Type of Austronesians

Austronesian people are connected by the languages they spoken. It is one of the largest language family in the world which covered two great oceans and largest archipleago in the world; from Madagascar to Easter island at the coast of Chile, from Taiwan to New Zealand, including the maritime South East Asia. Austronesian expansion was one of the greatest achievement in term of human migration, with Austronesian people was the first people to master the sea and ocean. 

With the large area, it is unavoidable to have different subgroups within the people. This classification is just a rough grouping that lumps etnics that shared striking similarities more than other in a group.

1. Islamised Austronesian 

– The prototype of this group would be Malay. 

– Other ethnics that may fall into this group are Tausug, Minang, Aceh, Bugis and many more.

2. Indianised Austronesian 

– Balinese would be the ideal ethnic to represent this group, given that the only island with predominantly Hindus in Nusantara is Bali. 

– Other ethnics may had been deeply influenced by Indian culture even though they are not practising Hindus anymore. Example Javanese and Sundanese. 
3. Mainlander Austronesian

– Cham is the best example for this group. They had been living side by side with other mainlander groups such as Thai, Khmer, Viet for thousands of years that they develop their own ‘cultural sprachbund’ through sharing of cultures and values. 

– Other ethnics that may show trait of this group are Patani Malay and Kedahan Malay. 

4. Tribal Austronesian

– Dayak would be the largest division inside this group which called for being the representator of this group, despite it not being ethnically accurate. 

– The main features of this group are strong animistic values, tribal lifestyle and motives, least affected by foreign influences and close-knit societal structure. 

– Other ethnics are Dusun of Sabah, Lumad of Mindanao, Igorot of Luzon, Batak of Sumatra, Toraja of Sulawesi and many more. 

5. Westernized Austronesian

– Filipino is the typical model for westernised Austronesian. They are greatly influenced by Spanish that it was entrenched deep in their root. 

– Other ethnics are Timorese, Ambonese, and Visayan.

6. Melanesic Austronesian

– Maluku various ethnics grouped under this category, given their strike difference in phenotypic features and even linguistic. It is believed that the Austronesian sailors set up colonies in the region thus allowing genetic flow in between the Austronesian people and the Melanesian people.  

7. Sinicised Austronesian 

– Taiwanese abroginal groups fit the best under this heading given the strong pressure from majority Han Chinese residing their island for assimilation. 

– Other than that, Pangasin and Ivatan of the Philippines showed degree of sinicisation with Pangasinan being a Huangdom once upon a time.

8. Afro-Austronesian

– Madagascar is the only country in Africa which spoken Austronesian languages. The Austronesian sailors arrived in the east coast of Africa and built settlement. 

– Currently, Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar with ethnic Merina predominant in politics and upper class. 

9. Pacific Austronesian 

– This includes Polynesian, Micronesian and eastern Melanesian like Fijian. 

– Their cultures are mainly islandic types and their physique are slightly larger than those from south east asia. 

Beka Melayu: Pengenalan

Sebelum ini amba telah membawa gagasan ‘lidah Malayaw’, semacam suatu langkah pemolosan dan mendekatkan ‘bahasa Melayu’ ke akarnya, rumpun Nusalatan (Austronesia). Namun, ‘bahasa Melayu’ telah ribuan tahun berakar umbi dan merimpang di tanah leluhur ini, iaitu Ranah Melayu, dan sewajarnya berhalakan atau bertunjangkan kepulauan Melayu itu sendiri. Gagasan ini tidak menolak hubungan kekulaan antara orang Melayu dan penduduk biang Formosa, mahupun pendiam pulau-pulau di Lautan Teduh. Namun, ungkayah ini lebih menumpukan pembangunan dan perlesatarian ‘bahasa Melayu’ di lingkungan setempat. Oleh itu, permadahan ‘bahasa Melayu’ mahupun ‘lidah Malayaw’ kurang berperi setempat dan permadahan baharu menjadi satu keperluan. Permadahan ‘beka Melayu’ kelihatan cocok dan padan dengan arah tuju ungkayah ini. Beka diambil daripada madah lama dalam beka Melayu sendiri yang membawa paran cakap kahau sidang. Beka Melayu menjadi satu cetusan untuk penggiat beka dalam membawa beka Melayu pulang ke lubuknya setelah terlalu jauh bertualang ke mudik asing.  Perlahan-lahan, pengaruh dan madah asing dalam beka Melayu dapat dikikis dan madah-madah lama mahupun setempat dapat dipakai dan ditenarkan kembali. Semoga sinar beka Melayu kembali bergemerlapan di rantau ini mahupun di persada kalangbayan. Ungkayah mengangkat beka Melayu bukan satu angkapan lapuk mahupun sia-sia namun satu bereja yang memerlukan sokongan padu dari setiap penutur biang beka Melayu. Diingatkan kembali yang beka Melayu pernah menjadi beka penengah di kepulauan ini, tidak kira dari bayan atas angin mahupun bayan bawah angin. Bahkan di wayah ini, beka Melayu menduduki tempat kelapan dalam senarai beka-beka yang mempunyai hitungan penutur terbanyak di dunung. Sesungguhnya, beka Melayu bukanlah beka picisan kahau enteng terpojok di ceruk-ceruk rimba dan kampung baih. Beka Melayu raya di seluruh buana.

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