Know Our Ancestors in Southeast Asia: From Empires to Identities
Know Our Ancestors in Southeast Asia: From Empires to Identities Know Our Ancestors in Southeast Asia: From Empires to Identities By Amarjeet Singh @ AJ Consulting • Updated: 3 November 2025 Southeast Asia is a civilisation of connections. For two millennia, this region has welcomed ideas and peoples from India, China, Arabia and later Europe—absorbing Hindu-Buddhist thought, embracing Islam, and adapting to the colonial economy. The result is today’s living mosaic: Malays, Indians (including Tamils and Sikhs), Chinese, Arabs, Portuguese-Eurasians, and Africans. Contents Hindu–Buddhist Foundations (1st–13th c.) The Islamic Transformation (13th–17th c.) Colonial Arrivals & Economic Shifts Indian & Sikh Contributions Chinese Contributions Shared Heritage: Indonesia & Malaysia Mind-Opening Questions Refere...