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.

1. 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

2. • 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

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. • 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).

6. 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…….

7. 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)

8. 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)

9. There is a differences between
Baba Nyonya of Penang, Melaka
and Singapore…..
Some of the differences include:
• Spoken language
• Food
• Religion

10. • 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)

11. • Religion
Penang and Melaka – ancestral worship
Singapore – Christians
• Spoken language
Penang – more Hokien
Melaka – more Malay
Singapore – more English

12. Colours Of Baba & Nyonya.
Beaded Shoes

13. • 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.

14. Traditional Clothing
“Nyonya Kebaya”

15. 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.

16. • Traditional blouse-
dress
• Made from sheer
material

17. Sarong / batik kain panjang Hand woven Kain Songket
Colourful floral motif Batik sarong

18. • Kerongsang ( Brooch )

19. 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.

20. 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)

21. • 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.

22. “Baba-Nyonya Cuisine”

23. Infused with traditional Malay Spices…
Kaffir lime leaves
Fresh shallots
Coconut milkFresh garlics
Lemongrass Gula Melaka

24. ……and Chinese style of cooking
Popiah BasahAcar Awak

25. Desserts…
• Sweet
• Mainly influenced
by Malay culture

27. “The Traditional Baba-Nyonya
Wedding”

28. 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)

29. 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”

30. 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.”

31. 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”

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. Thank You !