Brunei - Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette

Facts and Statistics

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy Population: 381,371 (July 2008 est.)

Ethnic Make-up: Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2004 est.)

Religions: Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%

Government: constitutional sultanate

Language in Brunei

There are a multitude of languages spoken in Brunei. The official language of the state of Brunei is Standard Malay. This came into force on 29th September 1959, with the signing of Brunei 1959 Constitution.

English is also widely used as a business and working language. It is also the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education. Other languages spoken in Brunei include the Chinese, Indian and Native languages spoken by the minority ethnic groups.

Bruneian Society and Culture

The Family

The family is the focal point of the social structure. The Bruenian family is the extended family and includes aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as close friends. Members of the extended family are expected to remain loyal to each other and the family.

As a result of this Brunei is a hierarchical culture. Age and position are revered. From a young age, children are taught to subjugate their own desires for the good of the entire family and to respect elders without question. In addition they also learn that it is through family support that they accomplish goals.

The Concept of Face

The role of face, shame and honour is crucial to Bruneians. Consequently they are very polite and well-mannered. Maintaining face is of upmost importance and they do their best not to cause issues or problems which could jeopardize this. In order to maintain face their communication style is very indirect and can come across as somewhat ambiguous to those from a culture where direct communication is the norm. By being indirect Bruneians avoid embarrassing another person, which would cause that person to lose face. Most Bruneians find emotions such as impatience, anger, or irritation embarrassing and try to avoid them since expressing them could result in a loss of face and disharmony.

Religion

Most Bruneians are Muslims and as such their lives revolve around the duties afforded to them by Islam. Alcohol is banned from the country however pork is allowed for non-Muslims. Gender relations are also governed by Islamic principles and etiquette. Shaking hands across genders is rare.

Bruneians practice a devout but tolerant brand of Islam, which includes devotion, yet allows other faiths and beliefs.

Muslims must pray five times a day – at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. Friday is the Muslim holy day. Everything is closed. Many companies as well as government offices also close on Sunday and Saturday afternoon.

During the fasting month of Ramadan, government staff works a six-hour day and entertainment and sporting activities are suspended. The Sultan encourages the recital of the Quran each morning prior to the start of work to obtain Allah’s blessing and guidance.

The Monarchy

Bruneians are proud to have centuries of royal heritage and to be the only remaining Malay Islamic Monarchy in the world. The Sultan of Brunei comes from a family line that dates back to 1405. In 1967 His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah was made the 29th ruler of Brune and led the country’s independence from the United Kingdom in 1984.

Etiquette and Customs in Brunei

Meeting Etiquette

o The common greeting depends upon the ethnic origin and the age of the person.
o In general, many men you meet will have adopted the western concept of shaking hands, although this is not always the case with older Bruneians or with women.
o Ethnic Malay men shake hands with one another, but men and women do not traditionally shake hands.
o Younger Bruneians may shake hands with foreign women or they may merely bow their head in greeting.
o It is considered respectful to bow your head when someone who is senior to yourself in age or position.
o It is considered disrespectful and rude to stare into another person's eyes, particularly those of a person who is senior to you in age or status.

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 855