Btsisi’, Blandas, and Malays - Ethnicity and Identity in the Malay Peninsula Based on Btsisi’Folklore and Ethnohistory

Oct 17, 2026

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This article examines Btsisi’ myths, stories, and ethnohistory to understand how the Btsisi’ conceptualize their place in Malaysia. Three central themes organize the material: Austronesian-speaking peoples’ historical harassment, the distinctiveness of Btsisi’ from Muslim Malay neighbors, and Btsisi’ rejection of Malay Islamic fulfillment through pilgrimage and assimilation. Two additional critical issues emerge: Orang Asli as original inhabitants of the peninsula and shared origin and history between Btsisi’ and Blandas.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction and Themes

Historical Harassment and Hostility

Differences from Muslim Malay Neighbors

Rejection of Islamic Pilgrimage and Assimilation

Btsisi’ Origin Myth (Trimbow)

Trimbow Cycle and Moyang

Narrative: Roum, Muslim Arabs, and Malays

Btsisi’ Migration from Merekah

BARBARA S. NOWAK Massey University SINGAN KN÷N MUNTIL Btsisi’, Blandas, and Malays Ethnicity and Identity in the Malay Peninsula Based on Btsisi’Folklore and Ethnohistory Abstract This article examines Btsisi’ myths, stories, and ethnohistory in order to gain an understanding of Btsisi’ perceptions of their place in Malaysia. Three major themes run through the Btsisi’myths and stories presented in this paper. The first theme is that Austronesian-speaking peoples have historically harassed Btsisi’, stealing their land, enslaving their children, and killing their people. The second theme is that Btsisi’ are different from their Malay neighbors, who are Muslim; and, following from the above two themes is the third theme that Btsisi’ reject the Malay’s Islamic ideal of fulfilment in pilgrimage, and hence reject their assimilation into Malay culture and identity. In addition to these three themes there are two critical issues the myths and stories point out; that Btsisi’and other Orang Asli were original inhabitants of the Peninsula, and Btsisi’and Blandas share a common origin and history. Keywords: Btsisi’—ethnic identity—origin myths—slaving—Orang Asli—Peninsular Malaysia Asian Folklore Studies, Volume 63, 2004: 303–323 HMA’ BTSISI’, a South Aslian speaking people, reside along the man grove coasts ofthe Kelang and Kuala Langat Districts of Selangor, West Malaysia.1 * Numbering approximately two thousand (RASHID 1995, 9), Btsisi’ are unique among Aslian peoples for their coastal location and for their geographic separation from other Austroasiatic MonKhmer speakers. Btsisi’, like other Aslian peoples have encountered historically aggressive and sometimes deadly hostility from Austronesian-speaking peoples. While in the past, these actions included slave raiding and slaughter, today the hostility is no longer genocidal, but rather ethnocidal (NOWAK 1985b) . Through analysis of myths, stories, and ethnohistory, this paper looks at Btsisi’ past and present interactions, and perceptions of their interactions with Austronesian-speaking peoples and the nation state of Malaysia. Three major themes run through the Btsisi’myths and stories presented in this paper. The first theme is that Austronesian-speaking peoples have historically harassed Btsisi’, stealing their land, enslaving their children, and killing their people. The second theme is that Btsisi’ are different from their Malay neighbors, who are Muslim; and, following from these is the third theme that Btsisi’ reject the Malay’s Islamic ideal of fulfilment in pilgrimage, and hence reject their assimilation into Malay culture and identity. In addition to these three themes there are two critical issues the myths and stories point out; that Orang Asli were the original inhabitants of the Peninsula, and Btsisi’and Blandas share a common origin and history. BTSISI’ ORIGIN MYTH Btsisi tell a series of origin myths they call trimbow.2 Elders traditionally recite the trimbow cycle on seven consecutive nights. Trimbow are connected to Btsisi’ mythical “ancestors” or moyang, who require the people to “feed” them with ritual foods, including nasi pulut (“glutinous rice”), before an elder recites the trimbow. Each night of the cycle an elder tells a different portion of the trimbow, which includes the creation of the world, the creation of ETHNICITY AND IDENTITY IN THE MALAY PENINSULA 305 humanity, the origins of Orang Asli (and Btsisi’), and the flight of Orang Asli from their place of origin.3 In this paper I will relay only the portion of the trimbow which discusses Btsisi’ views on the Orang Asli place of origin. The narrative begins: In Merekah the original Batin4 was named Roum, whose blood was white.5 One day, many ships of Muslim Arabs arrived by sea. Batin Roum told these visitors that the land, while once fit for cultivation, was scorched dry by the sun’s heat. He told the visitors that people no longer could provide for themselves; that the land was

FAQs

What is the article’s main goal in studying Btsisi’ myths and ethnohistory?

To understand Btsisi’ perceptions of their place in Malaysia by analyzing their myths, stories, and ethnohistorical accounts.

What are the three major themes found in Btsisi’ myths and stories?

They include historical harassment by Austronesian-speaking peoples, Btsisi’ differences from their Muslim Malay neighbors, and Btsisi’ rejection of Malay Islamic fulfillment through pilgrimage, leading to rejection of assimilation into Malay identity.

Which two critical issues do the myths and stories point out beyond the three themes?

That Orang Asli were original inhabitants of the peninsula, and that Btsisi’ and Blandas share a common origin and history.

Oct 17, 2026

Uploaded by Finn