Cultural Diversity in Dramatherapy in the Malaysian Context

Abstract

This paper discusses the practice of dramatherapy in the past 4 years in the Malaysian context. Malaysia is a culturally diverse country. There are three different ethnicities in Malaysia: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The most common religions practiced in Malaysia include Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism. In the past decades there have been migrations from other Asian countries, as well as an increase in foreign students and expatriates. This paper discusses the different perceptions and reactions of clients of these various ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds. The author discusses the reactions of the employing organization, when she used Hindu mythology in a country where the official religion is Islam. Some of her work with international students, who bring a different set of cultural issues and richness to dramatherapy, is also explored. The author is Malaysian, trained as a dramatherapist in the UK, then returned to establish dramatherapy practice in her birth country.