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{{Short description|The Malaysia's first people.}}
{{for|the district in Central Java, Indonesia|Keling, Jepara Regency}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2014}}

'''Keling''' ({{IPA-may|kəliŋ|pron}}) or '''Kling''' is a word used in parts of [[Southeast Asia]] to denote a person originating from the Indian subcontinent.<ref name=Minerva>{{cite book| title=Minerva English-Malay Malay-English Dictionary |author=Aiman Mohamad|year=1991 |location=Kuala Lumpur}}</ref> This includes both those from India and [[overseas Indian]]s. In modern colloquial usage it is commonly not capitalised. The term is used in the [[Malay Archipelago]] — specifically [[Malaysia]], [[Indonesia]], [[Singapore]] and [[Brunei]] — but cognates exist in neighbouring countries as well. Although [[Maritime history of Odisha|the early definition]] was neutral and linked to the historical [[Kalinga (historical kingdom)|Kalinga kingdom]] of Eastern India,<ref>{{cite web | title = KBBI - Keling | work = Kamus Besar bahasa Indonesia | url = http://kbbi.web.id/Keling}}</ref> its use in later history came to be perceived as a [[derogatory]] term to refer to [[Indian diaspora|people of Indian descent]], especially in Malaysia.<ref>{{cite news | title = 'Keling' and proud of it | author = M. Veera Pandiyan | work = The Star online | date = 10 August 2016 | url = http://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/along-the-watchtower/2016/08/10/keling-and-proud-of-it-the-k-word-deemed-to-be-derogatory-and-offensive-to-the-indian-community-sinc/}}</ref>

==Etymology==
The word ''Keling'' derives from the ancient [[India]]n kingdom of [[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga]]. While this was apparently sometimes localized as ''Kalingga'' (as in the Indonesian [[Kalingga Kingdom]]), the terminal schwa sound was dropped in common usage to form Keling. Though ostensibly denoting the Kalinga kingdom, the term Keling in ancient Southeast Asia came to be a more general term for [[India]] and its people. The [[Khmer language|Khmer]] word Kleng (ក្លិង្គ) derived from the same root. Prior to the introduction of the English word "India", Keling and [[Jambudvipa|Jambu Dwipa]] were used to refer to the country in the [[Malaysian language|Malay]] and [[Indonesian language]], while ''Benua Keling'' referred to the Indian Subcontinent.

== Usage ==
The earliest known occurrence of the word ''Keling'' appears in the ''[[Sejarah Melayu]]'' (Malay Annals).<ref name="sabrizain">{{cite web|url=http://www.sabrizain.org/malaya/keling.htm|title=A historical perspective on the word 'Keling'|access-date=24 April 2017}}</ref> The legend mentions Raja Shulan as the king of Kalingga who sets out to conquer China with his descendant Raja Chulan. Scholars identify Raja Chulan with the [[Rajendra Chola I|Chola king]] of southern India,<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bMt3BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA147 |title= Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300–1800 |author=John N. Miksic |page=147 |publisher=NUS Press |year=2013 |isbn=978-9971-69-574-3 }}</ref> from whom the term ''Chulia'' derives, as in Penang's Chulia Street. Later parts of the Sejarah Melayu mention the voyages of [[Hang Nadim]] and [[Hang Tuah]] to ''Benua Keling'' (India). However Keling must not be misunderstood as a specific territory, rather it refers to people of Indian origin and not only the inhabitants of [[Kalinga (historical kingdom)|Kalinga]].<ref name="sabrizain"/> For example, a colonial-era Indonesian tradition refers to the [[Ramayana]] epic as ''Rama Keling'' meaning "Rama the Indian".<ref name=Ramayana>{{cite book| title=The Ramayana Tradition in Southeast Asia| author=Singaravelu Sachithanantham| author-link=S Singaravelu| publisher=University of Malaya Press| year=2004| location=Kuala Lumpur| isbn=983-100-234-2}}</ref> After the introduction of Islam, Keling sometimes referred specifically to [[Tamils]] or [[Telugu people]] while [[Gujarat]]is and [[Indo-Aryan peoples]] from Pakistan were often confused with ''Parsi'' or Persians.<ref name=Collins>{{cite book |title=Collins Malay-English Dictionary |author=Abdul Rahman bin Yusop |year=1964 |location=Glasgow}}</ref>

The Dutch used the words "Clings" and "Klingers" to refer to the Indian inhabitants of Malacca. The British colonial writings also use the word "Kling" to describe the immigrants from [[Madras Presidency]] and [[Coromandel coast]].<ref name="sabrizain"/> [[John Crawfurd]] (1856) mentioned that the term "Kling" was used by the Malays and the Javanese as "a general term for all the people of Hindustan ([[North India]]), and for the country [[List of regions of India|India]] itself".<ref>{{cite book |author = John Crawfurd |author-link = John Crawfurd | title = A descriptive dictionary of the Indian islands & adjacent countries | publisher = Bradbury & Evans | year = 1856 | page = [https://archive.org/details/ldpd_6769878_000/page/n203 198] | url = https://archive.org/details/ldpd_6769878_000 }}</ref>

The 16th-century Portuguese traveller Castanheda wrote of the Keling community in Melaka in the period between 1528 and 1538:<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.511654|quote=Castanheda rich.|title=Foreign Notices of South India: From Megasthenes to Ma Huan|first=Kallidaikurichi Aiyah Nilakanta|last=Sastri|date=1 January 1939|publisher=University of Madras|access-date=24 April 2017|via=Internet Archive}}</ref>

<blockquote>
In the northern part [of the city of Malacca] live merchants known as Quelins [Klings — a name applied to South Indians]; in this part the town is much larger than at any other. There are at Malacca, many foreign merchants ...
</blockquote>

In its early usage Keling was a neutral term for people of Indian origin,<ref name="WDL">{{cite web |url = http://www.wdl.org/en/item/555/ |title = Malaysian Indians |website = [[World Digital Library]] |date = 1890–1923 |access-date = 30 May 2013 }}</ref> but was perceived negatively beginning in the 20th century due to various socio-political factors. From the mid-1900s, words denoting ethnic origin were used derogatively in Malay to imply immigrant status. Consequently, more neutral language was adopted. This can be observed in the book ''Cherita Jenaka'', where the term ''orang Keling'' (Keling people) in the 1960 edition was changed to ''orang India'' (Indian people) in the 1963 edition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mcp.anu.edu.au/N/CJen_bib.html|title=Malay Concordance Project, Cerita Jenaka. bibliography|publisher=Australian National University|access-date=24 April 2017}}</ref>

===Malay===
The word ''Keling'' has been used variously within the Malay community to mean Indian, Tamil, or south Indian. The title "Kapitan Keling" was used for a representative of an Indian community, similar to the "[[Kapitan Cina]]" of a Chinese community. In early [[Penang]] of the 1790s the ''Kapitan Keling'' was [[Cauder Mohideen]] who, together with the Kapitan Cina [[Koh Lay Huan]] and other prominent members of the community, formed the first Committee of Assessors to decide the rates and collection of taxes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/8/3/lifefocus/1613963&sec=lifefocus|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717020615/http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/8/3/lifefocus/1613963&sec=lifefocus|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 July 2012|title=Recipe for rebellion: THE THIRD SPACE By NEIL KHOR and KHALDUN MALIK, The Sunday Star Sunday 3 August 2008|access-date=24 April 2017}}</ref> This usage is preserved is the name of the [[Kapitan Keling Mosque]], a prominent Penang landmark.

In many modern cases ''Keling'' is used as a derogatory term.<ref name="WDL"/> It was used in 2005 by [[Parliament of Malaysia|Members of Parliament in Malaysia]] because of misconception about Indian ethnics, which resulted in an uproar accusing the MPs of racism.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.malaysia-today.net/Blog-e/2005/10/keling-apim-lodges-police-report.htm |title=Archived copy |access-date=2005-12-19 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051101055602/http://www.malaysia-today.net/Blog-e/2005/10/keling-apim-lodges-police-report.htm |archive-date=1 November 2005 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

The definition of the word may vary from one Malaysian state to another. In [[Kedah]], for example, the term is mainly used to refer to Muslims of Indian descent (In [[Selangor]], the word ''Mamak'' is used to refer to an Indian Muslim).

===Javanese===
Traditionally in [[Java]], [[Indonesia]], Keling is linked with India while Kalingga refers to the 6th century [[Kalingga Kingdom]], which ultimately derived from the Indian [[Kalinga (historical kingdom)|Kalinga]] kingdom. It can possibly have other meanings, such as "ship". [[Rivet]]s used to connect metals are called ''paku keling'' (lit. "blunt nail"); however, it came from Dutch ''klinknagel''.<ref>{{ cite web | title=Keling | publisher=Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia (KBBI) | url=http://kbbi.web.id/Keling | language=id | access-date=1 August 2014}}</ref> In modern [[Indonesian language#Colloquial Indonesian|colloquial Indonesian]], it is sometimes used to refer to any dark-skinned person, a stereotype of southern Indians,<ref>{{ cite web | title=Definisi 'keling' | publisher=Arti Kata | url=http://artikata.com/arti-333898-keling.html | language=id | access-date=1 August 2014}}</ref> though this usage is considered offensive.

===Philippine===
For the southern Philippines, it has been suggested that the sobriquet "Kiling", which referred to the name of a local Rajah ([[Rajahnate of Butuan|Rajah Kiling of Butuan]]), is not Visayan in origin but rather, Indian, because Kiling refers to the people of India among the Mindanaoans.<ref>Eric Casino. "The Barangays of Butuan: Lumad Mindanaoans in China and the Sulu Zone". Asia Mindanaw: Dialogue of Peace and Development (2014): 2.</ref>

===Cambodian===
In Cambodia, the slang term for Indian people is ''Kleng'' (ក្លិង្គ),<ref>Headley, RK et al, [http://www.sealang.net/khmer/dictionary.htm "SEALang Library Khmer"], ''SEALang Library'', 1977</ref> also derived from the kingdom of Kalinga and cognate with the Malay Keling or Kling. It may also be used as a nickname for people who have stereotypically Indian features such as big eyes and dark skin.<ref>Vorng Vanny, [https://books.google.com/books?id=DZhNDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT269&lpg=PT269&dq=cambodia+kleng+indian&source=bl&ots=lDTcXlz5ZR&sig=3wQoxaSWDi2scUsKcUxXwOsFwpk&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwixmuzxz8XdAhXF34MKHcdlDBo4FBDoATABegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=cambodia%20kleng%20indian&f=false ''Heartbreaking: A Survival Memoir''], New York, Page Publishing, Inc, 2018</ref>

===Thai===
The equivalent of Keling in the [[Thai language]] is ''Khaek'' (แขก). It is a generic term referring to anyone from South Asia. The term generally has no negative connotation and is used even in polite or formal communication. However, outside influence and confusion with Mughals and Indian Muslims has broadened the meaning in modern times to include certain predominantly Muslims communities, particularly Persians and Arabs. This extended meaning is considered inaccurate and at times rejected as derogatory, especially by Thai Muslims, but has become increasingly widespread.

===Chinese===
The phrases ''Keling-a'' ([[Hokkien]]; 吉寧仔; [[Pe̍h-ōe-jī|POJ]]: ''Ki-lêng-á''<ref>{{cite book |last1=Tan |first1=Siew Imm |title=Penang Hokkien-English Dictionary |date=2016 |publisher=Areca Books |url=https://arecabooks.com/product/penang-hokkien-english-dictionary/ |access-date=21 August 2019}}</ref>), ''Keling-yan'' ([[Cantonese language|Cantonese]]; 吉寧人; [[Yale romanization of Cantonese|Yale]]: ''gat-lìhng-yan''),([[Hakka language|Hakka]]; 吉灵仔 ''git-lin-zai''); and ''Keling-kia'' ([[Teochew dialect|Teochew]]) are frequently used within the Chinese community in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore.
The Hokkien and Teochew suffixes ''-a'' and ''-kia'' are diminutives that are generally used to refer to non-Chinese ethnic groups, while the Cantonese "-yan" means "people".

==Names of places==
Various place names in Malaysia contain the word Keling for historical reasons, e.g. Tanjong Keling.,<ref>{{cite journal|jstor=1177834|title=The Malay-Tamil Cultural Contacts with Special Reference to the Festival of "Mandi Safar"|first=S.|last=Singaravelu|author-link=S Singaravelu|journal=Asian Folklore Studies|date=1 January 1986|volume=45|issue=1|pages=67–78|doi=10.2307/1177834}}</ref> Kampong Keling,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7483|title=Archnet|access-date=24 April 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929132105/http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7483|archive-date=29 September 2008|df=dmy-all}}</ref> and Bukit Keling, etc.

In Penang, the [[Kapitan Keling Mosque]], situated on the corner of Buckingham Street and Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling (Pitt Street), is one of the oldest mosques in [[George Town, Penang|George Town]]. Various other Penang Hokkien street names contain the word ''Keling'', e.g. Kiet-leng-a Ban-san (Chowrasta Road), Kiet-leng-a Ke (King Street/Market Street).

In [[Singapore]], there is a road in Jurong Industrial Estate called Tanjong Kling Road which is probably derived from the word 'Keling'.

In [[Jepara Regency]], [[Central Java]], Indonesia, there is a district called [[Keling, Jepara Regency|Keling]]. Locals link the location with the 6th century [[Kalingga Kingdom]]. In [[Surabaya]], [[East Java]], Indonesia, there is a place called Pacar Keling meaning "Keling lover".

==See also==
; Maritime history
*[[Maritime history of Odisha|Kaling invasion of Southeast Asia]]
*[[Kalinga (historical region)|Kalinga historical region of India]]
*[[Kalingga Kingdom|Kalingga Hindu Kingdom of Indonesia]]
*[[Kalinga (province)|Kalinga province of Philippines]]
*[[Kalinga alphabet|Kalinga alphabet of India]]

; Persecution
* [[Bumiputera (Malaysia)|Bumiputera Policy]]
* [[Hinduism in Malaysia#Persecution of Hindus|Persecution of Hindus in Malaysia]]
* [[Racism in Malaysia|Racism against non-Muslims in Malaysia]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [[List of regions of India]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130226054454/http://www.visvacomplex.com/Keling_English_Version.html Dr. S. Jayabarathi from Malaysia's article on KELING]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070920080551/http://www.ipoh-online.com.my/editorial/ Racism and the Word "Keling"]

{{Ethnic slurs}}

[[Category:Anti-Hindu sentiment]]
[[Category:Anti-Indian sentiment in Asia]]
[[Category:Ethnic and religious slurs]]
[[Category:Indonesian culture]]
[[Category:Malaysian culture]]
[[Category:Racism in Asia]]
[[Category:Tamil diaspora in Asia]]

Keling - Revision history

CleanupBot at 03:37, 11 December 2022