Demographics
Gopeng is made up of a multi-cultural society with majority of Gopeng's residents are Chinese. It is believed that there are more than 100,000 people consisting the Semai, Melayu (Perak), Rawa, Mandiling, Chinese (Cantonese), Tamils and the Punjabis, reside in Gopeng.
The once booming tin mining industry attracted many Chinese immigrants to live and work in Gopeng along with the British occupation of Tanah Melayu. The huge influx of Chinese migrants dwarfed the local Malays population. There are also significant numbers of people of Indian descent (mainly Tamil), Malay and Orang Asli (Peninsular Malaysia's indigenous people) living in Gopeng.
Gopeng is well known nationwide for its Rawa community which is believed to be the center of the Rawa in Malaysia. There are a significant number of Rawa descendants reside in Gopeng. From Kampung Gunung Mesah Hulu and Kampung Gunung Mesah Hilir to Kampong Rawa, Kampung Jelintoh to Kota Baru Estate, the Rawa people resides here for centuries, long before the tin mines were established. Gopeng is actually the name of the town center, not the entire area. Earlier settlements such as Sungai Itik, Jahang, Kampong Pulai, Gunong Mesah, Gunong Panjang, Culik and dozens of other settlements were opened by Rawa and Mandailing settlers centuries earlier.
The Rawa people are sub-ethnic from the larger group of the Malay Race (bangsa Nusantara) who speaks with a noticeable different form of language from the standard Bahasa Melayu (Malay Peninsula Standard), similar to the other variations of Bahasa Melayu dialects around Malaysia like the Northern, Perakian, Sarawakian, Kelantanese and the Minang (Negeri Sembilan). The Rawa dialect is well preserved in Gopeng for many of its Rawa residents is very concern for conserving the Rawa dialect. The Rawa people speaks Rao Language with a certain words and dialect resembles the Negeri Sembilan's Minangkabau community. Many would generally presumed that the Rawa people is the Jawa, apparently these two community are essentially different, culturally.
The Rawa people and the Rawa dialect are thriving in almost every Rawa settlements in Gopeng, very genuine and exclusive Rawa dialect could be found in villages neighboring the Gopeng town area. Famous cuisine associated with the Rawa is Kelamai, Gulei Lomak Nangko (Gulai Nangka) and Rondang Atok (Rendang Tok) are still available in Gopeng particularly during wedding ceremonies and festive seasons. Among the best known tradition of the Rawa is Adet Berjojak (Adat Berjejak).
Read more about this topic: Gopeng