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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