南非是世界上居民种族成分最复杂的国家之一,在它十五个主要民族和种族中,最小的一支就是开普马来人(Cape Malays)。他们因祖辈的混杂血统而被南非政府列为有色人种中的一支穆斯林民族。几百年来与异族的通婚,使他们原来的纯正马来血统有所改变。但开普马来人仍具有两个与众不同的特点:他们全是逊尼派穆斯林,他们的祖先都是亚洲人。 South Africa is one of the most complex ethnic components of the world’s inhabitants, with the smallest of its 15 major ethnic groups and races being the Cape Malays. They were classified by the South African government as a Muslim nation of people of color because of their mixed ancestry. For centuries, marriages with aliens have changed their original pure Malay descent. But the Cape Malay still has two distinctive characteristics: they are all Sunni Muslims, their ancestors are Asians.