I think one of the point where you said don't walk between a person and their food, also applies even there's no food, but he/she is an old person. We do not simply walk in front of our parents or elderly (preferably walk on their back if possible) and if we had to, we will walk while sort of bowing to show respect.
Actually Malaysians are pretty chill, so while insulting our local cuisine, clothes, durians, etc would be impolite, its certainly not a cardinal sin. However, saying/implying that the Singaporean version of our food is better will start a blood feud lasting 13 generations
1. Insulting foods is actually being ungrateful. A lot of people out there don't even have food to eat. Even if you don't like or cannot eat the food just leave it. No need to insult. 😉
Ya but in this case eventhough we didnt mean to insult, but rejecting food from our host (bcos we don't like the food/cannot telan it😁) is like insulting the food made by them. So out of politeness eat even just a little. But if its non halal for muslim then lain cerita la😁
When i was 12, i remember going on a school trip to Langkawi Island and at the hanging bridge, there was a couple of foreigners kissing and hugging literally in the middle of the bridge. I remember me and my classmates were all trying so hard not to look and to walk past them as far as we could while the local adults were terrified because imagine there was a couple freely making out in public with about 20 young kids around. It was hilarious now that i think of it.
not just in longhouse. but anywhere when night, because it is the sound of welcoming snakes in you house or wherever you are. you made nice knowledge video of malaysia and other people might want to visit malaysia can learn from your videos. i fully supporting you
Yeah, spot on. Malaysians are used to respect each other cultures, religions and foods. That's a core element in multiracial country. Good job Gibbon for being sensitive/considerate on these.
Long ago, when I was a kid, i play flute at night, my father smoking at entrance door, actually i shouldn't do that but that time I really stubborn, then after finish, few minute later, snake getting in my house through the door where my father sit 🤣🤣🤣 that's why people in Malaysian didn't do whistle too 😂 it's actually prohibition from ancestors
Yes, walk behind the person when there's food in front (of them) - when eating on the floor.. when even walking, don't stand up straight, walk-crouching (showing respect to other people eating / talking).. Malaysian's love our food - when trying to get a dish on the other side of the "table" - try not to stand and reach "over" a person. I'm sure dutch will also ask someone closest to the dish to pass it on to you.
I'm a Malaysian from KL and it really intrigues me when you gave out the fun facts about the Iban tribe! Indeed the culture here is so rich that even the natives learn something new about each other. It's really interesting to learn the do's and don'ts that differ in each tribe/ethnicity. Great video!
Correction, not only don't walk in between a person and his/her food, you shouldn't walk also in between a persons doing conversation. However there is a way to walk in between if there is no enough space at his/her back. You need to bow walking with his/her permission
So nice of you brother. You're very much Malaysians again. You're absolutely right with 1.food 2.costume 3.shoes 4.take photos 5.shake hands 6.affection 7. tips 8.walk 9.durian 10.whistle . However, the list doesn't stop there actually. We have so many taboos that you can never imagine. Keep up the good work bro.
Yeah...that thing about "Do Not Whistle" at night..you'll summon the ghosts. I've defied that numerous times...No ghosts!! Usually all Do's and Don'ts have actual logical explanation for them. And i've always found the logic behind most of them. Except this "Do Not Whistle at Night" thing. Probably a long time ago..in the dead of night..in the silence of a village...it was just annoying to hear someone destroy that peace and quiet. It probably sounded eerie.
thing about the do/dont tradition is it base on observation and doesnt necessarily have scientific explanation or prove (ie if you sing while cooking you will marry an old man) or sometimes made up to scare children into obeying certain thing (if you wake up late the angel will not give you blessing and you will be poor/if you play outside after sunset "sang kelembai" will kidnap you)
@@MagiCaster001 Well..not "Scientific" explanation but "logical" explanation. "Don't sing while cooking..you'll marry an old man", the logical explanation is, you might be dreamy while singing..hence, whatever you're waiting to cook-up will burn.
Pro tips for shoes: look up for a certain style of tying shoe laces that can give you enough grip to be comfortable to walk around but can easily slip it off and on whenever you need to.
Sarawakians or people living in Sarawak on the island of Borneo are ✌ peace loving ❤ 😍 warmth & hospitable people . Though I may be a citizen living in another foreign land, Kuching, Sarawak is where my ❤ heart belongs. Nothing compares to home. It's the uniqueness of the cultures of the Land. Children are taught with proper manners to address the elders, especially anyone who's elderly they encounter to be addressed as 'uncle' or 'aunty' as a form of respect 🙏 this is good manners. Not to offend, the westerners are doing the opposite by calling them names. Till to this day, I still upkeep my culture. I'm glad you've learned a lot these few years. You seem to be a respectable bloke, good on you, keep it up & others 👏 would follow suit.
When you walk pass through anyone for example people sitting on the floor and you dont have enough spaces to walk through them always bend your body a little and ask permission to pass through. Yeah i hope this might help too.
I actually do that now, a slight bow and hand-down movement. However, if there is food in front of a person, I won't. I'll walk around or ask them to move forward so I can walk behind them. =D
yup... i agree, don't whistle at night coz at night the ghost would haunt you... especially if you are at jungle, at remote area... it is a big no no...
Im feel confident that u can talk a little of bahasa sarawak..like malay iban..and bidayuh..BTW im sarawakian..from samarahan..Desa ilmu..hope u enjoy living here in malaysia..(sarawak)
Hey There! I speak a bit of local slang, and some Iban. Unfortunately my Bidayuh is not good, it's such a tough language! Thanks for watching the video!
Like those group of European Tourists who stripped naked at the top of Mt.Kinabalu. A month later an Earthquake happened..killed more than a dozen climbers...mostly kids. They got blamed for disrespecting the mountain. It's not even a co-incidence bcos it happened a month later but superstitious folks blamed it on them and sacrificed a Buffolo to appease the Mountain God. Poor Buffolo. It had nothing to do with it. But it got slaughtered.
Hi there, Im an Iban. Another advice on Iban taboo; when walking or wondering in the jungle & u smell nice sweet fragrance, dont ever say " wow what is that nice smell?" Why? U might be walking into a trap of unknown entity. Well at least that's what the older generation told me. Thank you for the video, jang ( thats how iban address a younger male person).
That's true for most Malays as well especially those who live in kampung. My uncle who lives in a kampung near the forest and sungai Pahang used to always say to me "jangan tegur" if there is a fragrant smell. Meaning don't point it out, just keep it to yourself.
True. Sometimes I could smell sweet fragrance, sweet ripen banana, smell cakes etc...while walking in the deep jungle at my hometown in Sarawak. My mother reminded me not to say anything as she said there might be other entities nearby (Antu Kamba or Antu Sebayan) 🧚🏽♀️🧚🏻♂️👁👁
Hi Nick, another couple of tips on the subject of hands: i) Try not to give and/or receive anything with left hand, better use right hand instead. It's a cultural thing and common practice by most muslims, personally I interprete that as a gesture of sincerity. ii) When pointing direction, don't point towards it using index finger but use the thumb instead especially when interacting on official matter and/or more respectable person. This is a common practice even at high end hotels and other hospitality outlets include that in their training modules. Not an issue at all when dealing with friends though. Thanks!
I as a Malaysian, advice you strongly to never ever EVER cross a person body or food cause that is the ultimate level of disrespect to us. Trust me, this is probably what you want to put as no. 2 or 3 in the list "What's not to do in Malaysia". (7:39)
Not just in iban comunity nick… but in malay comunity also are not allowed to whistle, especially during evening and night time… same reason with iban..
Its true..not forbidden in the whole malaysia ..just perhaps in the longhouses or elsewhere or those going into the jungle 🤣 other than dat we do it all the time in our workplaces n even at home
Oh boi I can't stand it when people, especially foreigners, insulting durians. Like I get it, everybody have their own preferences, but you didn't have to act like somebody just smushed a piece of turd on their face after taking a sniff of the fruit? They'd be gagging and complaining and stuff. It's so disrespectful but I can't really say anything cause that'd be rude of me then. Just think about other people's feelings man, it's not that hard to not be insulting. It's not a grave sin ofc, but some people (like me) will definitely get pissed off, not entirely because of the matter (in this case, the matter is about durians) but because of the rude act itself (disrespecting others Lowkey shows that you're a terrible human being) Just be careful with your words, not just in Malaysia. This should be common sense but I guess not for some people
@@opaholdskool8674 yeah it's suck for you and me, but not for everyone. Don't be a degenerates and push your believe by insulting it like a kid on the comments...
I think it's a basic common sense to respect every culture every religion in any country. In any Muslim house in any part of the world these are the basic culture not only in Malaysia. U addressed it with lot of respect 👍👍👍.
@@GlobalGibbon that's so kind of you to reply 🙏 waiting for your next video. May you go higher in u tub as far as it could go. God bless you n your family in every way 🤲.
In malay we call that "PANTANG LARANG " the forbidden things to do.. actually there were a lots of things..such as, when u eat at someone house or even in restaurant.. if u eat with fork and spoon, don't ever use your left hand to pick food in front of u.. because left hand is consider to do business in toilet so it's inappropriate to use left hand when u eating..
Okay, I have one, I'm actually Iban myself so in a longhouse, if someone passed away and their body remains in the house (in a coffin of course), you can't sing or listen to music for a month. I'm a city born Iban so I'm not as knowledgeable in knowing why we can't do so but I think it's the same reasoning as to why you can't whistle at night.
...The supernatural in the Iban community especially in the long house that located in the deep jungle is very significant. Because of how old the lands really was. You just don't bring the city habit into the deep forest. Anything could happened to you because there were creatures living in there unseen to the eyes, side by side with the human and the forest dwellers. You live in a different territory already, it's the rule of the community in the jungle. You could feel the dense and colder pressure in the air. You can smell the nature's and goosebumps raised all over your body. That's when you know, you had enter the territory.
Just to add..u dont call/greet people who are older then u by their name whether u personally know him/her or just met..Malaysian normally will use bro (abang), sis (kakak), aunt (makcik) or uncle (pakcik) as a show of respect being the older person.
I do have issue with malaysian calling me auntie after return from USA😅 but i am still accepting younger calling me that but not those, who has more grey hair than me or about same age or little younger. I went to hospital the guards call me that was awful. 😓
@@peiluchoong Hahaha..I have my nephews and nieces who are about my age. I warned them to stop calling me "uncle" in the public whenever we went for outing.
@@juvi2702 lol 😅🤣🤣😂😂🤣 i had that issue a little bit at first but i ak ok with my nieces and newphew doing it because we call by numbers in family.. Like 3 yi.. So we did call auntie much.... But if someine else children call i felt weird a bit. You nust be single.. You just ask them call you gor gor.. I advise yhe young one outside who i newly knew call me kakak 😂
Me now in the age of confuse whether to call people kak or aunt cause I am in the middle, my mom is in 60s, so some 40s and 50s grown up just an awkward age. sometimes I call them "cik" short for "makcik" /"pakcik" or aunt, uncle sometimes I call them kak but never abang. Must call encik. hahah. never call a man abang esp someone else husband. For me lah. 🤣
Nick Jansen ..welcome to MALAYSIA..tqsm to tell other country about CAN and CANNOT when in MALAYSIA..take time to learn about MALAYSIA..if u loved stay in MALAYSIA..just apply..i'm humble welcoming u..if this pandamic over..i'm coming u with u wife to JOHOR DARUL TA'ZIM...i stay at BATU PAHAT...
Ya.. Don't ever wissel at night!! as my experience it happened twice in my life at my late grandpa house, but i just share 1 of it.. when i was still kid i didn't even know about this forbidden, and i start playing wissel with my elder sister at 7pm than at 8 or 9.30pm like that suddenly the white snake is already inside our house n I thought it was a lizard.. But i wonder why that lizard it so weird behind the door, but when i realised that is not the lizard tongue, then me and my sister start screaming climb the chair and luckily my late grandpa took the snake and throw it out of the house..
Anytime the topic of best laksa is brought up, it will inevitably lead to a cold war between Sarawak and Penang 😅 Food is a sensitive topic because Malaysians love food! 😍
basically in Malaysia, we sometimes sit on the floor so there would be no space for walking, what you should do is walk behind them and if there's no space, ask for permission to walk in front of them and bow a bit while crossing. And if there's food in front of them ask permission. they would usually either stand up or move in front a bit so you could walk behind them.
I too have started to eat less, not that i don't like the durian. But m worried about the impact the smell of my mouth after it would have on others, coz i know it had a nasty effect on me when somebody else did it. So i would brush my teeth and gargle several times after eating durian. I wouldn't eat durian on the night before a school,/work day coz then Everybody would know i had eaten durian...that's the impact. Brushing teeth once would not suffice if one ate more than 5 pieces of it..That's the impact!!
Nick..what u said in your video are correct in East Malaysia.also apply in West Malaysia.eg..if u want to take photo of a stranger...u must ask permission first,take off shoes before step inside any home...many of our cultures follow eastern value like in Japan....Good of u to know some of our don't do it in whole of Malaysia.Good info for western tourists wanting to visit here after covid pandemic ended....hear from u in next video soon...always ♡ from West Malaysia..June 2021....
we dont usually whistle in Malaysia (or atleast for me) . it was like calling a bad spirit like satan , ghost or etc . i'm as a muslim from malaysia really agree with all of your statement and all . i really loves your content ! new subscribers here 😃 !
My late mom always said that if we whistling , snake will enter the house.. the sound is like u invite them over. ... Huhuhu and I said the same thing to my kids😅😅
Hey Joleen, thanks for your comment and explanation. It does make a lot of sense to not walk between a person and his/her food! I wouldn't dare doing it again - I learned my lesson the hard way!
it's so funny, the first thing when I arrive in Malaysia is to get a durian fruit, I really love it. Funny that sometimes the local people take photos of me when I'm enjoying my durian...I think I might have such a happy face🤣🤣🤣
So cool! I do wish that I could enjoy durian as well. I always feel left out when my In Laws eat durian. I will try and eat some soon, hopefully my taste has changed!
I think the biggest mistake that tourists make is to smell the fruit first. Those who tend to smell it first make the biggest mistake. Simply ignore all the comments from others about its strong smell. Never smell it first. You just eat it right away. After this personal coaching, I had a person visiting from California eating durian for the first time and fell in love with it right away. Once you acquire the taste, it is like eating a rich vanilla custard. The best part, it is a nutritious fruit and not some artificially made sugary pie that is detrimental to your health.
Few suggestions to add to yr list: - avoid using yr left hand especially for touching food - do not point using yr index finger, use yr thumb instead - do not touch someone's head even jokingly. Unless necessary of coz
About the walking through/between part, the best is to avoid to walk pass. If you can't go around only to walk pass, lowered down your upper body (don't have to be like japanese bow) and say to them excuse me. If it's between a person and his/her food better to wait for permission.
Good Morning Nick.. Malay proverb says 'Dimana Bumi Dipijak Disitu Langit Dijunjung'. Google translation says 'where the earth is at the foot there the sky is at the top', I think it doesn't sounds right,.. anyway in English the proverb is 'When in Rome, Do As The Romans Do'. Stay Safe Bro and keep on introducing Malaysia to the world.
i have gastric too, but i used to learn how to overcome that. Don’t eat durian before took light meal. Bro, you have to enjoy the durian, no excuse hehe. Love Sarawakian from shah alam.
@@window2000 it’s always like that. There are people who loves durian but dislikes tempoyak, and vice versa. I love tempoyak but I can’t eat durian much.
I love your effort to change your position for every different points. I think it takes a lot of effort since you had to adjust the camera every time etc. Anyway it's a good video with a good content. Anyone coming to Malaysia (when the whole lockdown thing is over) should watch this!
Hello Nick, Richenel here from Curacao Dutch Caribbean, living for 24 years here in Sarikei, sarawak . Ik heb jouw video gezien, keep it up Nick en groetjes
I agree with the photo one! If you want to take pictures of no matter who, where or what, you need and must ask permission!! Bc Malaysian have their Dos and Don'ts (people called it as 'pantang larang'). Imagine you want to take a picture of a trees, a rocks, a places, etc but suddenly a local Malaysian come to you and warned that it's curse, haunted, etc (religion/spiritual beliefs) but you shove it off and take a picture of it anyway. You're not only disrespect their beliefs but you also reserved your name on misfortunes. Other than that, it's impolite bc 'we don't do that here'. In Malaysia, if we respect you, we respect you. And you need to understand that and be humble. Another thing, Durian. Even as a local malaysian, I don't favor durian that much but I would be offended if people just go and insult the fruit. I mean I would be thinking to myself about that person like "Where are their manner? Don't they know that insulting a food is bad like really bad?? If you don't like it, just leave it alone. No need to puke or gag your throat out! " Next thing is whistling. Yup, it is wrong to whistle not only in Iban tribe but the whole Malaysia area. It's like a creepy thing to do espicially at night. You might not believe in spirits or bad omens but at least listen to what they warned and told you and respect their culture. The least you can do is having common sense. I mean, we're in the middle of a jungle/forest and out of the blue you starts to whistle. Can you imagine what you just attracted or alerted along the way? We're not alone in this world and there's another creatures or beings out there, living in the smae world as us and can't be seen by naked eyes. It's just creepy, personally. I enjoy the silence while walking out during night (in a village that far from the town) and whistle tunes/sounds really send shivers down my spine if I heard it out of nowhere.. p/s: it's just my opinion as a local malaysian potato-
Whistle also are can't among older malays. But nowsday are very rare to we heard about it. We call it *call for ghost* I'm quite shook when iban also having that.
1.do not make noise while eating 2.don't hold your bestfriend or friends head while joking or laughing. 3.do not dry the cloth at night. 4.do not lying down while sleeping (thats not healthy for ur heart) 5.do not eat from food stuck in the gaps of the teeth 6.don’t call a friend to come to you, but go to the friend you want to talk to. 7.don't talk to strangers like friends. if friends maybe we will be more friendly and less caring behavior. we don't know who the person we're talking to is, so it's better to watch the behavior. because on the basis of respect. not afraid thats all . sincerely from budak jb .
we're same!..im iban but i love to whistle everytime, day and night, my family and friends always told me not to whistle especially at night, but i just can't stop😓
Whistling is a taboo for muslim especially at night. Because whistling is like inviting an unknown entity/ghost/supernatural thing to our house. It's a bad habit to have. And also don't laugh out loud at late night. Because who knows what else is surrounding you. This is true story. When I was in uni, my friends and I was in a party mood after final exam. So we all make loud noise and laugh out loud. After we finish laughing, suddenly another voice laugh in creepy sound. We face each other to see who did that, but even if we got quiet, the voice and creepy laughing is still there. We end up reciting Yasiin for 3 days straight to stop this creepy disturbance. This taboo should also be abide when you are in forest, jungle or mountain. When you're inside this area, you are entering the supernatural territory. So you should be careful in what you say and do inside this territory. Some people meet unfortunate accident or getting lost when you're not abiding the law. Even if you can't see this entity, your instinct or body know something is not right when you're inside this kind of territory. Such as you're getting goosebumps even though there is no wind, the area is cold even though the sun is above you. It's hard to explain unless you're experience it yourself. WE should abide this taboo of not whistling or making a lot of noise at late night.
How about this one..Don't leave rice crumbs all over the table..or else when you die, you can't go to heaven till you've found every single crumbs you've left on earth. That's what my parents told us as kids. I think it's just teaching kids not to waste food.. also not be a messy eater.
Interesting from your observations. The part where you said not to show too much affection to your partner/wife in public stays true . It actually shows SENSUALITY/AROUSAL and should be done behind closed door/privacy . Holding hands and over shoulder is ok. Glad you understand this and it is also part of being CONSIDERATE to others. I wouldn't feel comfortable seeing couples doing that in public, even among relatives. The other thing is whistling. I didn't know abt that superstition. Probably more applicable for a horror movie 🤣😅.
About the whistle.. it's very true , my family is not iban , but we still always like "don't whistle , there will be bad spirit coming".. I never really whistle lol especially at night
Hey Edward. Thanks - I appreciate your comment. I think it's important to be able to talk about everything - but with the utmost respect to other people/cultures.
When you point, use your thumb not your finger as pointing with the finger is considered bad manners, but not so with the thumb. If you enter the forest, don't say snake or when you enter the sea, don't say shark, but call them by another name. Some of my relations call the Snake, Dayang Ketupong. Also, if you pass the older people, remember to "minta laluan" or ask their permission to use the path, by bending and sticking your thumb out, to show respect. These are some mannerisms from my Malay Sarawakian heritage.
I have questions actually.. Pardon me, I hope this question will not offend ur culture or upbringing.. I've always have this question in my mind & im just curious since we are so used to not wear shoes inside house. How are u maintaining cleanliness of your floors while wearing shoes inside house.. in fact i notice most of your house are with carpets.. do u need to clean (vacuum & sweep) many times a day or your streets and yards are not as many soil or dirty..? This question always pop's in my mind when watching western movies
It's a good question, not offensive at all! We have big floor mats in front of our doors, so we always clean off as much dust as possible from our shoes before entering. It's also normal to vacuum twice per week.
@@GlobalGibbon Wiping off dust is sensible, but what if you accidentally stepped on poo or something then bring it into the house? Eww... Don't get me wrong, I am friends with a family in The Netherlands, they've adopted the Asian thing: no shoes in da house. Hehe
@@GlobalGibbon ohh okay no wonder.. now i understand. Thank you for explaining. I guess I never see it in movies on this 😅 I really hope to be able to travel (after covid of course) to countries out of Asia to see different cultures & sceneries.
Don't disrespect the durian! LOLZ I appreciate this video because of you I have discovered At Adau - fanatstic music Makes me happy to just hear them - like nothing else on earth. Big love from New Zealand : )
About the shake hand among men and woman is about touching between men and women.. women can touch their family and husband, they can touch someone which have same bloodline only. Even cousin are can't
btw whistle not only at night but even day time...is not allow...cause it like you calling ghost/spirit/demon/devil...if their answer you call...it really hard to chase them away...and especially don't whistle at night no matter where you are...if not....goodluck...UwU
The thing I find really interesting about the whole shoes inside, no shoes inside cultural difference is that in Asia, it's no shoes inside but they often don't have carpet whereas in "western" countries we do wear shoes inside but we often have carpet. To me I feel like it should be the opposite 🤣
@@aliabu9756 I never thought about it being dirty or not, wearing shoes in the house when I lived in The Netherlands. I only thought about it when I moved to Malaysia, and now it makes sense! Shoes off!
Actually if the elders sit or squat, it’s not polite to cross or walk directly infront of them, but between the food also correct. If possible ask permission or go around their back.
Maybe need a hour to explain if u want to know what u should do or not 😂😂🤣 U need to find malay Chinese and Indian friends u will understand everything 🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🎉🎉🎉 And have a good day mate Also thank you for ur videos 🤝👌🙌🎉
I met an Irish couple in Kampung Budaya (culture village) in kuching during fruits season in Sarawak. I ask them about the local fruits that they like and dislike as well. Then come to the king of the fruit(durian) , the wife mentioned about the smelly thorny friut is weird because of the taste and the smell doesn't blend. Suddenly the husband came and said it's like taking an ice-cream in the toilet. As a local people I looked at his face upon hearing his statement. To me he is insulting not only the small group of people but Malaysian as a whole.
If I have my own list, d top would be, don't disturb your neighbors, referring to loud disturbing annoying noises, ie dogs barking, loud pumping music, noisy motorcycles n cars, constantly hammering, these r some of my current neighbors n passers-by.
Whenever the aunties walked towards me I would step onto the road and never look them in the eye...Although in Sabah I saw a mentally ill homeless girl and bought lunch for us, , women kept glaring at us angrily for sitting together but I didn’t really care.,,,
Hi Nic? Nick? I once visited New Guinea for a holiday. Whilst exploring Port Moresby, I took a snap of an indigenous man, or it may even been a woman, I couldn’t really tell for certain. He held out his hand and said ‘money wonton’. I was surprised but gave hime 20c and he was happy. Just goes to show, eh. Found this video very informative so if I do eventually come and live in Malaysia I’ll know not what to do.
yeah about whistling every malaysian believe that its a sign of calling the bad spirit. even saying the bad spirit names are also prohibited by our folks , here in sabah , example like "flying headed ghost" (balan2) we use abbreviations of BB coz we believe that if saying it out loud in full is like calling them to come to you , which saying it now i can feel goosebumps, " typical malaysian... and about walking in between the food and person, or anything walking in front of a person whom are sitting down , it is advice to bow while u are walking and at the same time saying "tumpang lalu" ( which means excuse me) , so people might not get offended as you are showing manners and politeness to them especially the elderly.. you can try this Gibbon ..
Big no no no to racist in Malaysia too doesn’t matter where that person come from even us address strangers as abang ( brother), kakak ( sister) uncle or auntie to people more older than us for non Malay , pak cik or makcik for Malay, for younger than us we called them adik ( younger brother or sister) & respect each other is1st priority in Malaysia because Malaysia all about love
Thanks for Watching Guys! What other things should one NOT do in Malaysia?
Kissing in public is a BIG NO NO
@@sanir6 That's right! You gotta keep your lips to yourself! =D
I think one of the point where you said don't walk between a person and their food, also applies even there's no food, but he/she is an old person. We do not simply walk in front of our parents or elderly (preferably walk on their back if possible) and if we had to, we will walk while sort of bowing to show respect.
@@wan8625 that could be right! I will never do it again!
Bring durian to hotels
Actually Malaysians are pretty chill, so while insulting our local cuisine, clothes, durians, etc would be impolite, its certainly not a cardinal sin. However, saying/implying that the Singaporean version of our food is better will start a blood feud lasting 13 generations
Haha, good point. Don't compare Singaporean and Malaysian dishes!
Why is this so true lmao...
I don't know why, but this is so true. Without us knowing it
And say Upin Ipin is originally from Indonesia
Wakhahahahaha. So true. In Malaysia we have Ipoh Chicken Rice, not Singapore Chicken Rice. Just a friendly jest. 😁
Another one is: Don't use the left hand to pay at a shop, or to eat, or do anything. The left hand is considered the dirty hand.
That's right, some people can indeed get offended by that here yea.
1. Insulting foods is actually being ungrateful. A lot of people out there don't even have food to eat. Even if you don't like or cannot eat the food just leave it. No need to insult. 😉
I fully agree!
fact
Ya but in this case eventhough we didnt mean to insult, but rejecting food from our host (bcos we don't like the food/cannot telan it😁) is like insulting the food made by them. So out of politeness eat even just a little. But if its non halal for muslim then lain cerita la😁
@@dmzdesign09 There is one instance you can politely reject eating, when you have medical condition, if you don't, just taste it at the very least.
Also, don't eat durian while drinking beer, unless you like having a big headache..
It's a good think I don't eat durian then! =D
Dont eat durian with coca cola you get stroke
Overseas people likes coke so much 🤣😂
@@peiluchoong my uncle died cuz eat to much durian after he took his medicine (R.I.P Uncle)
@@julia_likeschicken I am so sorry ..yes it's heaty RIP is he Malaysian or visiting?
When i was 12, i remember going on a school trip to Langkawi Island and at the hanging bridge, there was a couple of foreigners kissing and hugging literally in the middle of the bridge. I remember me and my classmates were all trying so hard not to look and to walk past them as far as we could while the local adults were terrified because imagine there was a couple freely making out in public with about 20 young kids around. It was hilarious now that i think of it.
Great story! I think a modest kiss is fine, but crazy tongue action is a bit much - anywhere in the world!
LMAO WHAT
Wha- dat is creepy I mean it's not but I'll probably be uncomfortable
not just in longhouse. but anywhere when night, because it is the sound of welcoming snakes in you house or wherever you are. you made nice knowledge video of malaysia and other people might want to visit malaysia can learn from your videos. i fully supporting you
Such kind words! Thanks for watching!
Hey Subaru.
*HEEEAAAHHHAAA.......HEEEAAAAAAEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHH*
It's time to rise the record of your death.
Yeah, spot on. Malaysians are used to respect each other cultures, religions and foods. That's a core element in multiracial country. Good job Gibbon for being sensitive/considerate on these.
It should be taught in every country - Respect every culture.
you dont have to understand it, just respect it.
Long ago, when I was a kid, i play flute at night, my father smoking at entrance door, actually i shouldn't do that but that time I really stubborn, then after finish, few minute later, snake getting in my house through the door where my father sit 🤣🤣🤣 that's why people in Malaysian didn't do whistle too 😂 it's actually prohibition from ancestors
Wow! You're the Snake Whistler! You would have gotten an job in a circus very fast!
Yes, walk behind the person when there's food in front (of them) - when eating on the floor.. when even walking, don't stand up straight, walk-crouching (showing respect to other people eating / talking).. Malaysian's love our food - when trying to get a dish on the other side of the "table" - try not to stand and reach "over" a person. I'm sure dutch will also ask someone closest to the dish to pass it on to you.
I'm a Malaysian from KL and it really intrigues me when you gave out the fun facts about the Iban tribe! Indeed the culture here is so rich that even the natives learn something new about each other. It's really interesting to learn the do's and don'ts that differ in each tribe/ethnicity. Great video!
I love learning about all the different cultures. I can't wait to travel more through the counrey and meet different people.
Correction, not only don't walk in between a person and his/her food, you shouldn't walk also in between a persons doing conversation. However there is a way to walk in between if there is no enough space at his/her back. You need to bow walking with his/her permission
That's right! I always bend down and stretch my arm out when I walk between two people talking.
@@GlobalGibbon
And you do the same when people are eating on the floor and you have to cross the path. It's really just common courtesy and manners.
DON'T INSULT DURIAN😂😂😂
FULLY AGREED!!!!!
durian is the king! haha
And its weapon is the spiky thorn. Ouch!
Durian may be King but Mangosteen is the Queen! So you definitely cannot insult the Queen of fruits!😂
I'm native Sarawakian and may be in the minority but durian really is foul. Don't blame anyone for talking smack about it.
So nice of you brother. You're very much Malaysians again. You're absolutely right with 1.food 2.costume 3.shoes 4.take photos 5.shake hands 6.affection 7. tips 8.walk 9.durian 10.whistle . However, the list doesn't stop there actually. We have so many taboos that you can never imagine. Keep up the good work bro.
Hey Wil, I'll drive deeper into taboos in another video in the future perhaps!
Yeah...that thing about "Do Not Whistle" at night..you'll summon the ghosts. I've defied that numerous times...No ghosts!!
Usually all Do's and Don'ts have actual logical explanation for them. And i've always found the logic behind most of them. Except this "Do Not Whistle at Night" thing. Probably a long time ago..in the dead of night..in the silence of a village...it was just annoying to hear someone destroy that peace and quiet. It probably sounded eerie.
It might sound a bit eerie if you whistle at night to some. Perhaps even ghostly!
It's the ghost for you but mine is snake.......hahaha!
thing about the do/dont tradition is it base on observation and doesnt necessarily have scientific explanation or prove (ie if you sing while cooking you will marry an old man) or sometimes made up to scare children into obeying certain thing (if you wake up late the angel will not give you blessing and you will be poor/if you play outside after sunset "sang kelembai" will kidnap you)
@@MagiCaster001
Well..not "Scientific" explanation but "logical" explanation. "Don't sing while cooking..you'll marry an old man", the logical explanation is, you might be dreamy while singing..hence, whatever you're waiting to cook-up will burn.
Pro tips for shoes: look up for a certain style of tying shoe laces that can give you enough grip to be comfortable to walk around but can easily slip it off and on whenever you need to.
Great advice!
Agree i do dat to all my Vans! Yeahh
I do that lol , mine is very unique
Sarawakians or people living in Sarawak on the island of Borneo are ✌ peace loving ❤ 😍 warmth & hospitable people . Though I may be a citizen living in another foreign land, Kuching, Sarawak is where my ❤ heart belongs. Nothing compares to home. It's the uniqueness of the cultures of the Land. Children are taught with proper manners to address the elders, especially anyone who's elderly they encounter to be addressed as 'uncle' or 'aunty' as a form of respect 🙏 this is good manners. Not to offend, the westerners are doing the opposite by calling them names. Till to this day, I still upkeep my culture. I'm glad you've learned a lot these few years. You seem to be a respectable bloke, good on you, keep it up & others 👏 would follow suit.
When you walk pass through anyone for example people sitting on the floor and you dont have enough spaces to walk through them always bend your body a little and ask permission to pass through. Yeah i hope this might help too.
I actually do that now, a slight bow and hand-down movement.
However, if there is food in front of a person, I won't. I'll walk around or ask them to move forward so I can walk behind them. =D
You're so tall and l think you have been bending a lot by now, 🤣🤣🤣
@@GlobalGibbon sound like real good Malaysian to me. Very sopan, very beradab.
Even on bike, bycicle, esp the one you are about to pass seems older, you just said, " jalan dulu ye cik".
Another tips, never argue with Malaysian girl especially your wife bcoz Malaysian ladies always RIGHT even though they do wrong... 😬
That's so true! Wife's are always right - even when they're wrong!
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
@@GlobalGibbon that because they all the time cook. Mean the food is hostage there.
😌😂😂
@@GlobalGibbon because she is the law
yup... i agree, don't whistle at night coz at night the ghost would haunt you... especially if you are at jungle, at remote area... it is a big no no...
I will never do it again! I like my life Ghost-Free!
Im feel confident that u can talk
a little of bahasa sarawak..like malay iban..and bidayuh..BTW im sarawakian..from samarahan..Desa ilmu..hope u enjoy living here in malaysia..(sarawak)
Hey There! I speak a bit of local slang, and some Iban. Unfortunately my Bidayuh is not good, it's such a tough language! Thanks for watching the video!
Never belittle other ethnicity culture, tradition and religion, etc. Just happen recently which goes viral nation wide.
I think that's a great motto to have in life! "Don't belittle people!" =D
@@GlobalGibbon exactly. Things are different from place to place or country to country.
Like those group of European Tourists who stripped naked at the top of Mt.Kinabalu. A month later an Earthquake happened..killed more than a dozen climbers...mostly kids. They got blamed for disrespecting the mountain. It's not even a co-incidence bcos it happened a month later but superstitious folks blamed it on them and sacrificed a Buffolo to appease the Mountain God. Poor Buffolo. It had nothing to do with it. But it got slaughtered.
Thanks Nick. My nephew and I plan to visit Sarawak soon. Practicing these cultural humility approaches are so HELPFUL! Thank you! 🙏🏾
Hi there, Im an Iban. Another advice on Iban taboo; when walking or wondering in the jungle & u smell nice sweet fragrance, dont ever say " wow what is that nice smell?" Why? U might be walking into a trap of unknown entity. Well at least that's what the older generation told me. Thank you for the video, jang ( thats how iban address a younger male person).
Hey there. That's an interesting fact! I'll make sure not to do that!
That's true for most Malays as well especially those who live in kampung. My uncle who lives in a kampung near the forest and sungai Pahang used to always say to me "jangan tegur" if there is a fragrant smell. Meaning don't point it out, just keep it to yourself.
True. Sometimes I could smell sweet fragrance, sweet ripen banana, smell cakes etc...while walking in the deep jungle at my hometown in Sarawak. My mother reminded me not to say anything as she said there might be other entities nearby (Antu Kamba or Antu Sebayan) 🧚🏽♀️🧚🏻♂️👁👁
Chinese believe the same thing too! 😄
I got it😂
Hi Nick, another couple of tips on the subject of hands:
i) Try not to give and/or receive anything with left hand, better use right hand instead. It's a cultural thing and common practice by most muslims, personally I interprete that as a gesture of sincerity.
ii) When pointing direction, don't point towards it using index finger but use the thumb instead especially when interacting on official matter and/or more respectable person. This is a common practice even at high end hotels and other hospitality outlets include that in their training modules. Not an issue at all when dealing with friends though.
Thanks!
Good points indeed! I actually had them written down for this video but they didn't make the top-10 list. Thanks for your comment!
sometimes we may point with our mouth or lips too...
A : where is the counter?
Me : tuuuuu.. (while pointing with lips/mouth/face) 😂😂😂
@@saynurul285 true....🤣🤣🤣 and only with people we close to please..
I as a Malaysian, advice you strongly to never ever EVER cross a person body or food cause that is the ultimate level of disrespect to us. Trust me, this is probably what you want to put as no. 2 or 3 in the list "What's not to do in Malaysia".
(7:39)
Not just in iban comunity nick… but in malay comunity also are not allowed to whistle, especially during evening and night time… same reason with iban..
Interesting! I wasn't aware of that! Thanks for sharing!
@@GlobalGibbon and yet iban and sarawak malay have a same number of similarity words and pronounciafion too… but not much
No whistling inside the house...pantang.
Not just in the long house..whisling is forbidden in whole malaysia
I wouldn't say it's forbidden. There are certain moments you're better off not whistling. 😁
In which to me, feel pretty stupid
Its true..not forbidden in the whole malaysia ..just perhaps in the longhouses or elsewhere or those going into the jungle 🤣 other than dat we do it all the time in our workplaces n even at home
Esp,when there's women around...you never2 whistle. The devil in them will surface ,eating you alive.Actually it's sort of sexual harrasment..BIG NO..
Oh boi I can't stand it when people, especially foreigners, insulting durians. Like I get it, everybody have their own preferences, but you didn't have to act like somebody just smushed a piece of turd on their face after taking a sniff of the fruit? They'd be gagging and complaining and stuff. It's so disrespectful but I can't really say anything cause that'd be rude of me then. Just think about other people's feelings man, it's not that hard to not be insulting. It's not a grave sin ofc, but some people (like me) will definitely get pissed off, not entirely because of the matter (in this case, the matter is about durians) but because of the rude act itself (disrespecting others Lowkey shows that you're a terrible human being)
Just be careful with your words, not just in Malaysia. This should be common sense but I guess not for some people
Respect the local culture!
Durian is sucks
@@opaholdskool8674 no it doesn't! >:(
@@opaholdskool8674 yeah it's suck for you and me, but not for everyone. Don't be a degenerates and push your believe by insulting it like a kid on the comments...
@@opaholdskool8674 i know it really is and my family eat every week,so i need to deal with the smell 🤧 but i never insult it out loud
I think it's a basic common sense to respect every culture every religion in any country. In any Muslim house in any part of the world these are the basic culture not only in Malaysia. U addressed it with lot of respect 👍👍👍.
I'm happy you liked the video. It's indeed important to respect each person and their beliefs.
@@GlobalGibbon that's so kind of you to reply 🙏 waiting for your next video. May you go higher in u tub as far as it could go. God bless you n your family in every way 🤲.
@@sumaiyajafar9989 that's a kind comment! Thanks so much! I love making videos, so I appreciate every view and comment!
In malay we call that "PANTANG LARANG " the forbidden things to do.. actually there were a lots of things..such as, when u eat at someone house or even in restaurant.. if u eat with fork and spoon, don't ever use your left hand to pick food in front of u.. because left hand is consider to do business in toilet so it's inappropriate to use left hand when u eating..
That's right. A left hand should be kept to yourself, and shouldn't touch food!
Okay, I have one, I'm actually Iban myself so in a longhouse, if someone passed away and their body remains in the house (in a coffin of course), you can't sing or listen to music for a month. I'm a city born Iban so I'm not as knowledgeable in knowing why we can't do so but I think it's the same reasoning as to why you can't whistle at night.
Awesome comment! Thanks for sharing. This is good info to know!
...The supernatural in the Iban community especially in the long house that located in the deep jungle is very significant. Because of how old the lands really was. You just don't bring the city habit into the deep forest. Anything could happened to you because there were creatures living in there unseen to the eyes, side by side with the human and the forest dwellers. You live in a different territory already, it's the rule of the community in the jungle. You could feel the dense and colder pressure in the air. You can smell the nature's and goosebumps raised all over your body. That's when you know, you had enter the territory.
Interesting info! Thanks for sharing!
I got the feel that ,someone is watching me..remember that song..when you're in the Malaysia, respect our different culture then you're be just fine.
Just to add..u dont call/greet people who are older then u by their name whether u personally know him/her or just met..Malaysian normally will use bro (abang), sis (kakak), aunt (makcik) or uncle (pakcik) as a show of respect being the older person.
That's it. I have picked up on that over the past years and I call most people Aunty/Uncle now!
I do have issue with malaysian calling me auntie after return from USA😅 but i am still accepting younger calling me that but not those, who has more grey hair than me or about same age or little younger. I went to hospital the guards call me that was awful. 😓
@@peiluchoong Hahaha..I have my nephews and nieces who are about my age. I warned them to stop calling me "uncle" in the public whenever we went for outing.
@@juvi2702 lol 😅🤣🤣😂😂🤣 i had that issue a little bit at first but i ak ok with my nieces and newphew doing it because we call by numbers in family.. Like 3 yi.. So we did call auntie much....
But if someine else children call i felt weird a bit.
You nust be single.. You just ask them call you gor gor..
I advise yhe young one outside who i newly knew call me kakak 😂
Me now in the age of confuse whether to call people kak or aunt cause I am in the middle, my mom is in 60s, so some 40s and 50s grown up just an awkward age. sometimes I call them "cik" short for "makcik" /"pakcik" or aunt, uncle sometimes I call them kak but never abang. Must call encik. hahah. never call a man abang esp someone else husband. For me lah. 🤣
Nick Jansen ..welcome to MALAYSIA..tqsm to tell other country about CAN and CANNOT when in MALAYSIA..take time to learn about MALAYSIA..if u loved stay in MALAYSIA..just apply..i'm humble welcoming u..if this pandamic over..i'm coming u with u wife to JOHOR DARUL TA'ZIM...i stay at BATU PAHAT...
I tip regularly in Kuala Lumpur. I believe in the tourist areas, they are enjoying the tips, especially in the massage shops.
That's great. I believe every person appreciates a tip. I occasionally give someone a personal tip as well - if their service is above expectations.
Ya.. Don't ever wissel at night!!
as my experience it happened twice in my life at my late grandpa house, but i just share 1 of it..
when i was still kid i didn't even know about this forbidden,
and i start playing wissel with my elder sister at 7pm than at 8 or 9.30pm like that suddenly the white snake is already inside our house n I thought it was a lizard..
But i wonder why that lizard it so weird behind the door, but when i realised that is not the lizard tongue, then me and my sister start screaming climb the chair and luckily my late grandpa took the snake and throw it out of the house..
Oh my gosh, that's a scary story! I will not whistle at night anymore!!
Well done Nick! This video is very informative, I like your personal stories!
Anytime the topic of best laksa is brought up, it will inevitably lead to a cold war between Sarawak and Penang 😅 Food is a sensitive topic because Malaysians love food! 😍
basically in Malaysia, we sometimes sit on the floor so there would be no space for walking, what you should do is walk behind them and if there's no space, ask for permission to walk in front of them and bow a bit while crossing. And if there's food in front of them ask permission. they would usually either stand up or move in front a bit so you could walk behind them.
Great advice! I'll use this method in the future!
😂 so true even I don't eat the much I do felt insulted when a foreign friend vomited the durian showing its total stink. So rude
Can't blame that friend either. It's quite hard on the taste buds to some!
@@GlobalGibbon 😓
Still you dont make it a big drama... But anyhow we all just laughed at his reaction and accepting them because they are our guest
I too have started to eat less, not that i don't like the durian. But m worried about the impact the smell of my mouth after it would have on others, coz i know it had a nasty effect on me when somebody else did it. So i would brush my teeth and gargle several times after eating durian. I wouldn't eat durian on the night before a school,/work day coz then Everybody would know i had eaten durian...that's the impact. Brushing teeth once would not suffice if one ate more than 5 pieces of it..That's the impact!!
Well done especially about the Muslim religious sensitivity not to shake hands with someone of the opposite gender.
Thanks! I appreciate your comment!
Nick..what u said in your video are correct in East Malaysia.also apply in West Malaysia.eg..if u want to take photo of a stranger...u must ask permission first,take off shoes before step inside any home...many of our cultures follow eastern value like in Japan....Good of u to know some of our don't do it in whole of Malaysia.Good info for western tourists wanting to visit here after covid pandemic ended....hear from u in next video soon...always ♡ from West Malaysia..June 2021....
Thanks for watching! I appreciate you.
we dont usually whistle in Malaysia (or atleast for me) . it was like calling a bad spirit like satan , ghost or etc . i'm as a muslim from malaysia really agree with all of your statement and all . i really loves your content ! new subscribers here 😃 !
For malay community i think the older generation dont really comfortable with whistling sound. Its very rare to see any malay whistling.
Interesting. I only heard about the taboo from an Iban point of view. I need to do more research on this topic! Thanks for your comment!
My late mom always said that if we whistling , snake will enter the house.. the sound is like u invite them over. ... Huhuhu and I said the same thing to my kids😅😅
2:39 kami pulak hairan tengok orang putih pakai kasut kat dalam rumah
It's very different in The Netherlands, where most people wear shoes in the house!
@@GlobalGibbon why?
@@lukmanramli1344 culture and cold weather
Hi Nick, I would like to explain in a "scientific" way of looking at => not walking between a person and his food
Hey Joleen, thanks for your comment and explanation. It does make a lot of sense to not walk between a person and his/her food! I wouldn't dare doing it again - I learned my lesson the hard way!
hi. It's interesting to see Malaysians from a different oint of view. TQ for sharing. I wish u n yr family a wonderful life here.
Thanks for watching!
Nice video! Cant wait to see more adventure vlogs from you after PKP ends in Sarawak. Keep up the good work!
Thanks for watching! I can't wait to get out and explore again!
it's so funny, the first thing when I arrive in Malaysia is to get a durian fruit, I really love it. Funny that sometimes the local people take photos of me when I'm enjoying my durian...I think I might have such a happy face🤣🤣🤣
So cool! I do wish that I could enjoy durian as well. I always feel left out when my In Laws eat durian. I will try and eat some soon, hopefully my taste has changed!
I think the biggest mistake that tourists make is to smell the fruit first. Those who tend to smell it first make the biggest mistake. Simply ignore all the comments from others about its strong smell. Never smell it first. You just eat it right away. After this personal coaching, I had a person visiting from California eating durian for the first time and fell in love with it right away. Once you acquire the taste, it is like eating a rich vanilla custard. The best part, it is a nutritious fruit and not some artificially made sugary pie that is detrimental to your health.
Few suggestions to add to yr list:
- avoid using yr left hand especially for touching food
- do not point using yr index finger, use yr thumb instead
- do not touch someone's head even jokingly. Unless necessary of coz
About the walking through/between part, the best is to avoid to walk pass. If you can't go around only to walk pass, lowered down your upper body (don't have to be like japanese bow) and say to them excuse me. If it's between a person and his/her food better to wait for permission.
Yep! Lesson learned!
Good Morning Nick.. Malay proverb says 'Dimana Bumi Dipijak Disitu Langit Dijunjung'. Google translation says 'where the earth is at the foot there the sky is at the top', I think it doesn't sounds right,.. anyway in English the proverb is 'When in Rome, Do As The Romans Do'. Stay Safe Bro and keep on introducing Malaysia to the world.
Thanks for your kind words! And thanks for watching the video!
i have gastric too, but i used to learn how to overcome that. Don’t eat durian before took light meal. Bro, you have to enjoy the durian, no excuse hehe. Love Sarawakian from shah alam.
@@GlobalGibbon i love durian but i dont like tempoyak....hmmm
@@window2000 it’s always like that. There are people who loves durian but dislikes tempoyak, and vice versa. I love tempoyak but I can’t eat durian much.
I love your effort to change your position for every different points. I think it takes a lot of effort since you had to adjust the camera every time etc. Anyway it's a good video with a good content. Anyone coming to Malaysia (when the whole lockdown thing is over) should watch this!
Thanks for your comment! I like to use different angles as it makes the video more pleasing to watch. One angle gets a bit boring. =D
Thanks for sharing your list of ten things 'd don'ts' in Malaysia. Thanks for this video.
My pleasure!
@@GlobalGibbon 😀
Hello Nick, Richenel here from Curacao Dutch Caribbean, living for 24 years here in Sarikei, sarawak . Ik heb jouw video gezien, keep it up Nick en groetjes
Hey Richenel, bedankt voor het kijken van mijn video! 24 jaar in Sarikei - Wow!
Setuju. On point
I agree with the photo one! If you want to take pictures of no matter who, where or what, you need and must ask permission!! Bc Malaysian have their Dos and Don'ts (people called it as 'pantang larang').
Imagine you want to take a picture of a trees, a rocks, a places, etc but suddenly a local Malaysian come to you and warned that it's curse, haunted, etc (religion/spiritual beliefs) but you shove it off and take a picture of it anyway. You're not only disrespect their beliefs but you also reserved your name on misfortunes. Other than that, it's impolite bc 'we don't do that here'. In Malaysia, if we respect you, we respect you. And you need to understand that and be humble.
Another thing, Durian. Even as a local malaysian, I don't favor durian that much but I would be offended if people just go and insult the fruit. I mean I would be thinking to myself about that person like "Where are their manner? Don't they know that insulting a food is bad like really bad?? If you don't like it, just leave it alone. No need to puke or gag your throat out! "
Next thing is whistling. Yup, it is wrong to whistle not only in Iban tribe but the whole Malaysia area. It's like a creepy thing to do espicially at night. You might not believe in spirits or bad omens but at least listen to what they warned and told you and respect their culture. The least you can do is having common sense. I mean, we're in the middle of a jungle/forest and out of the blue you starts to whistle. Can you imagine what you just attracted or alerted along the way? We're not alone in this world and there's another creatures or beings out there, living in the smae world as us and can't be seen by naked eyes. It's just creepy, personally. I enjoy the silence while walking out during night (in a village that far from the town) and whistle tunes/sounds really send shivers down my spine if I heard it out of nowhere..
p/s: it's just my opinion as a local malaysian potato-
Whistle also are can't among older malays. But nowsday are very rare to we heard about it. We call it *call for ghost* I'm quite shook when iban also having that.
Interesting!
1.do not make noise while eating
2.don't hold your bestfriend or friends head while joking or laughing.
3.do not dry the cloth at night.
4.do not lying down while sleeping (thats not healthy for ur heart)
5.do not eat from food stuck in the gaps of the teeth
6.don’t call a friend to come to you, but go to the friend you want to talk to.
7.don't talk to strangers like friends. if friends maybe we will be more friendly and less caring behavior. we don't know who the person we're talking to is, so it's better to watch the behavior. because on the basis of respect. not afraid
thats all . sincerely from budak jb .
Do not lay down while sleeping? How do you sleep then, standing up? haha!
Thanks for watching and commenting, I love your comment!
we're same!..im iban but i love to whistle everytime, day and night, my family and friends always told me not to whistle especially at night, but i just can't stop😓
It's addictive! And it makes you feel so happy!
My parents say if you wistle you will call something(some kind of ghost i think?)
Whistling is a taboo for muslim especially at night. Because whistling is like inviting an unknown entity/ghost/supernatural thing to our house. It's a bad habit to have. And also don't laugh out loud at late night. Because who knows what else is surrounding you. This is true story. When I was in uni, my friends and I was in a party mood after final exam. So we all make loud noise and laugh out loud. After we finish laughing, suddenly another voice laugh in creepy sound. We face each other to see who did that, but even if we got quiet, the voice and creepy laughing is still there. We end up reciting Yasiin for 3 days straight to stop this creepy disturbance. This taboo should also be abide when you are in forest, jungle or mountain. When you're inside this area, you are entering the supernatural territory. So you should be careful in what you say and do inside this territory. Some people meet unfortunate accident or getting lost when you're not abiding the law. Even if you can't see this entity, your instinct or body know something is not right when you're inside this kind of territory. Such as you're getting goosebumps even though there is no wind, the area is cold even though the sun is above you. It's hard to explain unless you're experience it yourself. WE should abide this taboo of not whistling or making a lot of noise at late night.
How about this one..Don't leave rice crumbs all over the table..or else when you die, you can't go to heaven till you've found every single crumbs you've left on earth. That's what my parents told us as kids. I think it's just teaching kids not to waste food.. also not be a messy eater.
I was also taught to finish everything from my plate! =D
And more about rice crumb. Do not step on it or else u will get crack on your feet😁 That is why we have to sweep the floor after each meal.
your information very good
Thanks a bunch!
Interesting from your observations. The part where you said not to show too much affection to your partner/wife in public stays true . It actually shows SENSUALITY/AROUSAL and should be done behind closed door/privacy . Holding hands and over shoulder is ok. Glad you understand this and it is also part of being CONSIDERATE to others. I wouldn't feel comfortable seeing couples doing that in public, even among relatives.
The other thing is whistling. I didn't know abt that superstition. Probably more applicable for a horror movie 🤣😅.
Certain things are indeed better to do at home, and not in public. Thanks for watching!
About the whistle.. it's very true , my family is not iban , but we still always like "don't whistle , there will be bad spirit coming".. I never really whistle lol especially at night
Wahh very good tips lah
Thanks! I'm happy you like the video!
That's true, thanks for sharing 😊
Thanks for watching! =D
u r such a good man. the way you presented yr thing is great. you did it with a full respect
Hey Edward. Thanks - I appreciate your comment. I think it's important to be able to talk about everything - but with the utmost respect to other people/cultures.
Very good advice.
Glad it was helpful! =D
When you point, use your thumb not your finger as pointing with the finger is considered bad manners, but not so with the thumb. If you enter the forest, don't say snake or when you enter the sea, don't say shark, but call them by another name. Some of my relations call the Snake, Dayang Ketupong. Also, if you pass the older people, remember to "minta laluan" or ask their permission to use the path, by bending and sticking your thumb out, to show respect. These are some mannerisms from my Malay Sarawakian heritage.
I have questions actually.. Pardon me, I hope this question will not offend ur culture or upbringing.. I've always have this question in my mind & im just curious since we are so used to not wear shoes inside house. How are u maintaining cleanliness of your floors while wearing shoes inside house.. in fact i notice most of your house are with carpets.. do u need to clean (vacuum & sweep) many times a day or your streets and yards are not as many soil or dirty..? This question always pop's in my mind when watching western movies
It's a good question, not offensive at all! We have big floor mats in front of our doors, so we always clean off as much dust as possible from our shoes before entering. It's also normal to vacuum twice per week.
@@GlobalGibbon Wiping off dust is sensible, but what if you accidentally stepped on poo or something then bring it into the house? Eww...
Don't get me wrong, I am friends with a family in The Netherlands, they've adopted the Asian thing: no shoes in da house. Hehe
@@GlobalGibbon ohh okay no wonder.. now i understand. Thank you for explaining. I guess I never see it in movies on this 😅 I really hope to be able to travel (after covid of course) to countries out of Asia to see different cultures & sceneries.
During winter it is very cold, so they wear socks and shoes on even inside the house.
Don't disrespect the durian! LOLZ I appreciate this video because of you I have discovered At Adau - fanatstic music Makes me happy to just hear them - like nothing else on earth. Big love from New Zealand : )
Hey! That's cool! At Adau are a great band!!
About the shake hand among men and woman is about touching between men and women.. women can touch their family and husband, they can touch someone which have same bloodline only. Even cousin are can't
That's right. It's only if they're from the same bloodline. It's quite an interesting topic!
This is great information for people when they once travel to Borneo. Thanks bro for this video, this is great
Thanks! I'm happy you like the video! =D
Yeah .. The last fact is sometime people explain it to another people that by whistling is you calling a ghost town come fine u..
I'll think twice before whistling now!
I love durian but I was in the A&E once after eating durian from school on an empty stomach 😝 still love durian.
Yikes! Durian on an empty stomach is probably not a good idea!
btw whistle not only at night but even day time...is not allow...cause it like you calling ghost/spirit/demon/devil...if their answer you call...it really hard to chase them away...and especially don't whistle at night no matter where you are...if not....goodluck...UwU
I'll whistle a little bit but I'll watch out for ghosts!
The thing I find really interesting about the whole shoes inside, no shoes inside cultural difference is that in Asia, it's no shoes inside but they often don't have carpet whereas in "western" countries we do wear shoes inside but we often have carpet. To me I feel like it should be the opposite 🤣
That's a very good point! Never thought about that! haha
I think because its relatively dirty to wore outside shoes inside our house, we have slipper or flipflop to used indoor. Atleast for me :)
@@aliabu9756 I never thought about it being dirty or not, wearing shoes in the house when I lived in The Netherlands. I only thought about it when I moved to Malaysia, and now it makes sense! Shoes off!
Even if we have carpet inside, still we don't want to make the carpet dirty with the outside dirt.
I get disgusted when I watch movies and people wear shoes in bed! Can't brain it..
We do not insult other Malaysian food, but Sarawak Laksa is still the best.
I also think Sarawak Laksa is the best!
Nick you are such a great person👍. By the way im from Kelantan and so nice to watch your videos.
Thanks for your kind comment! I appreciate it!
Hi there, I’m from Kota Kinabalu Sabah
Hey! I love KK. I can't wait to go back there soon!
Actually if the elders sit or squat, it’s not polite to cross or walk directly infront of them, but between the food also correct. If possible ask permission or go around their back.
That's right. I learned that the hard way!
@@GlobalGibbon just ask tumpang lalu
Maybe need a hour to explain if u want to know what u should do or not 😂😂🤣 U need to find malay Chinese and Indian friends u will understand everything 🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🎉🎉🎉 And have a good day mate Also thank you for ur videos 🤝👌🙌🎉
There are hundreds of unwritten rules, in any country! We learn about them by listening to the folks around us. Thanks for watching!
As a malaysian i only give tips to food riders.
I rarely give tips. Sometimes to food riders, or if a waiter does a real great job!
wow you have been to batang ai?! absolute legend
I have spent a lot of time in Batang AI. I can't wait to visit again soon!
I met an Irish couple in Kampung Budaya (culture village) in kuching during fruits season in Sarawak. I ask them about the local fruits that they like and dislike as well. Then come to the king of the fruit(durian) , the wife mentioned about the smelly thorny friut is weird because of the taste and the smell doesn't blend. Suddenly the husband came and said it's like taking an ice-cream in the toilet. As a local people I looked at his face upon hearing his statement. To me he is insulting not only the small group of people but Malaysian as a whole.
If I have my own list, d top would be, don't disturb your neighbors, referring to loud disturbing annoying noises, ie dogs barking, loud pumping music, noisy motorcycles n cars, constantly hammering, these r some of my current neighbors n passers-by.
Those are indeed very annoying things! Noisy neighbours are annoying!
@@GlobalGibbon Yes, they r indeed annoying n not sensitive to their neighbors. 😀
U are so right.
Thanks for watching!
Dit is waanzin ik moest in Lochem altijd m’n schoenen uit doen. Haha geouwehoer man grappige filmpjes wel keep it up
Haha. Bedankt voor het kijken!
Whenever the aunties walked towards me I would step onto the road and never look them in the eye...Although in Sabah I saw a mentally ill homeless girl and bought lunch for us, , women kept glaring at us angrily for sitting together but I didn’t really care.,,,
Hi Nic? Nick? I once visited New Guinea for a holiday. Whilst exploring Port Moresby, I took a snap of an indigenous man, or it may even been a woman, I couldn’t really tell for certain.
He held out his hand and said ‘money wonton’. I was surprised but gave hime 20c and he was happy.
Just goes to show, eh.
Found this video very informative so if I do eventually come and live in Malaysia I’ll know not what to do.
Hey! Thanks for sharing that story!
Thanks for the tips Nick, all good to know ! BTW, grasmaaier kapot ?
Bedankt voor het kijken! Soms is het gras wat lang, het groeit zo snel hier!
Awesome👍
Im from Zimbabwe and its also bad to whistle at night for the same reason. And its just bad to whistle in a bulding.
Thanks for your comment. I find that interesting! I'm used to whistling all the time and everywhere! 😲
Hi my friend, it was nice advice. I would like to move there from Uk. If you got more advice, let me know thank you.
Check out my other videos! Advice everywhere! 😉
Love your videos
Thanks!!
yeah about whistling every malaysian believe that its a sign of calling the bad spirit. even saying the bad spirit names are also prohibited by our folks , here in sabah , example like "flying headed ghost" (balan2) we use abbreviations of BB coz we believe that if saying it out loud in full is like calling them to come to you , which saying it now i can feel goosebumps, " typical malaysian... and about walking in between the food and person, or anything walking in front of a person whom are sitting down , it is advice to bow while u are walking and at the same time saying "tumpang lalu" ( which means excuse me) , so people might not get offended as you are showing manners and politeness to them especially the elderly.. you can try this Gibbon ..
Thanks for the tip! I now bow a lot when passing people. haha
Big no no no to racist in Malaysia too doesn’t matter where that person come from even us address strangers as abang ( brother), kakak ( sister) uncle or auntie to people more older than us for non Malay , pak cik or makcik for Malay, for younger than us we called them adik ( younger brother or sister) & respect each other is1st priority in Malaysia because Malaysia all about love