Culture and Social Changes of the Baba Nyonya Community in Malacca, Malaysia

Culture and Social Changes of the Baba Nyonya Community in Malacca

Group members:– Yu Tieng Wei

– Muhammad Zainuddin– Chuah Pei Jin– Kek Kok Wah– Petra Leong

Date of submission : 11/29/2012

• Malaysia is a multicultural society with rich cultural heritage

• Baba Nyonya intermarriage of Chinese people from china with the native people in Peninsula Malaysia

• situated around Malacca, Singapore and Penang. • By the middle of the 20th century, most Peranakan

were English educated.

INTRODUCTION

Issue

• Misunderstanding or perspective toward Baba Nyonya culture.

• Lack of research and publication of cultural products.

• Large portions of invaluable cultural heritage are fast deteriorating due to poor maintenance and preservation practices.

Objectives

• To understand the social and culture Baba-Nyonya ethnic.

• To identify the achievement and development of Baba-Nyonya ethnic.

• To identify the popular misperceptions of Baba-Nyonya.

• The important to study misunderstand of people toward Baba-Nyonya ethnic is to understand the importance of preserving the Baba-Nyonya culture among the Malaysian communities and helps in clarify the intercultural misperception on Baba-Nyonya ethnic.

• The Baba-Nyonya is a unique community and cultural phenomenon that occurred in an era of momentous transition. They are rich with the cultural heritage; cuisine, fashion and arts. Their belief and society structural are originated mixture of the Chinese and Malay.

• “The Babas may be one of the most talked about communities in Malaysia, but it is also one of the most misunderstood “(Tan, 1988).

Origin of Baba Nyonya

General public perception:• Chinese immigrants married Malay people during

the colonial era• The Chinese workers that came to the Indonesian

archipelago of Nusantara were mostly man, so they married the local Malay woman.

Correct, but…….

Extras:“People usually thought that inter-cultural relationship of Baba Nyonya was only forged between overseas Chinese and local Malays or vice versa. In fact, the intermarriage happen with the Indonesians, Thais and Burmese too. Just like my grandparents. That is why we (the peranakan) wear sarong, because the culture of wearing sarong is shared among all of us. The Baba Nyonya culture was actually started with the historical moment, when Sultan Mansur Shah get married with the Ming Princess Hang Li Poh. Later that, many Chinese foreigners had been brought into Malacca, and so they rooted themselves with the local Malays, hence Baba Nyonya are formed, and a new culture was generated, where people nowadays recognized Baba Nyonya is people who have Chinese traditions and blend with the local Malay culture.” (Sheryl, 48, Female)

Differences between Baba Nyonya of different region….

General public perception:“Frankly speaking, I thought they are all the same. I have no idea about the differences between Baba & Nyonya in Melaka, Penang & Singapore.” (Houmaid, 23, Male)

“I think that is that same community. I have no idea about the differences between them. Am I right?” (Shing, 25, Female)

There is a differences between Baba Nyonya of Penang, Melaka

and Singapore…..

Some of the differences include:• Spoken language• Food• Religion

• Food “I think the differences would be the food. The (Nyonya) food from Malacca and Singapore have more influence from Indonesia, the food are sweeter. We use a lot of coconut-milk and mix with traditional Malay spices in our food. But Our Malacca Nyonya food has stronger influence from the Portugese-Eurasian compare to the Singapore Nyonya food, because of the colonial period at Malacca. The Nyonya food from Penang have more influence from Thailand, they love to add souring agent into their food, like the famous Penang Asam Laksa. The Penang Nyonya food also famous with the sweet-tasting belacan, they called it "haeko".” (Sherly, 48, Female)

• ReligionPenang and Melaka – ancestral worshipSingapore – Christians

• Spoken languagePenang – more HokienMelaka – more MalaySingapore – more English

Colours Of Baba & Nyonya.

Beaded Shoes

• Traditional kasut manek design often have European floral subjects, with colors influenced by Peranakan porcelain and batik sarongs. They were made onto flats or bedroom slippers. But from the 1930s, modern shapes became popular and heels were added. Produce manually.

Traditional Clothing“Nyonya Kebaya”

Kebaya Nyonya• The Nyonya’s Kebaya contains

lots of flower motifs. Mostly all of the Nyonya’s Kebaya have that elements on lower part of the Kebaya. Usually it is combination of many harmony colours.

• The flowers represents the softness of women and create the lady like feel.

• Traditional blouse-dress• Made from sheer material

Sarong / batik kain panjang Hand woven Kain Songket

Colourful floral motif Batik sarong

• Kerongsang ( Brooch )

Baba & Nyonya Religion ( Ancestral Worship )

• For the religion of Baba & Nyonya, they were Chinese-influenced, they adhere to ancestral Chinese religion and rituals. They worship their ancestors and pray to Chinese deities.

• They are not Muslims, but whatever they practice, they adapted local Malay traditions, which create a harmonious relationship between two different customs and traditions.

• Baba Nyonya subscribed to Chinese beliefs: Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism,celebrated the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival.

Baba & Nyonya’s Name ( Influnced By Chinese )

“Well basically they will add the Baba in front of the names of the guys and Nyonya for the ladies. Then our names are like Chinese names, we have our surname in front, a middle name which we follow the generations and a last name which is a given name. For example my name, people will also call me Nyonya Lim Keow Hong; “Lim” is my family name, “Keow” is a generation name so all my sisters have the same middle name, as for my brothers theis middle name is “Ewe” and my given name is “Hong”, so in my family they will call me Hong.” (Mdm. Lim, 41, Female)

• Baba is the front name the male. While Nyonya is the front name for the female.

• Followed by Family name. • Then generation name( middle name ), means

that, for female, they will have the same middle name. Same as the male.

• And the last one is the given name.

“Baba-Nyonya Cuisine”

Infused with traditional Malay Spices…

Kaffir lime leaves

Fresh shallots

Coconut milkFresh garlics

Lemongrass Gula Melaka

……and Chinese style of cooking

Popiah BasahAcar Awak

Desserts…

• Sweet• Mainly influenced by Malay culture

“The Traditional Baba-Nyonya

Wedding”

Mix of Malay and Chinese Customs…

• Long ago, their marriage were arranged.• Before the wedding, there would be “merisek”

group formed by the match-maker and few elderly relatives to inform the girl’s family of their intention and to seek approval. (Chinese + Malay)

• They talk in a mixture of “pantun”. (Malay)• Then they will consult a Feng Shui Master to

check the compatibility of the bride and bridegroom-to-be. (Chinese)

Lapchai Day

• Engagement day – starting of the 12-days rituals• When both parties came to an agreement.• Ceremony of exchange gifts between two

families.“The Setting” “The Gifts”

Cheo-thau Ceremony• Nowadays, this is the starts of the wedding

ceremony.• A performance of purification-and-initiation-into-

adulthood rites.• Done at respective homes during auspicious hours

agreed upon earlier.

“ flowers and hair pins placed on to the bride’s plain bun”

“ comb the bridegroom’s hair 3 times, and recite verses wishing health, fortune and happiness.”

The Bridegroom proceed to Bride’s home…

“the bridegroom leads a procession of serunai, musicians, men carrying umbrellas and lanterns, proceed to the bride’s home”

Chim-pong Ceremony

• Coming together of the bride and bridegroom ritual.

• Pay homage to heaven, earth, man• Elaborated preparation on altar table.• Ceremony guided by Sang Kheh Umm

(Chief Mistress)• Every gesture + movement

of the couple must sync with the music “Seronee”

• Couple would have to walk sideways.

The First Look

• Happens when both bride and bridegroom meet in the bridal chamber, for the first time.

• Bridegroom lift the bride’s veil smoothly without dropping it on the floor.

Conclusion

The Babas and Nyonyas embody the idea of cultural diversity in unity. They have adapted and borrowed with ingenuity, resourcefulness and open minds to develop a distinctive culture that is colourful and unique. The Babas and Nyonyas are a unique sociological and cultural phenomenon that occurred in an era of momentous transition. They have significantly enriched the Malaysian and Singaporean cultural heritage, cuisine, fashion and the arts. If Peranakan culture cannot survive, we can only hope that the legacy of this extraordinary culture – a culture which brought out the beauty, grace, passion, joie de vivre, industry, resilience and resourcefulness of two major groups of people.

Thank You !