The Hakkas of Malaysia to 1970: Population, Livelihood, and Culture

Authors

Phin-Keong Voon

Abstract

In 1970, the Chinese comprised close to a third of the total population of 10.45 million in multi-ethnic Malaysia. The Chinese themselves were composed of several dialect communities varying in number, distribution, occupation, culture, and identity. One of the dialect groups were the Hakkas which formed a fifth of the Chinese. This study will discuss three broad themes relating to the Hakkas in terms of their distribution and settlement location; their occupational preferences and characteristics; and their cultural affinities and identity. The discussion of the population and distribution of the Hakkas is based mainly on data drawn from selected pre-war censuses. Aspects of settlement and livelihood are studied with special reference to considerations of location in the context of the rural-urban divide; and aspects of culture and identity are examined in terms of the traditional practices and perceptions of this community. The entire study is focused on the older generations born before independence. This is to provide a central thread to the discussion as well as to recognise the influence of the generational gap on preferences and perceptions among members of the community.

Recommended Citation

Voon, Phin-Keong (2024) "The Hakkas of Malaysia to 1970: Population, Livelihood, and Culture," Malaysian Journal of Chinese Studies: Vol. 13: No. 1, Article 3.
Available at: https://mjcs.newera.edu.my/journal/vol13/iss1/3