Peranakan traditions and customs

Like many other Peranakans, my mother observed and practised Chinese traditions and customs. Because of their Chinese blood ties, Peranakans performed ancestral worship,and also worship deities, like their counterparts in China.

My mother would consult the almanac, horoscope and calenders looking for symbolic meaning of food to be offered on specific occasions to ensure continuity of family prosperity and harmony.

She was not tutored in Mandarin so she had to rely on the diviner (usually the temple monk) to convey the message from the pages of the "I-ching" when she wanted specific answers to the future.

Apart from the various Chinese Deities, Peranakans, particularly the women do not hesitate to follow the practices of other religions and superstitions.

The funny thing about the Peranakans even to this day, is the fact that they would go to the Roman Catholic church on "Good Friday" and "Palm Sunday" and light candles in observance of what they termed "Datuk mati" i.e "death of Jesus Christ".

If there was a procession, they would follow the figurines of Christ and the Virgin Mary, carrying lighted candles thus upholding Jesus Christ as one of their deities.The memory of all the kebaya clad women with their children in tow was a sight to behold at the church. Somehow there was an air of mysticism on that particular day.

Mother would also bring us to Hindu temples and offer bananas and coconuts to the priest for prayers. She would also observe the taboos when visiting. At times during "Thaipusam" a parade of "kavadi carriers" would pass through Heeren Street, and a character named "hantu tetek" ( because of the ridiculously long breasts painted on the costume) would be part of the entourage , and she frightened the life out of young children like me with her long red tongue and matted black hair.

One would be surprised to know that the Nyonyas also consult the Malay "bomohs" and "pawangs". They would visit and pray at the shrines of holy Muslims, known as "kramats" and abstain from eating pork a few days before visiting . They make offerings of "Nasi Kunyit" and some dishes, upon wishes being granted and take home pieces of the incense called "kemenyan" to burn in the house to welcome goodluck.

Today, there are different set of beliefs by the younger generation and many may not be aware of the rich heritage that the Nyonya Baba community has.

Let's begin with the celebration of the Lunar New Year. In China, this is a celebration to herald the onset of Spring. This is a tradition celebrated by the Chinese universally. In the Nyonya household, the ladies would be busy baking the traditional cakes which they are renowned for.

In those days, the measurement of "chupak" and "gantang" were being used and in most cases the addition of salt, eggs , water, condiments and spices were"agak agak" i.e. estimates.

In fact I still have my mother's handwritten recipes but I can't figure out how much "ten cents" worth of cinnamon would be today!

Many old time favourites like "kueh koya"(green pea cookies), "kueh makmur" (ghee balls with peanut filling), "kueh ros" (sweet ros), old-fashioned peanut cookies, "kueh bangkit", "kueh bahulu", "kueh kapit" and "kueh tar" (pineapple jam tart) are available today in commercial centres.

However, there are still traditionalists like me who prefer to make them myself. Without doubt, homebaked ones are definitely superior to commercially made ones, as a lot of attention to detail has been given, as well as ensuring that the quality is consistent with the "Nyonya stamp" of approval. With the Peranakan women it was a labour of love!

Young women today are a lucky lot. I grew up at a time when modern gadgets like the oven , blender, juicer were not available as yet, this part of the world. Much of the work was painstaking and I use to disappear whenever my mother called for help to beat the eggs with a spiral egg beater for the "kueh kapit". I dreaded rolling the hot kueh kapit with my hands as it would smart from the heat ...but of course over time, one becomes an expert.

Preparation for the reunion dinner would also have the aroma of fragrant fried onions, garlic and spices wafting through the house. Many households in the early days would already have plumped up their ducks and chickens reared in their backyards for this occasion. These animals are thus considered organic meat in this present time.

As my mother had already been trained in her early years in the fine art of cooking, she was able to cook a slew of dishes and of course, everyone had to pitch in with the pounding of onions, garlic and chillies. We also had to help our mother dress up the altar table to offer food to our ancestors first before partaking the reunion dinner.

Peranakans express filial piety with ceremonious presentation of food when praying to their ancestors. I remember arranging blue and white coloured crockery which is customary for offerings to our ancestors. They would be arranged in neat rows , beside a teacup and saucer. A spoon was placed by each teacup. There would also be wine glasses to offer arak (alcohol).

There would be a dozen bowls of cooked rice pressed into high mounds followed by a couple of rows of cooked food. The favourite foods of the Nyonyas would be offered. Ayam pong teh, (chicken stew in bean gravy), ayam buah keluak ( chicken cooked with Indonesian black nuts) curry ayam (chicken in curry gravy), babi chin ( thick pork stew) and chap chai (vegetarian dish with cabbage, cloud ear mushrooms, beancurd and lily buds).

In addition, a slice of boiled pork belly, a whole boiled chicken, a dish of julienned bangkwang( turnip), dark soya sauce, vinegar , acar (pickles) and salad would accompany the dishes.

Small plates of peanut candies, sweet rice crispies, kueh koci, (conical shaped glutinuous rice dumplings filled with sweetened grated coconut), intended to show servitude to the ancestor, black kueh koo, ( black glutinuous rice dumplings as opposed to the red ones offered on birthdays) were also placed on the altar. Fruits like oranges, bananas and short stacks of sugarcane formed another row.

As in real life, Peranakan cuisine would be incomplete without the offering of a sireh box. The sireh (betel leaves) would be spread with kapur (lime paste) sprinkled with shavings of buah pinang (areca or betel nut). A bowl of water with a leaf of fresh mustard green would be placed on each side of the urn, plus a white handkerchief, purportedly for the spirits to wash and wipe their hands.

Today, ancestral worship is made easier with modern equipment. Besides, many people have taken to ordering the favourite food from stalls or restaurants, making the ancestors turn in their graves I suppose. However, I have not received any complaints from my ancestors as yet!

Peranakan Lifestyle

Father and Friend in Western suits, 1936

In the early 19th century, Britain grouped their colonies of Singapore, Malacca and Penang to form "The Straits Settlement". The Baba and Nyonya community thus became known as "Straits-born Chinese" or just "Straits Chinese" due to their ancestral link with motherland China.

As a result of British influence and education, many Straits Chinese men became proficient in the English language, affluent in their lifestyle and even picked up the British favourite sport of cricket. My father belonged to this era of change , and browsing through his old photos gives me an insight of life just like the "Gatsby" of the 1930's.

The Straits Chinese "Babas" became wealthy business men acquiring assets in land and buildings, plus trading in rubber and tin. My immediate neighbours were the descendants of Tan Kim Seng, a well known Baba entrepreneur, and I recall that the back of their house had a roller for rubber sheets, and I used to puke at the smell of the rubber sheets and latex balls. Too young to realise then that they were rolling in money from the rubber!

The Peranakans led an opulent lifestyle with their wealth. They lived in large bungalows and dressed in fine European styled clothing and jewellery. Their houses were furnished with a giddy mixed of artefacts... imported Edwardian or Victorian furniture from England, mirrors from Italy and fine porcelain from China.

However the majority of Peranakans lived in linked houses which are today classified as heritage buildings in all the three former colonies. The centre court of the houses has an air passage to allow sunlight in and also a well for collecting rainwater. Indeed I remember having to draw water from the well for my bath and occasionally some fishes were put in to clean up the algae.

During my younger days, the "bucket system" was still in use, and the whole house would stink for hours and my appetite would be gone for the day. The "night soil" carrier would regaled us with tales of their mishaps which would put us off food for days.

The Peranakans became more sociable with British influence. Every occasion would be celebrated with dancing the "joget". The Nyonyas dressed in their best kebaya whilst the men would be in their Western clothes that were in vogue.

Later the modern Nyonyas would be dressed in "samfoos" which they called "Baju Shanghai". Women from different communities would also join in the merrymaking to the music of "dondang sayang" and there would be an exchange of "pantuns", a form of local poetry in motion.

My house was a hive of activity when I was young. Mother's friends and neighbours would drop by for a game of "cherki" ( a form of ginrummy). A favourite pastime of the Nyonyas, this card game gives them an opportunity to catch up on the local gossip as well as become a matchmaker for some eligible bachelors.

"Cherki" time was also an occasion for the Nyonyas to savour the many desserts prepared by their daughters or maids reflecting her level of culinary skills. Elderly Nyonyas were critical of the flavour, colour and taste of the desserts and any comments made were prejudicial to the future of the prospective bride.

Although I was taught to play "cherki", it was not my preference. I was more interested in riding a rented Raleigh bicycle that cost 10 cents an hour, (a day's pocket money).I was not tall enough to ride but I could do it side saddle and that was the best time of my life. I was not restricted by my parents and had the freedom to run with the boys in the neighbourhood...literally speaking.

I guess that's why the illustrious and wealthy neighbours of mine forbade their children to mix with me. I did not qualify in their eyes to earn the title of a "Nyonya" maiden who was soft spoken, obedient and genteel!

Early years of a Nyonya maiden

Parents Wedding 1939

I am not the typical Nyonya like my mother. At a tender age of 16, she was already betrothed to my father who was then 21. My mother had been trained in the social graces since the age of 12.

She was taught how to dress, sew, cook and also trained in deportment and language. She had to carry herself well, tread gently and gracefully and sit properly on a chair or on the floor. She was also taught the correct way to address her elders using the correct words and phrases and always in the gentle tone and manner befitting a genteel lady. Etiquette was taught according to Chinese or Malay traditions.

I recall my mother's ability to cook several dishes in keeping with the traditions for the various festivals and ancestral worship which was mandatory. In fact she was adept at making Nyonya cakes as well and something to marvel at, as the work involved was tedious without modern equipment.

Cake making itself was a daily practice . There was pounding, grinding, scraping of coconuts and squeezing out the milk, and baking. She had to know which flowers or leaves to use in colouring the cakes either blue, green or black

She also had to learn to tailor her clothes and learn the art of beading on canvas material for her own slippers and to embroider many things. All these had to be learnt in addition to home training that included washing, ironing, and sweeping the floor.

Armed with such skills, the Nyonya maiden was then considered a prospective bride. In the early 1900's, a Nyonya maiden was never seen alone in public. She would be chaperoned wherever she went, even to a relative's house. In those days, when travelling by car or rickshaw, the vehicles would be screened on all sides thus preventing young men of those days from catching a glimpse of young girls from other families.

Matchmaking was common in such a situation. The go-between was more likely a relative or an old mutual friend of both families. The matchmaker was normally a very sociable person with access to many households and a shrewd judge of character.

With the exposure to Western education and influence, many parents allow their children to select their own partners as in the case of my parents .

A true blue Melaka Nyonya

"Peranakan maidens" 1930's


Local legend mentioned that Melaka's Sultans enlisted the help of the Chinese to keep their traditional enemy, Siam (Thailand) at bay. Many imperial voyages were made by Admiral Zheng He (1404-1433) and in order to cement the relationship further, the Ming Emperor bequeathed the hand of a Chinese princess to Sultan Mansur Shah.


It must have been traumatic for the Princess known as Hang Li Po, who had never ventured out, to journey to a strange land. As it was the Ming Imperial order of the day, it was impossible to refuse! However, she must have taken comfort in the fact that an entourage of 500 youths accompanied her to start her new life in Melaka. Malay historians recorded this event.

The Sultan, granted a hill near the town for their village as a wedding gift to his Chinese bride. This hill now know as "Bukit Cina" has the largest Chinese cemetery outside China. My greatgrandmother, grandmother and grandfather, some uncles and my own father were all buried here. Many earlier graves consisted of prominent members of the Baba Nyonya community.... making it an important site to trace one's ancestors.

Thus the beginnings of the Chinese community in Melaka. Many Chinese men took on local brides and adapted the local language and food. They retained their ancestral worship and customs which blended subtly with the locals, resulting in the the birth of the Baba Nyonya community.

What was life then for the Chinese who remained? Not much was known except for the fact that there was a brisk trade in spices, camphor, silk , luxury goods and raw materials, for which Melaka was the port of call.
After the Portuguese era in the 1500's for 130 years, the Dutch conquered and also made their mark in Melaka as can be seen by the Stadhuys and Christchurch , followed by the British in the late 1700's.

Each of the foreign invaders left a reminder of their infamous stay here. A Fortress "A Famosa" built by the Portuguese can still be viewed today and has become Melaka's icon.
Like the Chinese, the Portuguese also married local Malay and Indonesian women and a new community of staunch Catholics with their own culture and language developed. These are the Eurasians.

There are also Melaka families with women ancestors who were descendants of Hindu families who like the Babas, have lost contact with their mother tongue and likewise spoke Malay as their mother tongue. These are the Melaka Chittys.

Melaka became a melting pot of cultures and the emergence of the Baba Nyonya community, the Chitty community and the Eurasians make Melaka truly unique.

I belong to this community of "Baba Nyonya" and like many offsprings of the community have lost touch with our customs, traditions and even food.

My blog is to keep our traditions, customs and food alive for posterity.

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