One of our readers had this to say:

Despite the description above (in our introduction section), I’m still not sure of ‘how would one know if one is a Peranakan’? My grandmother is born in Penang. I remember a photo of her wearing a ‘puah t’ng teh’. And all my life,  home-cooked food  - especially during Chinese New Year - has always been Nyonya. So I always wonder if my roots is Nyonya?”

This is really a fair and understandable comment.  My grandmother also practised all the customs associated with what we would consider as “nyonya culture”. There was even “asap kemenyan” on Thursdays (malam Jumaat, what the Malays considered holy night). Grandmother was also very particular about feast days and festivals. At the same time, she was also a committed Buddhist and proud of “King and Country” (the United Kingdom!) She was a committee member of the Women’s Institute and there is a photograph of her next to Lady Templar. But she loved her P. Ramlee movies and Teochew opera.

In short, what is a Peranakan? To my mind, it is the fascinating adaptability to different cultures. If we have a defining feature it is our culture of openness. We are products of  “inter-cultural” interactions. Ours is the culture of the chameleon and not the peacock. So, now that the world is finally coming round to seeing the world through a multicultural lens, Peranakans have very little trouble adapting.

Does this make things clearer? Would love to know what others think.

Posted by Neil Khor

History is being made in historic Melaka. This will be the first Baba Nyonya Convention and it will be held in Melaka, a world heritage site. We are all very proud that Melaka and George Town have both been declared historic cities of the Straits of Malacca, although that accolade should also be extended to Singapore.

Both cities won in the living heritage category, which means that not only is architectural integrity important but also the communities that built and lived in them. Hybrid communities like our Baba Nyonya have long had international recognition and now UNESCO has acknowledged the outstanding universal values embodied in the lifestyle of the Straits Chinese.

This year’s convention is a step in the right direction. For too long the contributions of the nyonyas have been played down. It was the initiative of the President of the Melaka Peranakan Association that we celebrate the nyonya officially.

The Baba Nyonya convention in Melaka will take place on 5th to 7th December 2008. Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend this year’s convention being otherwise preoccupied with the Penang Cultural Fest (4-7 December). But I hope you will all support the Melaka convention by attending.

Posted by Neil Khor

Member Gary Tan is looking for his family roots in Penang. Here is his message:

“Hi, I am trying to trace back my family tree. My late grandparents were Peranakans. All I know is they were both born in Penang. My grand father was a British subject while my grandmother had both British and Malaysian nationalities.I will be in Penang in November.Can anyone tell me if there are any records or resources in Penang that I can refer to in my search . Thanks.My email address is tsunami1891@hotmail.com and my contact number is 353 086 3545047.”

Gary, I am sure we would all love to help. Can you give us a bit more information? We have a few resident historians and many “kay-poh” members, who know everything about anyone in Penang. So, please send us some photographs and as much information as you can.

Posted by Neil Khor