Changes in population and households in a Malay village, 1971-1991

Abstract

The Malay village of Galok in Kelantan was revisited in 1991 to investigate the changes in the population and households in the 20 yr since the first intensive community study was conducted there in 1970/71. Major economic actiities in 1970/71 were paddy cultivation in rain-fed fields, small scale rubber tapping, and newly introduced tobacco cultivation. The village's population increased from 690 in 1971 to 1100 in 1991, and the number of the households from 145 to 211. The village population is still increasing owing to the high fertility. The total number of original residents from 1971, their married-in spouses, and their direct decendants born after 1971 and staying in the village is smaller than the 1971 population. Most migrants are either returning relatives of Galok residents or migrating housholds from less concentiently situated surrounding villages. The kin composition of households was purer in 1991 than 1971 in terms of kin relations, in that they included fewer adopted children and temporary co-residents. More extended family households have been organised. -from Author