K Wher R e Hist I ory SSpea T ks in A a Uniqu N e Tongu G e
COVER PAGE
COPYRIGHT PAGE
Dedicated To
SANTA MARIASARA FRADERICA
THESEIRAMARTIN
CONT01 02 INTRODUCTION LANGUAGE
ENTS03 04 CULTURE CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION 01
The Portuguese Settlement in Melaka, established in the early 16th century, holds historical ties to Portuguese colonizers. This gave rise to Kristang, a unique Creole language shaped by Portuguese-Malay interactions. The town's language combines Portuguese words and Malay syntax, showcasing the region's diverse cultural heritage. Despite a decline in Kristang usage, preservation projects aim to protect its linguistic and cultural legacy. Most Portuguese descendants reside in Ujong Pasir, Melaka, at the Portuguese Settlement. They celebrate holidays centered on fishermen's lives, traditions, livelihoods, and their Catholic faith. The Portuguese greatly influenced the region's multicultural heritage through interactions with the indigenous population. For a deeper understanding of Kristang Creole and Malacca's people in Malaysia, explore more in this book. KRISTANG
TROPA DE SANTA MARIA - Dance Troupe Dancers
Mrs. Sara teaching the Kristang language
Mrs. Sara showcasing the traditional dresses
Our team members trying out Kristang’s traditional clothes
LANGUAGE
Kristang and Portuguese are different languages. Kristang is a Creole originating in Malacca, blending words from Malay, Chinese, Dutch, English, and more with Portuguese. In contrast, Portuguese stems from Latin, with loan terms from Arabic, French, and English. Kristang has a basic grammar, while Portuguese has a sophisticated system. Kristang's phonetic system is simpler, making it easier for speakers, while Portuguese has a wider range of sounds, including nasal vowels.
S E N T E N C E S T R U C T U R E
In Kristang, lines usually have a subject, verb, and object (SVO) order, which is the same as in English. "Eu Canta Cancon" here means "I sing a song." "Ta" means "doing" and "Ta Faseh" means "I'm doing."
Collection of Kristang’s related books and magazines showed by Mr. Martin
In Kristang, you can ask questions in two ways: Placing a "ka" at the end of a line makes it a yes or no question. For more detailed questions, words like "ku" (who), "kuma" (what), "kandu" (when), and others can start the sentence to create a "WH" question. MAKINGAQUESTION ?
Where Are You Going: “Undi Bos Ta Bai?” How Are You?: “Teng Bong?” I’m Fine: “Yo Bong” What Is Your Name?: “Ki Bos Sa Nomi?” My Name Is Wan: “Yo Sa Nomi Wan” Picture of Mrs. Sara with her dancers.
Kristang uses tenses to show things that have happened, are happening, or will happen in the future. These are made up of extra verbs or words. "Eu Come" means "I eat" in the present tense, "Eu Come Naonti" means "I ate" in the past, and "Eu Vai Come" means "I will eat" in the future. TENSES
These examples were taken from the book, The story of PEDRO THESEIRA The Fisherman written by Martin Theseira.
ADVERB & ADVERBIAL PHRASES
You can put adverbs and adverbial phrases anywhere in a sentence, but most of the time you put them at the start or end. "Lentamente Eu Canta Cancon" translates to "I sing a song slowly, " with the article "lentamente" serving as the conjunction.
Mr. Martin showing Melaka’s past musicians Mr. Martin explaining about Kristang community’s main occupation (fisherman)
In Kristang, stress rhythms are mostly borrowed from Portuguese, typically falling on the second-to-last letter of a word. The way phonemes are formed in Kristang is quite similar to languages with Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order. WORD STRESS & INTONATION
Mrs. Sara teaching Kristang language
"Cristang" refers to the people who live in Kristang. "Batik" is the word for an Indonesian native fabric. "Kwasa" means "Church." "Tua-ku" is a word for Our Lord in English. “Yo Amor Kum Bos” means “I Love You”. “Bong Natal” is used to express “Merry Christmas”. “Bong Anu Nubu” means “Happy New Year”. (The phrases were taken from The story of PEDRO THESEIRA The Fisherman written by Martin Theseira) In the Kristang community, people often use various words and terms in their conversations. For example, "Sai Tenda" can mean both "to break the news" and "to reveal a secret." Similarly, "Padri" means "priest," and you can use "Iglesia" or "Krúxi" for "church" or "cross." These words are rooted in the Catholic faith of the Kristang community WORDS & PHRASES
Performances and behind the scene