The Baba & Nyonya, or Peranakan community hails primarily from the heritage rich states of Malacca and Penang.
It is essentially an entire culture that originated from interracial marriage between Chinese immigrants and local women in the early 15th Century.
Since then, generations after generations of Peranakans have disseminated all over the country, but not without maintaining the abundance of culture in Malacca, Penang, and even Singapore.
Here are 6 things you need to know about the Baba & Nyonya culture:
1) The language
Adhering to a Malay origin, it’s not surprising that Bahasa Melayu is used in their everyday lingo, or at least almost full BM.
The language Peranakans use is a hybrid of Bahasa Melayu and the main dialect of Hokkien.
However, the BM isn’t exactly the BM we all grew up doing ejaans with.
For example: “Gua chaki-chaki dah pergi pasair” is translated to a layman’s “Saya pagi tadi sudah pergi pasar.”
Or, “Toksa lah kumpul ramey-ramey, nijam time MCO” as “Tak payah lah berkumpul ramai-ramai, sekarang masa MCO.”
Check out this video on how to speak like a Peranakan!
2) Clothing
We’ve all seen the beauty and opulence of the ever popular baju kebaya, from open houses to cultural days in high school.
The Nyonyas though, take their kebayas to a whole new level.
Handmade from the finest kain they can get their hands on, paired with a sarong of the prettiest patterns, the Nyonyas readily suit up for all sorts of occasions from weddings, to the births of their grandchildren, to even special dinners.
Not to mention the accompaniment of the graceful kasut manek, embroidered beaded slippers, to complete the fit!
With an entire authentic set costing thousands, it’s safe to say that these Peranakans take their traditional attire seriously!
3) Cherki
Cherki is a card game played by Peranakans, where the objective is to complete sets with the cards disposed of and picked up.
The Malaysian Chinese culture generally consists of a lot of card games, especially around the time of Chinese New Year.
This particular deck of cards however, is very much unlike your ordinary set that you and your friends might play ‘Ngau” with.
A deck of cards for Cherki has 60 cards, cut out to the dimensions of 60mm x 24mm.
Basically a variation of Mahjong, each game requires at least 2 decks to play, with preferences requiring up to 4 or 5 decks.
Check out how to play Cherki here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-nrtlLok90
video via YouTube
4) Food
You would be lying if you said you’ve never tried or come across any Peranakan food or dishes.
In fact, Peranakan food is so prominent in the mainstream market today that Baba Nyonya restaurants can be found just about anywhere outside of Malacca and Penang.
Like many other Asian cultures, Peranakans have a very colourful history with preparing their food as a symbol of love for their family.
A cuisine that features distinctive ingredients like pongteh and buah keluak, with accompaniments of world famous fragrant kueh, the Peranakan spin on food is unforgettably delicious!
5) Kamcheng
Now here’s a great example for the Hokkien infused Bahasa Melayu that we mentioned earlier.
The word ‘kamcheng’ translates to ‘closeness’, or ‘affection’ in the Hokkien dialect.
With regards to the Peranakan culture, a kamcheng is a spherical porcelain covered vase or pot used to store all sorts of food: pickles, for example, and even ‘tangyuan’ or ‘kuih ee’ for the annual Winter Solstice Festival.
We weren’t kidding when we said the Peranakans display their love and affection with food!
6) TV Success
If you’re not already convinced about the refined culture of the Babas & Nyonyas, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
The Little Nyonya is an award-winning TV drama serial by Mediacorp Productions starring Singapore’s biggest names.
Mainly filmed at the famous Baba Nyonya Heritage Museum located in Jonker Street, Malacca, the show follows a female protagonist growing up in a Peranakan household through a span of 60 odd years post World-War II.
Everything that we mentioned above is seen through the entire show, a loving tribute to the rich culture of the Straits Chinese.
From games of Cherki being played, to the preparation of pongteh and chapchai being served in the kamcheng, to the countless beautiful kebayas, The Little Nyonya takes great pains in an authentic display of Peranakan traditions.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a TV show without a side of drama!
You can catch The Little Nyonya on Netflix here:
https://www.netflix.com/title/80157566
For more stories like this, read: 7 Struggles of Being a “Lain-lain” in Malaysia and 5 Malaysian Indians Reveal The Struggles They Face
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