Engaging my history and culture || Tuesday, January 27, 2009 5:00 PM




with the popularity of Little Nonya Girl - the TV show and endless questions by people who meet who ask me if im chinese. Here is a low down on my heritage... long long ago, in the ancient province of china, or Malacca for that matter..




In the 15th century, the city states of the Malay Peninsula often paid tribute to various kingdoms such as the kingdoms of China and Siam.




According to traditional accounts, in 1459 CE, the Emperor of China sent a princess, Hang Li Po, to the Sultan of Malacca as a token of appreciation for his tribute. The royalty and servants who accompanied the princess initially settled in Bukit Cina and eventually grew into a class of straits-born Chinese known as the Peranakan. T




he Peranakan retained most of their ethnic origins but assimilated the language and culture of the Malays. They developed a unique culture and distinct foods. Numerous sources claim that the early Peranakan inter-married with the local Malay population.




Over the centuries, the Peranakans have evolved a unique culture that maintains many Chinese traditions, such as celebrating the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival, while adopting the customs of the land they settled in, as well as those of their successive colonial rulers. There are traces of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Malay and Indonesian influences in Baba culture.


By the middle of the twentieth century, most Peranakan were English educated, as a result of the British colonisation of Malaya, and the natural propensity of these people who were able to easily embrace new cultures. Because the Peranakans readily embraced English culture and education, administrative and civil service posts were often filled by prominent Straits Chinese.




The interaction with the British also caused many in the community to convert to Christianity. The Peranakan community thereby became very influential in Malacca and Singapore and were known also as the King's Chinese due to their perceived loyalty to the British Crown. Because of the interaction of the different cultures and languages that Peranakans had, most Peranakans were (and still are) trilingual, being able to converse with Chinese, Malays and the British.




Common vocations were as merchants, traders, and general intermediaries between China, Malaya and the West.




So with this, you can now understand why, my family and all relatives are very 'ang moh', speak english almost all the time, my parents dont speak chinese, my grandma spoke english and malay, I realised all my relatives are not very 'cheena' or traditional and my grandma was the 'matriach' figure when she was alive (ie she controls the inheritance). And I dont look chinese, wahaaa.


love,
That Faery
kiss and tell. . .

Sharon Tan, Marcom Specialist, CHC, Fan Club of the Vampire in Twilight (Edward Cullen), I've been exercising (giving self a pat on the back) Bday - 12 Aug 1985 ,SMU Biz Mgmt Degree in Marketing and Corporate Comms MSN/Facebk - sharon.shulin@gmail.com, Skype/Twitter - Shulinzz
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