk about how recipes differ between Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew and Hainanese families, and how migration shaped local Chinese Malaysian food culture. Language offers another useful doorway. Teaching children simple greetings, family titles or the meanings behind Chinese names can help them understand identity in a more personal way. Calligraphy, paper cutting, lion dance classes and traditional instruments such as the erhu or guzheng can also make cultural learning more active. Understanding Indian customs Indian Malaysian culture can be explored through daily rituals, food, music, dance and stories. Parents can introduce children to the different ethnicities within the Indian community, including Tamil, Malayali, Telugu, Punjabi and others. This helps children understand that Indian culture in Malaysia is not a monolithic experience. Cooking together is one way to begin. Children can help roll chapati , shape vadai , arrange banana leaf meals or learn the names

Drawing kolam designs can help children learn patience, symmetry and the value of careful handiwork.

Children can learn about Kadazan-Dusun culture through traditional dances, gong music and stories linked to the land.

Chinese traditions are often passed down through recipes, dialects, family titles and respect for older relatives.