CULTURES OF MALAYSIA

phoenix collar to symbolize the power of the feminine phoenix in Peranakan society. On her
neck she wears numerous jewelry and accessories befitting her wealth and status and is
covered from head to toe in the finest garments made of pure chinese silk.

The groom is much less ornate in dressing than the bride but his jacket and hat are that of
the Manchu gentry of Old China. He has an old Chinese fan on his hand and boots as
shoes. The typical Peranakan wedding was a grand affair that consisted of numerous
ceremonies and the accompaniment of an ancient Chinese orchestra. Like all other
Chinese communities the Peranakan Chinese community practiced the age old tradition of
matchmaking their children. Peranakan boys and women were not allowed to mingle freely
and were secluded from each other until they were married off by their elders. Peranakan
women in days of yore could only travel outside their homes if a female relative
accompanied them. Inspite of such matchmade marriages, family matrimonial harmony and
a good strong family environment was present and helped in the continuance of Peranakan
traditions and community bonding that is sadly lacking in the Peranakan community of
today.

Prenuptial Procedures: Although the traditional wedding runs for twelve days as mentioned
earlier, pre-nuptial procedures are to be observed four days before the actual wedding day.
They begin with the presentation of the birth certificates “Sang Jee” & preparation of the
bridal chamber “Ann Ching”, On this day at the chosen time, bananas, yams & citronella
plants (serai) are placed under the bridal bed by a young boy “Koo Yah” who is privileged to
roll thrice on the bridal bed for the first time.

On the next two days relatives come to give a helping hand for the preparation of wedding
decorations & food. These days are therefore referred to as “Peeling of Onions” &
“Pounding of Flour” respectively. The bride-to-be is made to sit in the bridal chamber like a
bride but with a slight difference — in that she is dressed up in a costume “Hock Chiew”
which is not so heavily embroidered as the Wedding Costume “Koon Hoe” & she is also not
allowed to put on the front piece of the Head-dress known as “Pak Sian’. This gives her the
opportunity to get used to the heavy Head-dress & costumes with all the finery & also to
practice the ceremonial movements & gestures under the guidance of expert mistress of
ceremonies “Sangkeh mm”.

On the eve of the Wedding besides mid-day luncheon or dinner being given “Chia Lang
Khek” the gifts for the bride & groom-to-be are exchanged. The elaborately decorated gifts”
displayed on brass trays are carried in procession between the two homes. They consist of
twelve different gifts such as two pairs of candles with symbols of dragon & phoenix, nnggit
(silver coins painted with red dots in the center), pig’s legs, cockerel & chicken, a pair of
shoes for each with materials or dresses, rings, ang-pow, 8 betel nuts (painted in gold)
wine, rock sugar, dried “Mata kuching” fruits, a pair of oranges and pomegranates and half

a dozen tins of Chinese delicacies.

The Cheo Thau ceremony is one of the most important ceremonies and marks the first
occasion when the bride and bridegroom will wear their authentic wedding robes. The
actual wedding ceremony will only take place before noon that day, after the Cheo Thau
ceremony. This ceremony is one of great fanfare where the groom heads a procession of
seronnee (a musical instrument), musicians, men carrying umbrellas, and lanterns. The
whole troop will then proceed to the bride’s residence after a series of rituals at his home.
The father then prays at the High Altar and offers wine to God, the Creator, by pouring wine
four times on the floor. Following this he offers a sip of wine from the same cup to his
beloved daughter who is now a woman (no longer a child under his care ). The bride is then
veiled by both her parents, a ceremony which often brings tears to the eyes of all concerned
and thereafter she awaits the coming of the groom. The Malay "Sembah Mak Bapak" or the
honoring one of one's parents in the old malay style would be performed.
Chin Pang Ceremony: Next, follows the Chin Pang Ceremony which marks the first meeting
between the couple where the bride would lead the groom into the bridal chamber where he
would unveil her. Together they would be served tea and a bowl of kueh ee – small white
and red dumplings in a sweet broth. The arrival of the groom is announced by the sound of
crackers “Seroni” music and the sound of gongs. He is accompanied by a couple of gong
beaters “Pak Kim” and a couple of Best Men “Puah Kiah”as well as a Master of
Ceremonies. Having been greeted by the members of the bride’s family with a shower of
saffron rice and perfume, the bridegroom is met at the entrance of the house by a page-boy
“Koo Yah” who offers him an orange and he in return offers a red packet as a toll. The
bridegroom and his retinue are ushered by the bride’s father into the house where they are
offered tea and noodles “Mee Swa”. The Master of Ceremonies then leads the bridegroom
to the entrance of the inner hall and summons the bride by reciting a proverb and she

advances to the door but does not pass through it. The two Best Men are then driven out.

Nowadays, the principal ceremonies mentioned above, which were formerly performed on
12 different days , are carried out in 1 day. Even so they still retain their significance and
add grandeur to a marriage. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find experts who
remember the details of the various procedures and ceremonies and are able to assist. But
we all hope that these traditions will never die in Melaka as it has in Singapore, Penang &
most of Indonesia.

A Pak Chindek, and a Sang Kek Um (the wedding masters and mistresses respectively) are
most often required because traditions become so complex that weddings need to be
orchestrated by wedding specialists. The third ceremony takes place in the bridalchamber.
This is called chianh sia. This ceremony is amusing and unique because friends and guests
of the bridegroom would gather in the room and tease the bride with the hope of inducing
laughter from the bride. And if the bride does indeed break out into uncontrollable fits of
laughter, the unfortunate groom would have to treat all the guests to dinner.

The finale of the wedding ceremony, would be the dua belas hari or Twelfth Day ceremony,
where the marriage would be conformed and approved by proof of the bride’s virginity.
Firstly, the bride’s parents would invite the bridegroom’s mother to inspect the bloodstain
cloth. She would be invited to perform a test by squeezing lime juice on the blood stain cloth
in hope of ascertaining the authencity of the stain. However, she would normally refrain
from performing the test as it would also demean the bride.

WEDDING BANQUETS & FOOD

Among the array of wedding foods is the quintessential Nasi Lemak. This rice dish cooked
in rich coconut milk is served during the wedding feast. Duabelas Hari is traditionally held
on the 12th (last day) of the entire wedding celebration. It is a special feast marking the
important occasion of verifying the bride's virginity / purity on the night of consumation. The
nasi lemak is prepared by the groom's family and is presented to the bride's family only
when all are in happy agreement. This signifies that all is well. Duabelas Hari is held at the
groom's house, consumed in Tok Panjang style of the Babas, meaning guests take turns to

eat at the dinner table.

Nasi Lemak is served commonly with 24 dishes including the must-have sambal serving.
This symbolizes the harmony of a successful match between the newlyweds. Other
wedding foods also include Apom Bok Kwa and Nasi Ulam. If there is too much food,
leftovers are packed in colorful and gaudy tengkas (tiffin carriers) for family members and
guests to take home. Nowadays, the Duabelas Hari is almost a thing of the past as the
younger generation thinks it is a waste of money and time. Most prefer the short cut of
quicker wedding celebrations

In today’s fast-paced and modern society, it is disheartening to see the lavish and elaborate
Peranakan wedding fast vanishing. Few young Peranakans these days are interested in
going through the laborious twelve-day wedding ceremony and very few older generation
Peranakans can remember accurately the complex procedure and rituals associated with it.
Therefore, what we can do now is only to preserve the unique bridal furniture and costumes
as a remembrance of our roots.

1.5.4 FESTIVALS

PERANAKAN FESTIVALS OF OLD

Chinese New Year is the most important day for any Peranakan. It is the day of much joy
and anticipation. It is a day to renew family ties, gettogethers with relatives, friends and
family members, much eating and merriment and the joy of receiving angpaus for the
young. Below is a picture of a group of Peranakan Children all dressed up for Chinese New
Year Visitations. Notice that the New Year attire of old was similar to that of the Wedding
attire. This shows us that wedding attire was not only used for weddings but for Chinese
New Year visitations as well in the days of old.

The Peranakans of yesteryear would also sohjar or bow to their elders during Chinese New
Year as a mark of respect. This shojar is usually performed with the person kneeling and
greetings of : "Panjang Panjany umor dan banyak untong" or May you have a long life filled
with much blessings is usually said. It is also not Peranakan custom to actually give
oranges during Chinese New Year visitations.

The traditional Peranakans of old adopted the religious practices of their original hometown
in Fujian, China. As Taoists or Buddhists, they worshiped Ti Kong, the Jade Emperor and
King of Heaven, as well as other deities. Peranakans also celebrate traditional Chinese
festivals like Mooncake Festival and the Dumpling Festival. Most young Peranakans in
the 1930's, especially those attending mission schools, converted to Christians, due to the
spread of Christianity but retain certain Peranakan customs and traditions. Most Peranakan
culture however for the large part has been abandoned as it contradicts Christian beliefs
and practices, due to this a large part of Peranakan traditions and culture has been lost.
The following festivals below were celebrated by the Peranakans of yesteryear:

Celebration of Ti Kong's Birthday (9th day of Chinese New Year) - Sugar cane was
offered in memory of survivors of a massacre during the Sung dynasty, who had hidden in
the sugarcane fields to escape their enemies' notice.

Mooncake Festival - Mooncakes are eaten during the Mooncake Festival to commemorate
Chang'Er who swallowed a pill, which was the Elixir of Eternal Life and floated to the moon.
Peranakans do not actually make moon cakes as moon cake making is not part and parcel
of Peranakan culture nevertheless mooncakes are still enjoyed by Nyonyas and babas till
this very day.

Dumpling Festival - The Peranakans also celebrated the Dragon Boat Festival with their
own version of the Bak Chang (dumplings). The Nyonya Bak Chang or Nyonya kueh chang
is made up of cubed pork, chestnuts and glutinous rice. The uniqueness of the dish is the
fact that it is sweet rather than salty and the dumpling is wrapped using pandan leaves
which gives its an aromatic flavour.

The Kichen God Festival - Prayers to the Kitchen God were said on stipulated days and
offerings were given so that he would report to the God of Heaven in a favourable manner.
Prayers and incense were offered to him on his return to thank him for his favourable report.
The Kitchen God was also supposed to bless the food in the household and to ensure a
plentiful and bountiful supply of food.

The Sembayang Hantu Festival (Hungry Ghost Festival) - Like all other Chinese
communities this was the day when the Family ancestral altar was cleaned and where
offerings of food, inscence and paper money were offered to the encestors. Visits to
temples and mediums would also be done to ensure that the ancestor was well in the
afterworld. As very devout Taoists, Peranakan households always had a large hallway
dedicated for ancestor worship.

The picture above shows you the change in dressing that occured around the late 1930's.
Most Peranakans at the time had modernised and westernised absorbing western styles of
dressing. Old Bibiks of yesteryear would also visit malay keramats or burial grounds to pray
and ask for favours. They would also consult fortune tellers, magicians and bomohs or even
visit hindu temples for advice. The Peranakan religion of old was essentially Chinese in
nature but it was trisintic incorporating the beliefs and religions of other cultures into its very
own and adapting these beliefs to suit the needs of the Peranakan community. With the
advent of Mission schools and Westernisation, the Peranakan Community converted en
masse into the Christian faith. The overwhelming majority of most Peranakans are now
Christian till this very day. Catholic Christian Peranakans tend to retain more Peranakan
culture and practices than Protestant Christian Peranakans as the former allows
inculturation and incorporation of traditional beliefs into religion. The below pictures shows
you a Peranakan tempat seray and the cakes needed for the celebration of birth.

1.5.5 RITES OF PASSAGE
THE CELEBRATION OF BIRTH
At the full lunar month muar-guay ceremony, that is, thirty days after the birth of the child
Nyonyas would hold a ceremony whereby nasi kunyit (steamed glutinous tumeric rice),
chicken curry and red bean cakes in the shape of tortoises ( ang-koo) together with either
ang-t'oe or ang-ee and two red hard-boiled chicken eggs would be offered to the ancestors
and the rest distributed to relatives and close friends. This tradition, no doubt influenced to a
certain extent by the local Malays in the use of nasi kunyit and curry ayam is still being

practised by the Hokkiens today. The muar-guay ceremony also marks the end of the
pantang (taboo or abstinence period for the baby's mother) as was also practised by the
Malay women after child delivery. The Malays refered to nasi kunyit as pulot kuning or nasi
kuning and they used it lavishly at thanksgiving ceremonies (kenduris ). Muar guay cakes
for this occasion would be : Nasi kunyit , two hard boiled eggs, two tortoises ang koo , two
peaches ang t'oe (the last signifying that the baby is a girl).

OFFERINGS FOR THE ANCESTORS

The offerings and their significance for a domestic rite performed by a Peranakan family in
Bukit Rambai on 28 July 1997. The rite is called bikin dua tahun or 'perform the second rite'.
For the Baba, this is the last of a number of post-death rites. The matriach passed away on
the 24th day of the 6th Moon in 1995. Last year, on her first death anniversary, the family
performed the bikin satu tahun or 'perform the first year rite'. For the Baba, this is the
grandest of the post-death rites, when a Buddhist monk is invited to perform the ceremony,
and a paper house as well as lots of paper goods and hell money are burnt for the
deceased. The first year rite virtually marks the end of mourning, and so the last part of the
rite involves the mourners removing their mourning markers (worn on the relevant shoulder
part of dress) and changing into a colourful dress which has some red colour.

After the rite, the picture and statues of deities, which have been kept away during the
mourning period, are reinstalled at their usual altar in the living room. In the case of Mr and Mrs
Bong, as do most Baba nowadays, they decided not to piara abu (install ancestral altars) at
home and so Mr Bong paid for his mother's tablet to be installed at the famous temple
dedicated to Kuanyin in Melaka. The Baba refers to this temple, called Cheng Hoon Teng, as
kebun datuk (literally, the deities’ garden). The Baba generally observe a final domestic post-
death rite called bikin dua tahun (hereafter the second year rite). This is equivalent to what the
Hokkien calls choe sa ni or 'perform the third year rite', which is also observed not on the exact
third death anniversary but in effect two years after a death.

The second year rite is not so grand and it does not involve hiring any religious specialist. It
is more like a death anniversary, but there are more offerings, and siblings including
married sisters return to participate in the rite. In fact, early in the morning of 28 July 1997,

which was the 24th day of the sixth moon, the family performed a simple death anniversary
rite (siki) before performing the second year rite. The family came to the house from other
parts of Malacca and Kuala Lumpur. Joined by the elder brother's family next door, the
family was busy with activities (preparing food and sweets) two days before the worship,
and there was an atmosphere of joyful reunion. In the late afternoon on the eve of the
second year rite, the family cleared a high table in the middle hall. On this temporary altar
table facing the front of the house, he placed an incense pot filled with uncooked rice (as
the incense pot is for temporary use only) , a glass filled with water, and a small towel
(binpoh) on top. He arranged four teacups in front of the temporary 'incense pot' and put a
pot of tea on the table. A bamboo joss-stick holder containing new (unused) joss-sticks was
placed at one corner of the altar table. Then Mr Bong lit some joss-sticks and went to the
porch to pray to the God of Heaven, then to the domestic deities in the living room.

After offering joss-sticks to the deities, he went to the front of the house to 'invite' his mother
to return for the second year rite. Having done this, he placed the remaining two joss-sticks
in the incense pot on the temporary ancestral altar in the middle room. Then he poured tea.
He opened the side door of the living room. This was to allow the mother's companions to
enter as they, being not from the family, could not enter the living room from the front door
because the deities’ altar was there. Before the worship began, the lights were switched on
in the house, as is the custom when conducting a domestic worship. The ritual of inviting
the deceased to return to be worshipped is called chia abu or 'invite the ancestors', and this
system of worshipping ancestors by 'invitation' on the occasion of worship may be called
the invitation system, in contrast to the system of installing a permanent altar or altars for
regular domestic worship, which the Baba call piara abu. Chia is from the Hokkien word
which means to invite while abu (literally 'ash' in Malay) is the Baba term for ancestors.
Piara means 'to keep and look after' in Malay (pelihara) and so piara abu refers to installing
an ancestral tablet at home.

The above Photo shows you how the altar to the household diety of the main hall is
arranged. Old Peranakan altars were very elaborate & impressive they had one of the most
elaborate altars of all other Chinese communities as they practised ancient Chinese
Customs that even the Chinese in China had forgotten. We have seen that on the

temporary altar table, there is a temporary incense pot. Beside it is a glass of plain water. It
is common for the Baba to have a glass of plain water to go along with food. There are two
tea pots, one containing tea and the other containing Chinese rice wine. In front of the
'incense pot' are laid eight tea cups. There was also a small basin in which stood a glass
filled with plain water, and there was a towel (binpoh) folded neatly on top of the glass. This
is provided in a Baba ancestor worship. This glass of water and the binpoh is for the
ancestors to cuci mulut ('wash the mouth' i.e. wipe the mouth clean) while some say that it
is for cuci muka ('wash the face') which serves the same purpose of cleansing before,
during or after a meal.

Halfway through this 'second year worship', the wife reminded her husband that they had
not yet offered cigarettes and betel leaf. He then placed two saucers on the temporary altar
tables, one containing three unlit cigarettes, while the other had a betel leaf (daun sirih),
gambier (gambier), betel nuts, some lime (kaput), and a lit cigarette. In contrast to the other
Chinese in Malaysia, the offering of betel leaves reflect Baba identity, as the non-Baba
Chinese are not associated with chewing betel leaves, a habit associated with the non-
Chinese indigenous people but also with the Baba and other more localised Chinese.

In front of the high 'altar table' were placed two square tables which served as offering
tables, and they were lower than the altar table. The offerings were laid out neatly in rows.
The Baba are always proud that they lay out their offerings neatly, unlike the non-Baba
Chinese, who they claim, do not arrange their offerings neatly. This is an important Baba
rhetoric to emphasize pride in their identity, both as Baba and as Chinese, and that they,
rather than the mainstream Chinese, take worshipping more seriously. We shall begin our
description with the first table, that is, the table in front of the 'altar' table. We shall refer to
the rows in relation to the position of the 'altar'. Thus the first row on the first table is the row
closest to the altar. The first row consisted of eight pairs of chopsticks, each of which was
placed beside a saucer which held a spoon and a small wine cup.

Wine is offered to ancestors on special occasions. In their daily life, the Baba generally use
fork and spoon or at times fingers to eat their meals. However, in the context of offerings,
usually chopsticks rather than forks and spoons are arranged on the offering table. This
practice of conforming to traditional Chinese cultural practice in the ritual context, although not
reflecting their actual social practice, is also reflected in the practice of offering tea to deities
and ancestors. In their daily life, few Babas drink Chinese tea. In the second row, there were
eight small bowls of rice. Although the focus of worship was is the deceased , it

was believed that the deceased might bring along some of her friends from the underworld,
so there was a need to offer more than one share, hence the eight bowls of rice, eight pairs
of chopsticks, eight cups of wine and eight cups of Chinese tea.

In Baba custom, before the post-death one-year rite is performed, the deceased is offered
only one bowl of rice, and so only one pair of chopsticks is laid out. The belief is that a
newly-dead person cannot bring along his or her underworld companions when invited to an
offering. Only after the mourning period marked by the one year rite can a new ancestor
bring along his or her underworld companions to attend the 'feast', hence more bowls of rice
are offered. Generally, the number of bowls are four, eight or twelve. Six is avoided as it is
half of twelve, the full number, hence symbolically not good. Thus eight is the number
adopted by most people. Offerings given to the dead and ancestors are always in even
number, following the Yin principle. The Yang numbers are odd numbers. Thus the
numberof joss-sticks offered to deities are always one (in daily worship) or three or more
(special days as the first or fifteenth of each Chinese month). The number of joss-sticks
offered by each person to an ancestor is always in even number, usually two.

DEATH & FUNERAL PRACTICES

When a death occurs, all reflective surfaces in the house are covered. This is because of
fear that when the soul of the deceased returns to the house, he may see himself in these
reflective surfaces and his soul will be destroyed. The photos below show you a typical
Peranakan Funeral procession in the early 1930's. Peranakan Chinese funerals were very
similar to that of old Hokkien Funerary Customs practiced in China during that time.

Often, a Taoist priest or priestess is invited to help clean and dress the deceased before
placing the body in the coffin. The deceased would be dressed in the white pyjamas worn
on his wedding eve. Some of the deceased's favourite clothes are also placed in the coffin.
Finally, the whole body will be covered with silver paper which are replicas of bank notes.
White candles are used for the main rituals, but if the deceased was an octogenarian or
died at a ripe old age, red candles are burnt instead. Why are these rituals observed? The
reason being, the fear of corpses talking and rising from the dead.

Funeral of a matriarch : The Peranakans believed that death is a continuation of living.
Therefore, the deceased needed to have everything he had possessed in this world to be

taken with him to the nether world as well. Thus, goods such as money, televisions or motor
cars, represented in paper crafts and made in miniature, are burnt as offerings. The family
of the deceased is to mourn for a total of one-and-a half-years. They are to wear twelve
months of black, the next three months in black and blue or white, and for the last three
months they wear green. Paper money for the dead : Members of the deceased cannot visit
friends or relatives during the Chinese New Year for fear that they may bring bad luck and
death to the house visited. Friends and relatives too do not visit these homes. This is
because you never visit a house in mourning.

THE WANGKANG FESTIVAL

The most unique among the Traditional Celebrations of the Malacca Chinese is the Great
Wangkang Festival, a very grand and costly religious procession. This great festival of the
Malacca Chinese is an expression of the faith of the people. The Wangkang Festival is of
Hokkien origin and it was held in China only in the Chiang Chew and Chuan Chiew Districts
(two very large districts of the Fukien Province). In Malaya it has only ever been held in
Malacca. During the persecution of the Chinese by the Manchus in the Ching Dynasty some
four centuries ago, many Hokkien people immigrated to Malacca where they settled down
and worshipped the Ong Yahs or Princes Deities, as they had been used to in China. Their
descendants - the Peranakan Chinese followed their footsteps in worshipping the Five Ong
Yahs and this is why Malacca is the only place in Malaya where the Wangkang Procession
was held.

In Malacca the festival was held over a 150 years ago at Kandang. The last Wangkang
festival took place in 1933 in the month of November after which there has not been a
celebration of the Grand Wangkang Festival. The word Wangkang is of Chinese origin -
Wang meaning Prince/King, Kang meaning boat. Thus the combination of the 2 words
denotes the boat or barge of the Prince of Princes. Thence Wangkang fits the name of this
holy festival, a festival pertaining to the Ong Yahs (Princes Deities). A day after the
Wangkang was burnt; the doors of the Temple would be closed and sealed for three days.
During that time, the priests would go to each house of the Chinese subscribers and purify
it.On the third day after the burning of the Wangkang, the doors of the Temple were re
opened by the priests. Two days later the Wangkang Festival ended with the taking down of
all the bamboo trees.

To take part in the Wangkang Festival was a privilege and every one connected with it took
a keen interest and worked very hard. The attendance was always one hundred per cent.
During the Festival anyone who went into the Temple on the Chye Lian Kuan on the
Wangkang Shed had to be clean in body and mind and not use bad language. All Officials,
assistants or anyone taking part must attend the ceremonies regularly and must not
grumble at one another, otherwise he would sooner or later face dire consequences

imposed by the Ong Yahs. Most Peranakans in Malacca now do not take part in this festival
as many have converted to and embraced the Christian Faith.

THE CHAP GOH MEH FESTIVALS

The Peranakans of both Penang, Malacca and Singapore held a special commemoration to
the Dieties and Gods of the Chinese Pantheon on this Day which was held during the
middle of Chinese New Year. It was a great day of merry making whereby the young
Nyonya Maidens of old used to be paraded along the Esplanade and the City Centre in
their elaborate and colorful elaborate kebayas for all to see. Young Baba men would take
this opportunity to admire the Nyonyas as mixing of the sexes was considered tabboo in
those years. They were decked in jewelry sparkling with the numerous diamonds, silver and
gold ornaments they wore. The Chap Goh Meh Festival was basically a time when the
Peranakan Community as a whole could display & exhibit their wealth and love of ostensity.
In Penang alone the Straits Chinese Magazine itself reported that in a 1905 article that in
Penang" no less than $30,000,000 items of jewelry were exhibited on Chap Goh Meh." Now
that amount is about quadruple that of present day figures. This shows you the enormous
wealth and stature of the Peranakans in those days of yore.

1.5.7 COSTUME
Male Peranakans in the past wore the Kain pelekat as casual attire, which is a type of Indian
cloth made of cotton about 2m long and 1.2m wide. It is a cotton sarong in a checked pattern
of muted tones (this type of cloth is also worn by women in Medan and Penang). It is woven
with a central panel in the patterns and a border. The cheaper ones were made with
synthetic yarn.

Nyonyas are considered to be one of the most elegant dressers in
South East Asia. There is more to Peranakan dressing than just a
long blouse over a long skirt. Nyonyas wore sarongs with various
styled blouses as a 2-piece ensemble known in Malay as the baju
panjang which consists of a long tunic worn over a sarong. Wealthy
towkays' wives usually wore a neat-fitting garment that enveloped
them from head to foot. And, in order to make the garment look neat
and stiff, this long sleeved tunic would
usually be starched. Fastened with kerongsang (brooches), the tunics are worn with colourful
sarongs. The sleeves of the tunic are exceptionally tapered to show off any bangles or jewelry
worn by the Peranakan women. Early tunics were made of cotton gingham in a small check.
This usually came in a sombre brown or reddish brown – a sharp contrast to the colourful
tunics and sarongs worn by the rich women.

Do not be mistaken that Peranakan dresses revolve around the baju panjang (Long dress)
which was adapted from the native Malay’s Baju kurung! It is worn with a batik sarong (wrap-
around skirt) and 3 kerongsang. Peranakan women too wear stiff organdie dresses only when
entertaining guests or venturing out of the house. However, these ladies wore only an inner
blouse with sarongs at home. This fashionable blouse is hip-length and called a "short dress" in
Hokkien. The V–shaped neckline of the baju panjang would reveal the inner blouse and its

high collar and complete with a large square
hankerchief (saputangan/setangan).

Peranakan fashion did not lay stagnant. Eventually, at the end of the
1920s, Nyonyas wore a much shorter kebaya that ended around the
hips. Her body hugging kebaya was secured with three brooches, all of
Kebaya top which are joined to form a chain. Today, Peranakan fashion is at its peak again
especially since fashion themes are based on a fusion of east and west.
Peranakan cloth too is an exotic fusion of Malay and
Chinese cultures where fabric patterns are large and striking and the hues are attractive
and vibrant.

Peranakan beaded slippers

Peranakan beaded slippers, also known as kasot manek, literally meaning shoe beads, is
a type of shoe that dates back to the early twentieth century. It refers to beaded slippers worn
by a nyonyato complete her Sarong Kebaya outfit, together with chained brooches (kerosang)
and a silver belt (tali pendeng). The slippers are made of Peranakan cut beads (manek
potong), which are treasured as these beads are no longer available. Vintage kasot manek are

intricate and finely stitched, a testimony to the fine workmanship of yesteryears. The intricacy
and fine workmanship of a pair of beaded slipper is also a hallmark of highly accomplished
Peranakan women, also known as nyonyas, whose skills in embroidery and beadwork are
highly valued.

Description

The beaded slippers were worn by both the Peranakan males (baba) and females (nyonya)
and were popular in the 1930s. Nowadays, the beaded slippers are more commonly worn by
women only. The beaded slippers were made for two types of occasions. For happy
occasions, like the Chinese New Year or birthdays, these beaded slippers used colorful
beads with intricate patterns. For sad occasions, the beads used were likely to be in black,
white or blue colors (Chinese mourning colors), and the patterns were simple.

The beaded slippers were either opened face (peep-toe) or covered face. The popular motifs
used for the patterns were flowers, birds, butterflies, and fruits. These motifs, likely to appeal
to the feminity of the Peranakan women, had both European and Chinese influence. The
sample patterns were likely to be cross-stitched, with each stitch representing a bead. The
beads were then used in the actual beading of the slippers. The Peranakan pattern for the
beaded slipper is unique in that even the background is quite ornate resulting in a colorful
patterned mosaic with a well-defined border.

To sew the pattern, a laced-up wooden frame (pidangan)is used to provide the right tension
for the beading. The beading process starts from the center of the pattern, moving to the right
then left. The main motif of the pattern is first beaded, followed by the background and then
the border. The border may have a smooth or scallop-edge. When the beaded pattern is
completed, it would be sent to the cobbler to be made into slippers. Leather is usually the
preferred material for the beaded slippers, and may be either made with low or high heels.

1.5.8 CUISINE

Peranakan or Nyonya cuisine combines Chinese, Malay and other influences into a
unique blend.
The old Malay word Nyonya (also spelled Nonya), a term of respect and affection for
women of prominent social standing (part “madame” and part “auntie”), has come to
refer to the cuisine of the Perakanans.

Nyonya cooking is the result of blending Chinese ingredients and wok cooking techniques
with spices used by the Malay/Indonesian community. The food is tangy, aromatic, spicy
and herbal. Key ingredients include coconut milk, galangal (a subtle, mustard-
scented rhizome similar to ginger), candlenuts as both a flavoring and
thickening agent, laksa leaf, pandan leaves (Pandanus

maryllifolius), belachan, tamarind juice, lemongrass, torch ginger bud, jicama, fragrant
kaffir lime leaf, rice or egg noodles and cincaluk - a powerfully flavored, sour and salty
shrimp-based condiment that is typically mixed with lime juice, chillies and shallots
and eaten with rice, fried fish and other side dishes.

There are regional variations in Nyonya cooking. Dishes from the island of Penang in the
northern part of Peninsular Malaysia show Thai influences, such as more liberal use of
tamarind and other sour ingredients. Dishes from Singapore and Malacca show a greater
Malay-Indonesian influence, such as the use of coconut milk. A classic example is laksa
(a spicy noodle soup), which comes in two variants: the sour asam laksa from Penang and
the coconut milk-based laksa lemak from Singapore and the southern regions of
Peninsular Malaysia.

The unique flavor of laksa and other Nyonya recipes is determined by the rempah, a
combination of spices pounded into a paste with pestle and mortar, with a very specific
texture and density. It is said that a Nyonya can determine the culinary skill of a new
daughter-in-law simply by listening to her preparing rempah with a mortar. Nyonya recipes
are handed down from one generation to the next, and because of the time-consuming
preparation of these dishes, it is a cuisine that is often at its best when served at home.
Laksa is a notable exception to this rule.

Examples of Nyonya specialities

 Ayam Buah Keluak, a distinctive dish combining chicken pieces with nuts from the
Pangium edule or kepayang tree to produce a rich sauce;

 Itek Tim, a classic soup containing duck, tomatoes, green peppers, salted
vegetables, and preserved sour plums simmered gently together.

 Nyonya desserts include colourful cakes (kuih) and sweet, sticky delicacies.

 Acar - various pickled meats and vegetables like acar keat lah (honey
lime/calamansi), achar hu (fried fish), acar kiam hu (salt fish), acar timun (cucumber),
acar awat (mixed vegetables).

 Ayam pongteh, a chicken stew cooked with tauchu or salted soy beans and gula
melaka. It is usually saltish-sweet and can be substituted as a soup dish in
peranakan cuisine.

 Cincalok, a Malay-inspired yet distinctly Nyonya condiment made of fermented shrimp
 Itek Tim or Kiam Chye Ark Th'ng is a soup whose main ingredients are duck

and preserved mustard leaf and cabbage flavoured with nutmeg seed, Chinese
mushrooms, tomatoes and peppercorns.
 Jiew Hu Char is a dish made up mainly of shredded vegetables like turnip, carrot,
and cabbage and fried together with thinly shredded dried cuttlefish.
 Kerabu Bee Hoon is a salad dish comprising rice vermicelli mixed with sambal

belacan, honey lime (limau kesturi/calamansi) juice, and finely-chopped herbs and spices.
Other famous salad dishes are kerabu bok née (black fungus/ telinga tikus), kerabu kay
(chicken), kerabu kay khar (chicken feet), kerabu timun (cucumber), kerabu kobis
(cabbage), kerabu kacang botol (four angled bean), kerabu bak poey (pork skin).
 Masak Belanda is a dish made from sliced pork and salt fish simmered together
with tamarind juice.
 Masak Lemak is a style of cooking vegetable stew that makes liberal use of coconut
milk. There are various versions of masak lemak. One example uses spinach as the
main ingredient. In another version sweet potato is the main ingredient.
 Masak Titik is a style of cooking vegetable soup that makes liberal use of
peppercorns. One version uses watermelon rind as the main ingredient.
Another makes use of green or semi ripe papaya.
 Nasi Kunyit (Translated into English as "Turmeric Rice") is glutinous rice cooked with
turmeric colouring and is usually served with coconut milk chicken curry, "Ang Koo"
(Literally "Red Tortoise", a Nyonya Cake) and Pink-dyed hard-boiled egg(s) as a gift of
appreciation in celebration of the 1st month of a newly-born child.
 Nasi Ulam is a herbed rice comprising a variety of herbs (daun kaduk, daun
cekur, daun kesum etc.) shredded thinly and mixed raw into hot rice with pounded
dried shrimp (hae bee) and salt fish (kiam hu) and chopped shallots.
 Ngoh Hiang (so called because of the use of Chinese five spice powder to flavour
the mined meat), also known as Lor Bak (so called because of the lor or starch-based
dipping sauce) is a fried, sausage like dish made from minced pork rolled up in soya
bean curd sheets and deep fried.
 Otak-otak is a Malay-inspired fish cake blending fish, coconut milk, chilli
paste, galangal, and herbs wrapped in a banana leaf.and grilled. The town of Muar is
famous for it. The Penang Nyonya otak-otak is steamed, not grilled and the distinct
flavour and aroma or daun kaduk and coconut milk is clearly evident in this unique
version.
 Perut Ikan is a spicy stew (of the asam pedas variety similar to asam laksa)
comprising mainly vegetables/herbs and getting its distinctive taste mainly from fish
bellies preserved in brine and daun kaduk (The Wild Pepper leaf is from the Piper
stylosum or the Piper sarmentosum). A classic Penang Nyonya dish.

1.5.9 ARTS AND CRAFTS / PERFORMING ARTS

PERANAKAN PANTUN AND RONGGENG

Peranakan Pantun or poems of yore was actually similar to malay pantuns in structure and

grammar format. The only thing that differentiated the pantuns from each other was that
the Baba way of pronouncing the malay words. The pantuns were expressive and involved
much meaning, emotion and sentimental value. Peranakan pantuns were recited by both
young and old Peranakans of old. As the rate of proficiency in Baba Malay has declined
dranstically, the use of pantun in the Peranakan community is practically nil. It is only
performed occasionally during Wayang Peranakan performances as a legacy of a bygone
era.

A typical Peranakan Pantun is as follows:

Api-api sepanjang pantai, Nibung terlentang di Tanjung Tujuh, Niat di hati jikalau sampai,
Apa mantek tentu tertumbuh. It translates to: Lights flickering along the beach, Bamboo
huts on stilts on Cape Tujuh, My hearts intention when I reach, Dreams and Happy Destiny
would surely grow.

An example of Dondang Sayang is as follows: Tingi, tingi rumah Chek Long Long, Di
bawahnya dibuat deday kaen, Alangkah bias ulair tedong, Boleh kah di tangkap buat
maen? Tingi tingi rumah Chek Long, Dibawahnya dijuair pokok, Goa tak takot ulair tedong,
krana goa uliar sendok

Translated: Mr Long’s house is very high, under it is a cloth shop, maybe there is a sname,
can I catch it to play with? Mister Long’s home is very tall, under it is a tree, I am not scared
of little sname as I am an even bigger snake that it is!

Sadly, the use and knowledge in composing pantuns is absent in modern day Peranakan
society. Old Baba pantuns now only survive in old pantun books and texts in documentation
purposes only. The use of Pantuns is not only fading in the Peranakan Community but it is
also fading in the Malay community as well. Only a handful fo Peranakans today are able to
recite and sing the pantuns of old. Ronggeng was also a popular dance form that the
Peranakans of old loved. It was a dance step similar in style to joget but it was more fast
tempo than joget was. Usually ronggeng was danced to the music of the kronchong, another
Indonesian inspired musical form that the Peranakans of old adored nad cherished.

PERANAKAN DONDANG SAYANG AND JOGET

Peranakan Dondang Sayang is performed once a year at the Annual Peanakan Food and
Craft Fair held at the ACM Museum in Armenian Stret. Dondang Sayang consists of 2 persons
singing of a prose of songs sang individually until all 6 lines of the prose are completed.
Dondang Sayang also consists of a Dondang Sayang Band that plays the tunes which are in
turn sung by the 2 persons involved.

Joget are the dance steps used while the Dondang Sayang is being performed. It is a highly

stylized form of dancing that uses dance steps similar to that of swaying your feet and hands
up and down in a frontal and backwards direction. It is done however in a very slow but
graceful manner. Joget takes some getting used to and the song ssung are mostly in Baba
Malay. Popular melodies are Begawan Solo and other Pantun proses. Sadly Dondang Sayang
Events are only attended by the old or few of the middle aged. It does not appeal to the young
and is in danger of fading with time.

“WAYANG PERANAKAN” OR PERANAKAN THEATRE

“Wayang Peranakan” was only performed and became a staple of Peranakan culture in the
1910’s. This was a period when Peranakans were exposed to the movies of Hollywood and
wanted to have their own theatre with Peranakan elements. As women were then not allowed out
of the house as it was considered a taboo for women to be seen on stage, men instead played the
roles of women in a kind of gender reversal role. Till this very day plays in Peranakan Wayang still
retain this old tradition though women are now allowed on stage to perform roles. However the
role of the family matriarch is always and mostly is given to a man.

Peranakan Theatre has seen a revival in recent years with as many as two plays a year in
Singapore. They play to packed audiences who flock to see a Peranakan culture of a bygone
era. Such plays are extremely popular and reflect the current revival in Peranakan identity.
However the plays have subtitles as most young peranakans are not conversant in the
language of their forefathers and Baba Malay is losing ground in the Peranakan Community as
a whole. Wayang Peranakan plots and story lines always revolve around the turn of the
century and shows us how family life was like in a Peranakan household of the time. It is
therefore a reenactment of the past that is only revived momentarity during the course of the
play.

The future of Wayang Peranakan however is considerably uncertain as most young
Peranakans are not interested in carrying out gender reversal roles nor are the majority of
them conversant in Baba Malay. Most are also unable to write scripts in Baba Malay or if they
do are only semi-conversant in it and are unable to write in the patois that their forefathers did.
However the current prospect and revival of Wayang Peranakan is brighter and mor
eencouraging than it ever was. The current revival that is occurring now is indeed very
encouraging but it remains to be seen if the younger generation of today is able to sustain and
carry on this tradition into the future.

PERANAKAN BANGSAWAN

This form of entertainment, of which there were both mainstream Malay and Baba Nyonya and
even combined versions, was popular in Malaya and Indonesia from the the 1890s and early
1900s and it reached its peak in the 1920s and 1930s. Its popularity was indicated in many
newspaper reports. When a new troupe, the Sri Penang Theatrical Co, was formed in 1895,
“hundreds of people went to see it and there was not even one empty seat.” When Comdey
Pusi Indra Bangsawanperformed in Palembang, the “wayang hall was so full some had to
stand for lack of places. In 1904, even though there were five wayang in Penang. The wayang
Yap Chow Thong in Penang drew crowds when attended in full force and late comers had to
be refused admittance. Another correspondent reported that inside the theatre hall, the air was
simply stifling and seats were so much huddled up together that it was simply impossible to
move one’s own elbow without touching one’s neighbor.

Tickets were sold over and over again when it was quite apparent there was no more room.
These descriptions testify to the great popularity of Bangsawan in the late nineteenth and early
twentieth centuries. Indeed, 'the visit of a bangsawan or opera company' was 'an attraction'
that never failed 'to draw the crowds in any town either of Malaya or the Dutch East Indies'

Although the main language used was Malay, bangsawan performances attracted a multi-
ethnic audience. Besides Malays, locally born Babas and Nyonyas, Jawi Peranakan, Chinese,
Indians, Arabs and Europeans were drawn to it. In fact, the ‘Babas and Nyonyas who spoke
and understood Malay’ were such great fans of bangsawan that they were motivated to set up
their own amateur bangsawan groups. When the Chinese Babas of Penang performed a
Malay bangsawan play called Princess Nilam to collect money for the China Flood Fund at the
Anglo-Chinese School Building in May 1918, a review article commented that even ‘the Malay
professionals present’ admitted that ‘the piece… was fairly well performed’ In 1919, the same
group staged Nyai Dasima and in 1920, Ginufifah or Herto Brabant. In 1926 a party of Chinese
ladies calling themselves Penang Nyonya Bangsawan presented Juli Juli Bintang Tiga, Nyai
Dasima, and A Merchant of Baghdad

As we have seen traditional Peranakan games and pastimes are on the decline. The only
aspect that is still surviving till this day is the once a year Dondang Sayang held at the
Peranakan Fair and the few people who still know how to play Cherki. Wayang Peranakan and
to a lesser extent Bangsawan is the only form of Peranakan Entertainment that has survived
till this modern day and age.

1.5.10 PASTIMES/ GAMES

Entertainment of old Peranakans of yore loved lavish and merry making. They love nothing
better than to meet relatives and friends for a game of cherki, a popular gambling sport with
Nyonyas, singing pantuns, chewing sireh that the old bibiks loved so much, dancing joget
to the tunes of dondang saying or just listening to the ronggent band or the many Wayang

Peranakan that was and still is being performed today.

Makan sireh or tobacco chewing

The Peranakan sireh sets is Malay inspired. Sireh was a popular form of pleasure and
entertainment used originally by the Malays as a form of pastime. Sireh then became part and
parcel of Peranakan culture when intermarriages between the Chinese and Malays increased
and it soon became incorporated into the Peranakan way of life. Peranakan households
always had one or two tempat sireh sets at home. Like any other item of functional use, it had
to be intricately carved and was made of either silver gilt, silver or was even gold plated. Such
sireh sets would be used to store the sireh leaves, tobacco and chalk needed to complement
this pastime. It was actually the chewing gum of today. Sireh would make one’s mouth red as
if one’s mouth was covered in blood. Sireh became obsolete by the 1940’s and sireh sets can
only be found in the homes of collectors or in museums. Sireh chewing a favourite pastime of
nyonyas is now a thing of the past.

Cherki, the game of the Nyonyas of yore

Cherki is a card game played by some members of the Peranakan Community today. It was
notoriously known in the past and many a Nyonya and bibik were caught and taken to jail in
black pariah vans as gambling was soon outlawed by the colonial government. Cherki was so
immensely popular and was so influential that many Nyonyas pawned or sold their jewelery
just to try their luck at the game. Playing cherki is not easy as it had many hokkien and baba
malay words that were used in the game. It is rather difficult for Peranakans not conversant in
hokkien or bab malay to be well versed in the game. The symbols and characters used in
Cherki cards denote such names that are used while playing. Nyonyas of old would gaher
around the cherki table to gossip, chew sireh, or chit chat while playing the game. You can
still get Cherki cards from Malacca till this very day. Afterall the game originated from
Malacca.

The game itself is played using a deck of 60 cards, each measuring about 60mm x 24mm,
with three suits and nine numerals for each suit. The game is rather similar to the western
“Gin Rummy” and still is a popular leisurely pursuit of the Babas and Nyonyas today. In the
golden age of the Babas however, Cheki was as addictive as Mah-jong is to the Chinese of
today, and such was the gambling craze associated with this game that small fortunes
were often lost over a hand.

The Syair in a book tries to chronicle the foolishness of a lady who manages not only to
lose a small fortune from playing Cheki, but also fails in her attempts to deceive her
husband after she is caught by the police for illegal gambling. The syair is filled with
humorous and somet6imes bawdy anecdotes of this sequence of events, and is often

marked by verses of caution for would be gamblers to take heed of the sins of Cheki. The
uniqueness of this particular book lies not only in the fact that it chronicles a unique feature
of Baba life, but also by grace of the fact that the Syair is written in Baba Malay, a creole
version of Malay characterized by the usage of words from the Hokkien dialect of Chinese
in its speech. Books printed in Baba Malay are extremely rare to come by and this edition
of the Syair could well be the only copy around.

CHONGKAK – THE GAME FOR CHILDREN

Chongkak is a game whereby small crowlie shells are put into different compartments that
look like holes. This game is originally Malay and the Peranakans adapted it and made it
their own. Chongkak boards can be either plain or ornate and can consist of up to 14 or 16
holes in total. What is done is that the holes are filled with 7 shells in total. Only two persons
can play the game at a time and each person has his base or house in the cavity at the
outmost cavity of the board. The object of the game is to fill one’s house with as much
shells as possible. The winner is the one with the most shells at the time when there are no
more shells in the 14 or 18 holes. Chongkak boards can still be bought now in Malaysia and
parts of Indoneisa. It was subsequently adopted by the Peranakans who were heavily
influenced by the local Malay culture.

1.5.11 ARCHITECTURE

Straits Chinese house

Many of the Chinese Peranakan residential terrace shophouses in Melaka and Penang that
were built in the early 20th century have been declared heritage buildings and retain many
of their original features as follows:

1. Air-wells that function as open courtyards
2. European style columns and pilasters
3. Malay-inspired timber panels and carvings
4. Tall, panelled Chinese wooden doors
5. Louvred windows, borrowed from Portuguese colonial architecture

The Peranakan Cina are not only associated with their special Nyonya dishes, beaded
slippers, embroidered Kebayas and antique collections but also their Straits Eclectic style of
architecture. The Straits Eclectic style of architecture began to develop in the 19th and early
20th century. The style combines Eastern and Western elements which in the early 20th
Century introduced ceramic artwork and elaborate plaster renderings. Such architecture
include shophouses, temples, clan or association buildings and villas or colonial bungalows. In
Penang, we may see examples of the Straits Eclectic style along a number of major roads
including Magazine Road, Sultan Ahmad Shah Road (Northam Road), Burmah Road, Prangin
Creek and Muntri Street. In Malacca, the buildings can be seen along Tun Tan Cheng Lock
(Heeren Street) and Hang Jebat Road (Jonkers Street), some of which date back in the Dutch
period.

This is primarily due to the fact that these types of buildings reflect more significantly on
the social life of the Peranakan Cina in Malaysia. Furthermore, the number of such
buildings is greater compared to Chinese temples and clan or association buildings.

Shophouses

A shophouse or row house has two or more storeys and is a commercial and private structure. The
tenants usually use the first floor for commercial purposes such as sundry shop, light industry or
warehouses; and reside in the upper floors. The building is not free standing, rather it is connected
to several other shophouses to form a shophouse block. This shophouse is repeated to create
streets and town squares found in many urban areas in Malaysia. Sometimes, the tenants use
both the ground and upper floors for residential. This type of shophouse is normally referred to as
terrace house. In such a case, the building has a big entrance with a timber bar locked into the
door head, metal-bar and louvered-panel windows on the ground floor and a few openings at
upper floors. Shophouses usually have a narrow frontage between 12' to 18' and their length
varies greatly from 60' to 140', topped with a pitch roof of not more than 30 degrees. They are
often designed in a symmetrical organisation in

which the entrance is located in the middle with windows on both sides. A shophouse is
characteristically features a five-foot way (kaki lima) or verandahed walkway. This covered
five-foot way, typically an arched opening, joins one house with the rest on the street
front. Thus, creating a continuous walkway on the front facade of the shophouse block.

Architectural Styles of the Shophouses

One may realise that there are several different architectural styles of shophouses on the
street of either Penang, Malacca or towns in Malaysia. Some have stylistic trends of the
different periods on the front facade while others have undergone renovation or used modern
materials in an effort to increase their property values. Generally, there are four architectural
styles of shophouses in Malaysia, which are:

· Early Shophouse (18th Century).

The front facade appears to have a continous row of panelled or louvered shutters, timber
walls and plain masonry pilasters on the upper floor. Attap was used in the early
shophouses but was banned due to fire regulations and later replaced by Chinese clay tiles.
The profile of these tiles has changed slightly over time from a V shape to a more rounded
shape which is lighter and smaller in size.

· Traditional Shophouse (19th Century).

The front walls were made of masonry which became more decorative with either plaster
figures or ceramic renderings. A frieze decoration right below the eaves was added displaying
paintings or ceramic shard work. Louvered shutters are remained but either iron or timber
grilles were inserted in the windows. The top parts of the pilasters were often enlarged to
support a purlin at the end of the eaves. In the late 19th Century, the pilasters were much
taller and often decorated with plaster renderings.

· Straits Eclectic Shophouse (1900 - 1940).

· Art Deco Shophouse (1940 - 1960's)

Most of the shophouses built in 1940s began to adopt the European style of Art Deco by
having long and thin rectangles, circles or continuous horizontal bands on the front facade.
Decorations were restrained on the front walls. Reinforced concrete is widely used to create
more cantilevered elements, some were placed over windows serving as shading devices.

The Peranakan Cina are usually associated with the Straits Eclectic style.

Straits Eclectic Style

In the early 20th Century, shophouses in the Straits Settlements began to adopt Western
architectural styles with an emphasis on full-length French windows with a pair of full-length
timber shutters, an arched or rectangular transom over the window opening, pilasters of
classical orders; and plaster renderings. In the early 1900, reinforced concrete was used to
allow wider roof overhangs and more elaborate cantilevered brackets which sprung from
above the pilasters.

Unlike the early and traditional shophouses which have a continuous row of windows, the
Straits Eclectic style developed with the breaking of the facade into two or three moulded
openings. Such style became popular among the Peranakan Cina community in either
Malacca or Penang. In some shophouses, the pilasters placed between openings, the spaces
above the arched transom and below the openings were decorated with plaster renderings
such as bouquets of flowers, fruits, mythical figures and geometrical shapes. In addition,
some of the window or door panels were beautifully carved. These decorations among other
things reflect not only the wealth of the owners or tenants but also their status or position in
the local community. One of the main differences between a Peranakan Cina shophouse and
a pure Chinese shophouse is the presence of these highly intricate ornaments and carvings.

The Peranakan Cina shophouses reached it richest phase with the addition of coloured tiles
on either walls or floors. It is not known wheather it was the Dutch or the Chinese who first
brought or introduced ceramic tiles to Malacca. Coloured ceramic tiles are not only popular in
the Peranakan Cina shophouses of the Straits Eclectic style but they are also used by the
Malays to decorate their main stairs. In the shophouses, the ceramic tiles are usually placed
on walls below the front windows on the ground floor facing the street. Flowers and
geometrical designs are usually painted on the tiles. Furthermore, coloured floor tiles made
of terra-cotta are commonly seen in the Straits Eclectic style, particularly in the verandahed
walkway and inside the shophouses. One may spot these features on the shophouses along
Magazine Road in Penang and Tun Tan Cheng Lock Road in Malacca.

Most of the shophouses throughout all stylistic periods were built with a series of gable and
pitch roofs; with the exception of courtyards or air wells and balcony. Some have a jackroof
which is a raised mini-roof locating at the peak of the main roof. The space between the two
roofs is filled with patterned grilles or timber louvres. It provides both cross and stack
ventilation which reduces the internal heat build-up especially during day time. Load-bearing
walls at both sides of the shophouse support the roof load through timber purlins which span
horizontally across the width of the building. The walls are at least 15" thick from ground to
first floor and 9" onwards. After attap was banned, Chinese clay tiles of a V shape were widely
used. The tiles are similar in origin to those used in the Mediterranean roofs, being introduced
to Malacca by the Portuguese. In the early 1900's, the inter-locking French Marseilles tiles

were introduced to the shophouses in the Straits Settlements. However, these terra-cotta tiles
were later replaced with modern roofing materials including metal and asbestos sheets.

A typical Peranakan Cina shophouse usually has the first hall (ruang tamu), second hall (tiah
gelap), one or two courtyards or air wells (chim chae), ancestral hall, bedrooms, bridal
chamber and kitchen. In those days, visitors to the house were normally allowed to the first
hall. The second hall or tiah gelap was usually used by the unmarried Nyonyas to peep
through small openings dividing the first and second halls. Now, as the social life changes,
the younger generation of Nyonyas no longer hide in the tiah gelap.

Besides the presence of the intricate plaster ornaments, carving and coloured tiles; the
Peranakan Cina shophouses are usually filled with antique furniture. During the colonial
periods, the interior of the Peranakan Cina house was decorated with Chinese blackwood
furniture including the family altar, chairs, side tables as well as ornately carved teak
cupboards with intricate mother-of-pearl inlay frames. Porcelain figurines, Nyonya cockery and
coloured ceramic wares were finely displayed in these cupboards. This elegantly decorated
interior is a portrayal of higher social, economic and political status of the Peranakan Cina in
those days.

In the early 20th Century; apart from buildings, the Peranakan Cina also owned large acres of
rubber estates and tin mines and had employed many newly arrived Chinese immigrants.
However, many of the rich Peranakan Cina had suffered greatly not only from the Depression
period in the 1930's but during the World War II; particularly the Japanese occupation of
Malaya. During the War, they had to abandon their properties including rubber estates,
shophouses and bungalows for safety reasons. After the War, the Peranakan Cina had gone
a period of degeneration and deprivation. "Their identity became diluted partly as a result of
the changed structure of Malaysian society and also due to the conversion of many
Peranakan Cina to Christianity."

Colonial Bungalows

The period between late 18th and early 20th centuries can be considered as the golden age of the
Peranakan Cina in Malacca and Penang. Most of the Peranakan Cina were westernised during
the period and many preferred living in European-style villas or colonial bungalows. Generally, a
colonial bungalow is a two-storey residential building which expresses the Western and local
architectural traditions modified to a greater or lesser degree by the use of local methods of
building construction and building materials. Often such building responds to the local climate.
This can be seen from the introduction of verandah, front porch, internal courtyard, ventilation
grilles, big openings and high ceilings. The term bungalow was originated in the 17th Century
Bengal of India which means indigenous hut or bangala. The bangala hut was constructed of mud-
walled structure raised a foot or two above the

ground, enclosing by a verandah and with a roof curved at the ridge. The Europeans, mostly the
British adapted the bangala hut and modified it to suit their needs by adding more bedrooms and
bathrooms but retaining the front and rear verandahs for natural ventilation.

Colonial bungalows or villas were built in many parts of the British Empire including India,
Jamaica, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia. For example, in Malaysia, particularly
Georgetown; colonial bungalows can be seen along Sultan Ahmad Shah or Northam Road,
Macalister Road, Burmah Road and on Penang Hill. Such buildings were built in late 19th and
early 20th centuries which mostly combined the architectural styles of the Anglo-Indian, Straits
Eclectic and Malay. Many colonial bungalows in Malaysia including the ones in Kuala Lumpur,
Ipoh, Taiping, Malacca and Seremban have been maintained, conserved as well as converted
to other uses such as a restaurant, a tourist information centre, an office and a bank.
However, some were vandalised, improperly maintained and left abandoned.

It is difficult to prescribe a good example of the colonial bungalow which represents the true
architectural style of the Peranakan Cina. However, the architectural styles, grandiose scale,
decorative building elements and lavish interiors of the bungalows became very much the
distinctive characteristics of the rich and elite Straits Chinese communities including the
Peranakan Cina. In the early 1900, some of the Straits Chinese elite gave up living in their
shophouses and moved in to these ostentatious bungalows. Typical characteristics of the
colonial bungalows built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries include raised structures,
projecting porches with arches or classical columns, high ceilings, wide verandahs, big
openings or French windows with semi-circular fanlights, plastered brick walls and hipped
roofs with short ridges. Some have internal courtyards, stables, circular driveways, ample
gardens and servants' quarters. In these bungalows there were marble or timber floors,
coloured tiles, fine chandeliers, mother-of-pearl inlaid blackwood furniture and teak
cupboards filled with Nyonya wares.

The colonial bungalows were basically of load-bearing brick-wall construction. The upper
floors of the colonial bungalows were usually constructed of timber including Chengal and Jati
while the ground floors were made of either brick, concrete or Portland cement finished with
red Malacca clay floor tiles. In some bungalows, marble slabs or patterned mosaic tiles were
laid. Furthermore, unpolished granite slabs were used sparingly either as the trimming to floor
egdes, airwells and verandahs or as paving in airwells, courtyards and patios. Both external
and internal walls which were made of brick were rendered with lime plaster prior to lime-wash
painting of white, pale yellow or light green colour. Before reinforced concrete was introduced,
many bungalows had timber staircases with timber handrails and cast-iron or timber
balustrades. Balusters of green glazed earthenware were usually found on the first floor
verandahs.

The colonial bungalows occupied or owned by the Straits Chinese families including the

Peranakan Cina were distinguishable from the European residences in terms of their
architectural details and uses of the internal spaces reflecting the social customs. For
eaxample, the ji-ho or the sign hung above the entrance door, security bars to windows, and
thepintu pagar or fence door. The size and number of rooms are also distinguished. More
rooms were needed to accommodate the extended family household tradition. In regards to
the uses of the internal spaces, the front hall or sitting room area of the Chinese bungalow
functioned as the reception hall while the dining room, rear verandah and side rooms formed
the private family area. The family ancestral altar was usually placed in the front hall of
which the arrangement is similar to that of the shophouses.

Like the shophouses, the colonial bungalows owned by the elite Straits Chinese
suffered immensely during the 1930's and after the World War II. Ms. Khoo Su Nin
described this situation in her book entitled Streets of George Town Penang:

"Houses were looted and emptied of their valuable contents. Within a few years, much wealth
was dissipated to feed the numerous dependants and hangers-on. The oversized family
jewels worn by the Nyonyas were dismembered and traded for some of the comforts to which
the gentle-born were accustomed to. After the war, some currencies and deposits had become
worthless. The most substantial assets which had not been taken away during the war were
lands and houses including the large family mansions, the holiday homes, the terrace house
properties. Members of large extended households who lived in harmony under the same roof
during better times now came back to fight over what was left of the family fortunes."

What is truly unique about the Straits Eclectic architecture in Penang, Malacca and other parts
of Malaysia is the richness and wide range of architectural vocabulary derived from the hybrid
of western and eastern styles and traditions. The future generations of this country, particularly
the descendents of the Peranakan Cina may not only learn the architectural and historical
values of the shophouses and colonial bungalows which were of importance to such
community but also the cultural aspects and social customs. It is important that the Peranakan
Cina are associated with and recognised by their architectural significance in addition to their
food, crafts, antique furniture and social customs. The Peranakan Cina architecture should be
part of the architectural heritage of Malaysia. Efforts should be made to conserve their unique
architecture including the shophouses, association buildings and colonial bungalows

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1.5.2 History and Distribution

The Melaka Chitty community, also known as the Malacca Straits-born Hindus or Indian
Peranakans has been in Malacca since the reign of the Malacca Sultanate in the early 15th
century. Trading between the West and East had long been established before then. Due to
the distance and weather conditions, traders had to make several stops along their trading
route the Straits of Malacca and Malacca was seen as the best location. It was exactly the
ideal choice for these traders as it was strategically located and food supplies were easily
available. As Malacca gained its popularity, more and more traders including the Hindus from
the Corromandel Coast, Southern India thronged its port.
Intermarriages between the Hindu traders and the Malays, Chinese, Javanese and others
were then unavoidable. Through the process of marriage and assimilation, these traders

gradually adapted themselves to a new lifestyle. Thus the term “Melaka Chitty” was born. As
staunch believers of the Hindu faith, the Melaka Chitty community still uphold their religious
ceremonies and beliefs but with a unique blend. In Malacca, one can easity notice this
unique community in Kampung Chitty, Gajah Berang which is situated about 2.5 kilometres
from the city centre. It consists of a few castes namely, Pandaran, Pillay, Neiker, Raja,
Pathair, Chitty and Padaichi.

They strongly resemble the Malays and Baba Nyonyas the Malacca Straits-born Chinese in
terms of clothing, spoken language, food and appearance. No doubt they are inarticulate in
Tamil but they still maintain their Hindu names and customs. As of material importance, it
needs to be asserted that the Melaka Chitty community is different from the other Hindus,
especially the Chettiars the Hindu money-lenders, in many ways. They had lost all forms of
relation with their descendants in India a long time ago. They have long pledged their loyalty to
the Rulers of Malaysia. Most of them are wage earners and lead a simple life. Some have
ventured into other types of occupations. A handful of them are living in other parts of the
country and some can be found in Singapore too. During festive seasons, most of them would
return to Kampung Chitty and they will have lots to talk about.

"Please don't confuse us with the Chettiars. They are moneylenders and we are the traders
who came here in the 1400s like the Babas and Nyonyas." So pleads Chitty village elder V.
Ramasamy Pillai. "After all these years, more than 600 years to be precise, Malaysians are
still unable to differentiate between Chittys and Chettiars," he says smiling and shaking his
head. History books and Ramasamy, 83, will tell you that the Chittys are actually Indian
traders who came to the Malacca in the early 1400s from the southern part of India, namely
Kalinga in the Corromandel Coast, during the days of the spice trade. Many married local
Malay women like the Chinese Peranakans and adopted the cultures and languages of the
region while retaining their religion – Hinduism. Seafaring Chitty traders went on to become
farmers and settled down in many parts of Malacca, eventually moving to Kampung Tujung in
Gajah Berang. You will notice from the below picture that the Indian Peranakan Wedding
Ceremonies and styles of dressing abd wedding garments are very similar to that of the
Chinese Peranakans. Also notice the "Ranjang Kemanten" in the background on the picture of
the right to that of a Peranakan Chinese "Ranjang Kemanten".

It is in Kampung Tujung where many of the Chittys now live. There are 19 homes amidst
three temples and a newly constructed community museum. When many of the Chittys
married and settled in Malacca, they didn't keep in touch with their families in India, thus
making it virtually impossible for their predecessors to trace relatives in Kalinga. While their
Indian relatives might be a permanently closed chapter, the Chittys in Malacca are a
fascinating group. Daily but more so on weekends, scores of visitors come to Chitty village.
"Most Chittys look like Indians while others have fair skin like the Chinese Peranakans and
have made Bahasa Melayu, particularly Baba Malay, as their home language. Many here only
speak Tamil haltingly as Baba Malay is the language spoken by the community," says K.
Nadarajan Raja, who is secretary of the Cultural Society of Chitty Malacca.

1.5.3 RELIGION

The focal point of Chitty cultural life is their Hindu religion. The community has a number of
temples and shrines, the most important being the Sri Muthu Mariamman and Anglamman,
both in Kampung Tujung, and the Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple in Melaka.

1.5. 6 COSTUME

"What we wear differs from our counterparts in India. The Chitty woman usually wears the
kebaya panjang or kebaya pendek, depending on her marital status, with a sarong, like the
Nyonyas. The handkerchief or binpoh is usually worn on the shoulder like a shawl," he
informs. The men are normally dressed in a dhoti and shirt for religious functions while for
traditional events, it is usually the sarong or kain pelekat with the lose Nehru jacket and cap.
A piece of colourful cloth is often draped on the left shoulder.

1.5.7FESTIVALS

As for festivals, the Chittys celebrate all three days of ponggol, the harvest festival in
January, and Deepavali on a grand scale. Temple festivals are also celebrated by following a
strict vegetarian diet for 10 days during which the Chittys living elsewhere in the country,
congregate in Malacca for the celebrations. One festival celebrated with much ado is the
BhogiParachu, usually falling in January. Chittys make offerings to ancestors on this day.
Chitty delicacies such as puluttekan/nasilemak, ginggang and other homemade specials are
served then.

On this occasion, nasilemak is patted down onto banana leaves and salted eggs are embedded in
the centre along with raddish. Some 13 other dishes such as friend mutton and chicken, soup and
sweets are also placed on the banana leaves. "This is one festival celebrated in every household
in the village. Ancestral worship is very important to us because we want the blessings of our
forefathers," says Nadarajan. "It is also a time when everyone in

the village visits one another." The practce of Ancestor Worship is alien in other Indian
communities. This shows us that the Indian Peranakan community has adopted many Chinese
Peranakan customs and traditions through intermarriage as intermarriage with Indian
Peranakans were common in the past. The below photo shows you how similar the Indians
Peranakans are to the Chinese Peranakans.

MariammanThirunal is the most important Chitty festival. Several thousand people (including
large numbers of Chinese Peranakan or Babas escort the image of the goddess from the Sri
MuthuMariamman Temple to the Sri PoyyathaVinayagarMoorthis Temple. Many of the
devotees perform alboo (piercing of the cheek and tongue by long skewers) , others carry
pots of milk on their heads or velkavadi ( large semi-circular steel frames decorated with
flowers and colourful motifs0. On the return journey, the chariot bearing the image is drawn by
priests and devotees and is accompanied by musicians playing the melam (drum) and
natheswaras( flute).

Given the small size of the community and their lack of knowledge of Tamil, Tamil-speaking
priests from other Hindu communities are called upon to conduct rites and prayers during
religious festivals, and other Tamil Hindu communities cooperate to support their temples.

1.5.8 INDIAN CHITTY PERANAKAN CUISINE

Chitty cuisine, a blend of Malay local influences, Nyonya and the Indian art of blending spices,
is little-known. There is no Chitty restaurant, not even in Malacca, and hence their food can
only be sampled in the community's enclave in KampungTujuh Gajah Berang. "The Chittys'
most famous food is nasilemak. We serve it as offerings during prayers,'' says G. Meenachi,
70. Unlike the other Indian groups who usually offer rice with vegetarian dishes during prayers,
the Chittys serve nasilemak or plain rice with a variety of fish and meat accompaniments.

"Chitty nasilemak is usually steamed. First, we steam the rice for about 20 minutes before it is
left to cool. In the meantime, we will boil thick and thin coconut milk separately over a low fire.
The pandanus leaf is boiled with the coconut milk so that it'll be fragrant. "Stir the coconut milk
into the steamed rice. Leave the rice for a few hours or until all the coconut milk has been
absorbed by the rice. Then steam the rice again for 10-15 minutes,'',.A good nasilemak must
be fragrant, and the grains fluffy and separate, and must even have a shiny sheen. The secret
to getting the shiny sheen, is by adding on some lemon juice to the rice during the steaming

process. Unlike the Northerners, ginger is not added to their nasilemak.
"Nasilemak is only cooked in a rice cooker when there are unexpected guests. We call this
nasilemakterkejut (surprise nasilemak).'' Offerings to Ancestors a Chinese Peranakan tradition
such as rice accompanied by 13 dishes are served by the Chittys to honour their ancestors.
Traditional Chitty cooks suffer no shortcuts or half measures in their kitchen, holding firm to
elaborate details that give their food a delicious edge.

Forchillied fried fish, the fish is wrapped with turmeric leaf which lends the dish a subtle aroma.
For puluttekan (glutinous rice cake steamed with coconut milk), Meenachi uses leaf only from
the pisangbatu or pisangnipah tree ... "leaves from other banana species would darken the
white pulut.''Spices are not blended in electric blenders, but are ground on the batugiling (a
granite pestle and mortar slab). "My mother called this morning to instruct that I pound the
shallots, ginger and garlic, and not use an electric blender,'' says Amuthavathi who cooked
one of the Chittys' signature dish for us, armed with her mother's detailed instructions and
secret tips. One of the Chitty's more unusual dish is nasikembuli. Not many Chittys still know
how to cook it although it was once served to brides three days after the wedding and as
offerings during prayers. "The ingredients in nasikembuli are Indian such as ghee, cumin and
coriander. However, one of the most important accompaniments, pineapple pachedi, is Malay
in origin,''

A popular Chitty everyday dish is laukpindang which bears strong Malay influences.
"Laukpindang is fish cooked with a blend of shallots, garlic and turmeric, in a tamarind and
thin coconut milk gravy,'' The best time to sample Chitty delicacies is during festivals such as
Ponggal or Bhogi. Bhogi, which falls on the eve of Ponggal, is the day that Chittys hold
ancestral rites and honour deceased family members. "On that day, we lay out seven banana
leaves of offerings for our ancestors. In my family, there will be three leaves of nasilemak,

three leaves of nasikembuli and a leaf of white rice. There will be 13 accompaniments to the
rice, a salted egg, and coffee,''.

The accompaniments include samballudang (fish roe and prawns cooked with belimbing (sour
starfruits), lemon grass, ginger, shallots, chilli, turmeric and coconut milk), dry chicken and
mutton curry, pineapple pachedi, spiced fried chicken, brinjalpachedi,
udanggorengasamgaram (prawns fried with tamarind and salt), cucumber relish, laukpindang
and krill sambal. Other festive Chitty food is putu, which is Indian in origin. Putu is traditionally
served during the Sadanggu, a ceremony for young girls who have reached puberty. "Only
women are invited for this ceremony, and they must finish all the food prepared to ensure that
no man eats the food. It's considered bad luck if food for the Sadanggu is eaten by a man.
Notice the SembayangDato or Offering to the Ancestors Ceremony in the middle picture
below. Notice the two red candles used. This is a Peranakan Chinese tradition, not an Indian
Tradition as only the Peranakan Chinese use Red Candles for offering and prayers to the
Ancestors.

"It is also best to serve tea with sugar and pandanus leaf to go with the putu, which is made
from scraped coconut, palm sugar syrup, fried green beans, cardamom and rice flour,'' says
Meenachi. Although many Chitty dishes are still prepared, there are fears that some recipes
may be forgotten as the young marry out of the close-knit but small community..For certain
dishes, use only the pink shallots. A pinch of salt must be added when pounding
sambalbelacan to mute the chillies' rawness. Boil salted mustard for itiktim in a brass wok, and
it won't turn yellow but remain green. Recipes aside, Chitty Baba Malay terms used to
describe cooking methods are also interesting. Some of these terms include masakatasdarat
which means to fry spices in hot oil away from the fire, and kare which is to use a chopstick to
gently separate the rice grains without breaking them. It is estimated that there around 50,000
Indian Peranakans in the whole of Peninsular Malaysia and another 5,000 in Singapore alone.
The overwhelming majority of Peranakans however are the Chinese Peranakans.

Religion
The Chitty community are Hindu, worshipping in their three temples. Gods such
as Ganesh and Shiva are worshipped in full gaiety. Hints of Taoist and Islamic influences are

also evident in their religious rituals.
Culture

A Hindu Chitty Temple
Culturally, the Chitty have largely assimilated into the Malay culture with some Chinese,
Dutch and Portuguese influences, although certain elements of Indian culture do remain. This
is especially true in the case of marriages, where offerings of fruits and burning of incense are
used. In the case of food, Malay spices, ingredients and the way of cooking have largely
supplanted the purely Indian style.
Chinese cultural influence is also evident, especially in the case of ancestral worship.
Religious objects used for conducting rituals were also used by the Chinese. The Chitty
are also influenced by the Chinese to some extent in their ceramics works of art.
Simplification of Tamil architecture among the Chitty is also present. Distinct from the Tamil, who
have a complex Dravidian Temple Architecture in the Pallava style, that displays beautifully
carved sculptures of the Hindu gods in many rows, the Chitty temple tend to only have one row
of these, or a picture of one single god in each of the three rows, as evidenced in the Sri
Poyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple, built by Thaivanayagam Chitty in 1781.
Alongside their Chinese and Malay neighbors, the Chitty live in Kampong houses. Pictures
of Hindu gods and Indian namescan be seen just outside their houses, as their descendants
tend to adopt Indian, rather than Malay surnames.
A typical Chitty home is distinctly marked by mango leaves arranged in a row, dangling from
above the front door. Chitty temples are also adorned this way.

1.5 .1 EURASIANS

HISTORY AND DISTRIBUTION

The Eurasians of British Malaya and North Borneo (corresponding to modern day Malaysia)
were classified as 'Eurasians' by the British colonial administration in the 1920s. Prior to this
the Eurasians were referred to either as Anglo-Indians (for those with British or Irish
surnames), Dutch Burghers (for those with Dutch or German surnames) or Portuguese
Descendants or Mestizos (for those with Portuguese and French surnames). In the British
colonial era (lasting from 1786 to 1957), the English-speaking Anglo-Indians were at the top of
the Eurasian hierarchy, followed by the Dutch Burghers and then by the Portuguese
Descendants. The Anglo-Indians came over with the British East India Company and later
with the British colonial administration as soldiers and low level civil servants. The Dutch
Burghers were the descendants of European employees of the Dutch East India Company
married to Portuguese Mestizos or Asians. The Portuguese Descendants were the result of
marriages of Portuguese adventurers/colonists and Asians.

In West Malaysia, the Malays just labelled all Eurasians as "Serani" which originally meant
Christians. The fact that the Portuguese Mestizos of Malacca refer to their patois as "Kristang"
(Christian tongue) is an affirmation of what the Malays were calling them by the 18th century.
Originally, in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Malays called the Portuguese "Feringgi" which has a
common origin with the Thai word, "Farang" which today refers to European foreigners.

The Portuguese settlement in Melaka remains the bastion of the community’s preservation,
growth and development, mainly concentrated in the Portuguese Settlement and Medan
Portugis or the Portuguese Square which was built in 1983 to resemble a typical coastal
town in Portugal.

1.5.2. RELIGIONS AND BELIEFS

Eurasians are predominantly Roman Catholic. It is traditional for the Eurasian family to
baptize a child within a month from birth and on the first Sunday of the month. Godparents,
usually members of the family or good friends, are appointed and are morally responsible for
the child's upbringing should anything happen to the parents.

Eurasian celebrations revolve around Christian holidays. Christmas is definitely the most
important festival for Eurasians - even in the most humble of homes there will be a Christmas
tree of some sort and presents from Santa Claus for the little ones. The Santa myth is so
strong that children often leave a plate of biscuits and a glass of water out "in case Santa gets
hungry."

In many Eurasian homes, certain rituals must be followed when a death occurs. For
instance, they maintain that the spirit of the deceased remains in the house for several days.
Thus, on the seventh day, a vigil is kept until midnight at which time the spirit would give
some sign of its departure before leaving the house. Some families leave a favorite beverage
for the departing spirit. Although many of their beliefs relate to Christian traditions, few relate
to a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ.

1.5.4 LANGUAGE

English is generally spoken as a first language by Eurasians, whilst amongst the elder
generation who are of Portuguese or Portuguese-speaking descent
the Portuguese creoleknown as Cristão or PapiaKristang – the Kristang language – is still
spoken by some people. A number of Eurasians speak Asian languages like Malay,
Chinese or Tamil as their second languages.

Some 1000 members of the Melaka Portuguese community, particularly its older members,
speak the creole known as Kristang or Papia Cristao ( the language of the Christians), which
is a hybrid language of Portuguese, Malay and English.

The Kristang language is formally called Malacca-Melayu Portuguese Creole, made up of
elements of each. [2] The Malay language, or Bahasa Malaysia, as it is now called in Malaysia,
has changed to incorporate many Kristang words. For example, garfu is Kristang for "fork" and
almari is Kristang for "cupboard"; the Malay language incorporated these Kristang words

whole.

Portuguese influence on Malay language

The Portuguese ruled Malacca from 1511 to 1641. About 300 Portuguese words were adopted
in the Malay language. These include:

 kereta (from carreta, car);
 sekolah (from escola, school);
 bendera (from bandeira, flag);
 mentega (from manteiga, butter);
 keju (from queijo, cheese);
 meja (from mesa, table); and
 nenas (from ananás, pineapple

1.5.5 RITES OF PASSAGE

Eurasian Customs
Birth
Just how do Eurasian families welcome a child into their home and lives?
The arrival of a newborn is one of the most important milestones to commemorate in any
culture – signifying transitions into parenthood, and more importantly, the miracle of new life.
With the Eurasian community being predominantly Roman Catholic , religion plays a big role

in shaping culture and values. Catholic rites like water baptism are very much part
and parcel of welcoming a new member into the family.
Being Eurasian often means an intermingling of two different cultures and a fine marriage of
both European and Asian values. Arguably, much of the communities of Eurasians in
Asia today stem from colonial expansion and trading exploration back in the early days.
Collectively, the Eurasians make up a small colourful, ethnic community, fusing together
various cultures and different backgrounds – and that little something that is truly,
uniquely their own.
Here are three interesting customs observed by the Eurasian

(1) Naming Baby
Like many traditions the world over, which believe that names have to be carefully chosen

for babies as the start of a good, meaningful life ahead, many Eurasians turn to the Book
of Saints, for the rich biblical meanings and origins behind each name. Most Eurasians
also have a middle name – after relatives like a grandparent, an uncle or an aunt.
Parents usually snip off a lock of hair for keepsake, along with the child’s other firsts. Some
couples, go a step further to preserve those first locks, turning them into calligraphy

brushes. “It’s a great innovative way to preserve something that is part of our firstborn,
and we intend to give them to her when she is older.

(2) Godparents

The selection of godparents is common in the Eurasian community. In the book, Gateway to
Eurasian Culture, Dr Diane Kraal, Honorary Research Fellow, Faculty of Law and
Management at La Trobe University, writes, “It is also important to choose one or two
godparents for the child, who should be practicing Christians as they will be responsible
for the child, should anything happen to the parents. Thus, they will need to lead a good
Christian life, be close to the family and be willing and able to help out if needed.”

True to tradition, the godparents are usually chosen from each side of the family – one from
the father’s and one from the mother’s side. Being a godparent is a commitment that
starts when the child is an infant and follows well into adulthood. Often, the godparents
are also called to be the sponsor of child’s marriage in the future.

(3) Baptism
A water baptism is usually carried out in within the first month from birth. As Catholics,

baptism is a very important rite for newborns, as it officially initiates them into the Catholic
faith and marks the beginning of a spiritual journey with a higher order. Baptism is when the
godparents are called to duty, with the shared responsibilities for the child’s moral
upbringing.
Dr Kraal explains in her book, “Water is a powerful symbol of rebirth. The first baptism
cleanses the child of ‘original sin’ (the innate sin of mankind) in order to enter Heaven.”
During baptism, the priest will either sprinkle holy water over the infant’s head, or
lightly immerse the infant.
The firstborn wears a white christening robe made from the veil or train of the mother’s bridal
gown. As with most cultures, the colour white is a symbol of purity and new life. For new
mother, Rachel De Souza, 29, this is one of the old-time traditions she remembers and
fondly holds dear, but chose to do so with a modern, more practical twist. The preschool
teacher sewed a piece of her wedding dress onto the hem of her daughter’s dress for the
christening ceremony. She shares, “Tradition aside, it’s a beautiful expression of love, to be
able to give this little piece of me something from the union that created her!”
Following baptism, it is common to have a tea party or small gathering among close friends
and relatives, who bring well-wishes and gifts. This baptism celebration is where families
from both sides bring out their best recipes passed down through the years – think
traditional, mouthwatering Eurasian favourites like Sugee cake, tarts, torte cakes and
savory dishes like Devil’s Curry!

Death Rituals

In many Eurasian homes, certain rituals must be followed when a death occurs. For

instance, they maintain that the spirit of the deceased remains in the house for several
days. Thus, on the seventh day, a vigil is kept until midnight at which time the spirit
would give some sign of its departure before leaving the house. Some families leave a
favorite beverage for the departing spirit. Although many of their beliefs relate to
Christian traditions, few relate to a personal faith relationship with Jesus Christ.

1.5.6 FESTIVALS

The traditions of the Eurasians are essentially Melaka Portuguese and are closely tied to
Roman Catholicism. They are passed down the generations and mostly practised in the
privacy of homes or localized social settings, except for the practice of curry lunches and
tea dances on selected Sundays and Open houses during the season of Christmas.
Some traditions, however, are more publicly celebrated with the more popular
ones included in the tourism calendar, such as

• Festa Intrudo ( Water Festival for the cleasing of spirit before the season of Lent),
Which marks the last day of merriment before Lent, the Christian fasting period. In
Melaka, people celebrate the festival by donning fancy dress and splashing water on
each other

• Festa San Juan ( Festival of Lights in recognition of Saint John the Baptist as the
bearer of the torch), and

• Festa San Pedo ( Feast of Saint Peter to ensure safe passage and bountiful
harvests for fishermen), which is the best known Melaka Portuguese festival.

The Festa San Pedro , held each year in June, attracts visitors to join the residents in
songs, dances, fun fairs, game stalls, the decorated boat festival and the solemn
procession of the statue of Saint Peter. The special postion of the festival among the
Melaka Portuguese community dates back to the days when fishing was the main
livelihood.

1.5.8 CUISINE

A diversity of cuisines has inevitably proliferated from this colorful historic and ethnic tapestry.
Eurasian food, in general, is an amalgamation of European cuisines - Portuguese, Dutch and
British especially British East Indies, with local ingredients and influences by Malay, Indian,
Chinese and Nyonya styles of cooking.

Portuguese settlers in Malacca, having sailed the world's oceans in their quest for
precious spices and goods, had long since acquired a taste for spicy food. Portuguese
country cooking took on a regionally spicier taste using local ingredients.

Being a predominantly seafaring community akin to the fishing community of
Portugal, many of the Portuguese Eurasian's food condiments are fish and seafood
derived like Pickled Salt Fish[AcarIkan], Pickled Fish Roe, Cincaluk or Cencaluk [tiny
baby shrimp sauce], dried Karing-Karing [dried threadfish] and the ubiquitous belacan
[also spelt belachan or blacan], dried

While some of the Portuguese Eurasian dishes are named in English, many have
Portuguese names; and even names whose origins can be traced to the travel routes of the
Portuguese. Dishes like Porku Sal Pementer, Sal means salt and Pementer is a Latin family
name. Porku [porr-koo] is a word that can be traced to a pro Roman language, porkus in Latin;
also in Maltese language porku is a word meaning pork. Some Portuguese Eurasian style
dishes are classic Portuguese country cooking likePortuguese Baked Fish using local fish and
ingredients. Many dishes of the Portuguese settlers were also inspired by the Portuguese
maritime routes and their other colonies. Dishes likeChicken or Pork Vindaloo and Salt Fish
Pickle originated from the Portuguese colony of Goa in India. The Portuguese had a strong
link to Benin City, the capital of Edo State, a powerful Kingdom in the southern coast of Congo
present day Nigeria. TahuBrangkuFugar [Tahu is tofu in Malay], Brangku in Portuguese dialect
means white and Fugar means stir-fried in Portuguese dialect. The word Fugar also
means icing or confectioner's sugar, used for local palm winemaking. The word Fugar can
also be traced to a place, a Portuguese colony in the southern coastline of Nigeria, where in
the North lies a terrain of pastoral beauty called Kukuruku Highlands. Kukurukuku is heralded
in an old Portuguese folklore song sung for generations by Portuguese Eurasians in
Malacca. LobakTempre de Bredu - Lobak is radish in Malay,Tempre means tempered in
Spanish; tempra also means spice paste and Bredu means vegetables; the word Bredu can
also mean sword brother or sister in Portuguese dialect. Other local Portuguese Eurasian
dishes are Curry Bobra [Pork Spareribs Curry], Pesce Curry Mangga [Pesce is fish in Spanish
and French,Mangga is mango in Malay] and PorkuTambreneu [Tamarind Pork]; tambreneu
meaning tamarind in Portuguese dialect.

Then there are Eurasian dishes inspired by the Dutch and British.Bergedel, which are potato
patties with ground beef, can be traced back to the Dutch influenced islands of Batavia,
today's islands of Indonesia. While other Eurasian dishes are British East Indies imports like
Mulligatawny Soup - Spicy Chicken Soup) - the word Mulligatawny originated from the Tamil
word Milagu-Tannirmeaning Pepper Water. There is the famous Kedgeree or Khichri -

Smoked Haddock & Curried Rice, a very popular British East Indian meal, usually served as
breakfast. A dish called Semurwhich evolved from a classic Goan dish
called Sorpotel orSarapatel, believed to have originated from the Portuguese Sarrabulho,
which is a kind of Pork Stew with curdled pig blood and Cabidel or pork giblets.
Nowadays Semur is made using beef tongue and stewing beef. It is often cooked and enjoyed
during Catholic religious festivals or special occasions. Other popular Eurasian dishes
like Brown Beef Stew, Pork Chops, Fish & Chips, Oxtail Stew, Chicken Pot Pie, Scotch Eggs,
Shepherd’s Pie, Tuna Mornay and Salisbury Steak are traditional recipes from the British Isles,
taught to their local housekeepers or amahs as they were called, by early British colonists.

Local Malay, Indian, Chinese and Nyonya neighbors have also inspired many dishes in the
Eurasian kitchen. Satay Celup or Satay Dip is Malay influenced, wooden stick skewers of
prawns, squid, cockles, pork and vegetables are dipped and cooked in a pot of hot
bubbling Satay sauce. Other Eurasian dishes are influenced by it's Chinese neighbors
like Pomfret Juliana [hot and sour Pomfret], Teem with Pork Trotters or preserved Chinese
Mustard with pork trotters, Pork Ribs Soup Eurasian-style with potatoes and carrots added
instead of Chinese vegetables. One can easily spot authentic Eurasian food in Malaysia by its
cooking style, Portuguese names and the word 'Eurasian' as a prefix, such as Eurasian
Mee or Eurasian Noodles and Eurasian NasiGoreng or Eurasian Fried Rice. Other popular
dishes cooked in Eurasian households like Chicken BuahKeluak [Chicken with a local fruit],
Babi Pongteh [Stewed Pork] and Chicken Kapitan are inspired by the close proximity
of Peranakan neighbors and Nyonyashousewives.

Afternoon Tea or High Tea - is a daily ritual adopted by the Eurasians from the British
tradition of teatime. Finger foods, snacks and sandwiches such as cucumber, watercress,
sardine and prawn sambal sandwiches are served. Snacks such as Curry Puffs,Pineapple
Jam Tarts, Treacle Tarts, Tea Scones and Marbled Jellyare served together with a piping hot
pot of English tea. Sister Dot’s Chocolate Cake, Macaroons, Bread Pudding, Banana
Cakeand Sherry Trifle are also popular desserts. Rich Fruit cake, Marzipan Icing Cakes and
Christmas Pudding are made for special occasions.

Devil Curry : Portuguese Devil Curry is a rich and fiery hot dish, made with mustard powder,
turmeric powder, vinegar, candlenuts and lots of chilies - hence it's name! Chicken, pork and
occasionally wild boar, is used to make Devil Curry. Try it with fresh Blue crabs [Mud, Stone
or Dungeness crabs] for a superb Devil Crab!

Pork Vindaloo : this famous dish made it's way from the Portuguese settlement of Goa in
India. The meat, usually pork or chicken, is marinated in blend of hot chilies, ginger, garlic and
other spices. Mustard seeds are popped before cooking the meat in hot oil. Vinegar adds
moth-watering tang to the dish. Mountains of steamed rice can be consumed with this hot &

tangy dish!

Malaccan Black Pepper Crab : Uncommon in an Asian recipe, butter used in this dish
reflecting the Portuguese influence in Malacca. With the butter, lots of coarsely ground
black peppercorns also goes into this dish. The result is a deliciously mellow black pepper
sauce, not unlike Steak Au Poivre. Blue crabs, Mud crabs, Stone or Dungeness crabs are
simply scrumptious in this sauce!

Prawn Bostador : Bostador in local Portuguese dialect means 'slap' as one is slapped with
fiery hotness when eating this dish!Garlic, shallots, candlenuts, turmeric powder, belacan [also
spelt belachan or blacan] and lots of chilies goes into the making of this dish.

Pickled Salt Fish : Salted fish similar to Bacalao or Salt Cod - is pickled in a blend of
garlic, ginger, vinegar, spices and tamarind. It's usually served as an appetizing chutney or
accompaniment to a meal.

Tuna Mornay : Canned tuna has never been so lovingly smothered in a creamy cheese sauce
and baked. Reminisce of old British colonial days, this casserole dish is much loved and
usually made on special occasions.

Granny's Meatball Curry : Meatballs in a coconut curry sauce made lovingly by Granny - an
old-fashioned hand meat grinder was used to mince the meat... I don't think she will mind if
store ground beef is used. Fresh packaged 'meatloaf' meat is also excellent for this dish.

Pork Rib Soup : Pork spare ribs are simmered and flavored with onions, cinnamon stick,
cloves, star anise and black peppercorns. Potatoes and carrots, sometimes cabbage and
green beans are added to this flavorful broth. This is one soup that is cooked daily in
some Eurasian homes.

Ham Hock Curry : Smoked ham hocks, usually imported as meats are rarely smoked in
Southeast Asia, are cooked in a curry. Chunks of smoked ham hocks are simmered for
hours until tender and falling off the bones. Subtly smoky in flavor, this is one of Daddy's
specialty dish!

Itik Tim : Duck & Salted Vegetable Soup - this soupy dish is made with duck, usually roasted
duck, sour plums and KiamChye [salted Chinese Mustard Greens, also called Sour Mustard. A
great dish to eat with steamed rice when you want to take a break from hot spicy foods.

Curry Feng : Pork Mince Curry - Christmas is not complete without Curry Feng. It is best eaten
after being refrigerated for a day or two. This dish is made with pork, pig liver or innards.

It is wonderful eaten with crusty French loaf.

Cincaluk Sambal : Baby Shrimp Sauce - Tiny baby shrimps preserved in brine, is a favorite
Portuguese relish, sold in bottles. An acquired taste, cincaluk [also spelt cencaluk], is usually
savored as dipping sauce or condiment, by mixing it with fresh chilies, shallots and lime
juice. An excellent accompaniment to Ikan Bakar grilled or barbecued fish.

Malaysian Chicken Curry : Typical chicken curry cooked in almost all Malaysian homes. This
basic recipe uses a Malaysian made meat curry powder. It has just the right blend of spices for
an authentic 'Malaysian-tasting' curry! Some ingredients may vary - Eurasian homes might
add carrots, more potatoes or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

1.5.9 PERFORMING ARTS/ CRAFTS

Branyo
 The Branyo is a form of dance from Malaysia traditionally danced by the original

Portuguese colonists of Malacca and their present-day descendants in Malaysia
and Singapore and is a development of the Portuguese folk dance corridinho from
the Algarve. This dance has been an integral part of the Malaccan Portuguese
festival of Introdu since the early 16th century.Introdu is known as Shrove Sunday
or Quinquagesima to the non-Portuguese speaking world and is the Sunday just before
Ash Wednesday which marks the season of Lent. This dance has
enriched Malay culture and has influenced the later Malay dance known as
the ronggeng.

• The costumes of the dancers reflect a fusion of the east and the west. While the male
dancers wear Portugal-inspired traditional costumes, the female dancers wear Malay-
inspired costume reminiscent of baju kebaya

• Branyo is danced accompanied by music played on the rebana and violin. The catchy
rhythm of the dance is akin to that of the Malay joget.

• There are 4 rhythmns in Branyo. They are Jingli Nona, Canji Papa, Che
Corte and Sarampeh

Meanwhile, Farapeira is for the youngsters. The dance is very cheerful and this resembles the
cheerful life of the youngsters. It is performed by couples dressed in the costume of the
traditional Portuguese descendants of Malacca. Modern musical instruments such as guitars
and tambourines are used to make fast beats and rhythm.

Ref: http://peranakan.hostoi.com/IndianPeranakans.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_(mixed_ancestry)#Malaysia
The encyclopedia of Malaysia- Peoples and Traditions – Prof Dato’ Dr Hood Salleh
1.5.2 http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=11164&rog3=MY
1.5.4http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristang_people
1.5.5 http://sg.theasianparent.com/articles/eurasian_customs
1.5.8 http://www.malaysianfood.net/Eurasianfood.html

RUJUKAN :
1. Penulis. Tahun. “Tajuk Buku”/”Journal”/”Majalah”. Penerbit. Muka surat

2.

KERTAS PENERANGAN /
INFORMATION SHEET

KOD DAN NAMA TOURIST GUIDES HT-023-3
PROGRAM / PROGRAM THREE ( 3)
CODE AND NAME
TAHAP / LEVEL

NO DAN TAJUK MODULE 4: CULTURES OF MALAYSIA
MODUL/ MODULE NO
AND TITLE

NO DAN PERNYATAAN 05.01
TUGASAN /TASK(S) NO MALAYSIAN CULTURAL INFORMATION
AND STATEMENT
PRESENTATION

OBJEKTIF MODUL / Perform commentary on cultures of Malaysia using audio
MODULE OBJECTIVE visual system, LCD projector, computer, printer, stationeries,
NO KOD / CODE NO maps, travel manuals, brochures and culture related
publications so that the information on cultures of Malaysia

gathered, storyline on cultures of Malaysia prepared and
commentary on cultures of Malaysia conducted in
accordance with tourist guide code of conduct and accuracy
of cultures information.

TAJUK :
1.6 CULTURES OF THE ORANG ASLI. DELIVER INFORMATION ON THE ORANG ASLI

TUJUAN :
Deliver information on the Orang Asli of Peninsular Malaysia by disseminating
knowledge gained using publications, slides/samples so that students are fully and
accurately informed in accordance to industry requirements.

PENERANGAN :
1.6.1 DISTRIBUTION AND DEFINITION OF ORANG ASLI

“Orang Asli” literarily or linguistically means “Original People” in Malay and is also
translated as “Aboriginal People” because it referred to their aboriginal, natural or original
way of life (“cara hidup asli”) that depended much on nature. The Orang Asli are not a
single homogeneous race but comprise about 18-odd different ethno-cultural groups in
Peninsular Malaysia. Each distinct group (sometimes mentioned as “tribe”) has its own
ethnic origin/history, language/dialect and culture/lifestyle. The term Orang Asli is a
collective term introduced and used by anthropologists and administrators in the 20th
century and officialised in 1960, to designate these indigenous aboriginal peoples at the
time under a common name.

The Orang Asli tribes can be categorised into three ethnological groupings; the Negrito (a
Spanish term meaning “Little Blacks” that originally referred to similar darker-skinned
peoples in the Philippines), the Senoi, and the Melayu Proto (Melayu Asli / Proto-Malay /
Aboriginal Malays). Their distribution varies widely across the Malay Peninsula. Generally
the Negrito are found more in the northern part of the Peninsula, the Senoi in the central
areas while the Proto-Malay are more widely distributed but with a higher concentration in
the southern and central regions.

While the majority of Orang Asli were hinterland rainforest dwellers practicing hunter-
gatherer or shifting cultivation, a few groups inhabited remote coastal areas such as the
Mah Meri in Pulau Carey / Pulau Indah, Orang Seletar in Johor and Orang Laut on the
Peninsula west coast and are also fishermen.

Today there are approximately 140,000 to 150,000 people of all Orang Asli groups and
sub-groups combined, making up about 0.6% of Malaysia’s population.

Orang Asli Groups - In alphabetical order
Melayu Proto
- Jakun, Orang Kanaq, Orang Kuala, Orang Seletar, Semelai, Temuan
Negrito
- Batek, Jahai, Kensiu, Kentaq, Lanoq, Mendriq
Senoi
- Che Wong, Jah Hut, Mah Meri, Semai, Semaq or Semoq Beri, Temiar

Orang Asli Distribution Map: Note that there is some overlap between groups and the
spread does not indicate size of population. Source: www.thestar.com.my

1.6.2 HISTORY
There are very few written ancient records of the various Orang Asli tribes. They largely
kept an aboriginal and self-sufficient lifestyle in interior or remote areas but did engage in
barter trading with the Malay people. The Orang Asli provided jungle produce such as
forest herbs and resins, incense and other wood products as well as feathers or other
animal parts in exchange for metal objects, tools, cloth and salt.

Along the way there were inter-marriages between Orang Asli peoples and coastal
Malays while there was alleged slave trading of Orang Asli in the 18th/19th century. In
other historic developments, a few groups such as the Proto-Malay Orang Selat and
some Orang Laut communities even fully assimilated into mainstream society with the
rise of the Melaka Sultanate as well as in the other Malay kingdoms.

The arrival of the British brought inroads into some of the Orang Asli groups, making
them the subject of anthropological research and the target of Christian missionaries.
During the Darurat (the Malayan Emergency period 1948-1960) the Orang Asli such as

the Senoi Paraaq played an important part in assisting government forces in defeating the
Communists in some of the jungle campaigns. In 1950 the Department of Aborigines was
formed while in 1954 the Aboriginal Peoples Ordinance was enacted to recognise, protect
and administer to their needs.
This initiative was continued after Merdeka with the Jabatan Hal-Ehwal Orang Asli; and
the Orang Asli were fully recognised as Bumiputra people. The Malaysian Government
has consistently made available opportunities for the Orang Asli to enter the wider
Malaysian society with infrastructure, education and healthcare at the various widely
scattered Orang Asli settlements.

Orang Asli youth attending a Government-sponsored Tourist Guide Course in Melaka
1.6.3 LANGUAGES AND IDENTITY

The division of the Orang Asli into three groupings is largely but not entirely based on
ethno-linguistic affinity between tribes.
The Negrito, who have darker skin and frizzier hair, speak a variety of languages and
dialects now termed Aslian. Aslian is placed under the Austroasiatic linguistic family that
suggests a relation to some of mainland Southeast Asia’s indigenous groups. It is further
sub-divided as North Aslian and South Aslian. The Batek people of Taman Negara are of
the Negrito grouping who speak a North Aslian or Jahaic language. The Senoi speak
languages and dialects related to Aslian called Senoic. Some mixed aspects of Senoi
language and looks seem to make them an ethnological bridge between the Negrito and