CONTEXTUAL PRACTICE
Wednesday 4 June 2014
Wednesday 9 April 2014
Bridal Chamber
Wedding Ceremony
Unlike
modern wedding ceremonies which last only for a day or two, the traditional Peranakan
wedding is a twelve day affair which is usually carried out in the bride’s house. We
shall now investigate the series of elaborate ceremonies that take place to officiate the
marriage.
The Cheo Thau ceremony is one of the most
important ceremonies and marks the first occasion when the bride and bridegroom will wear
their authentic wedding robes.
The actual wedding ceremony will
only take place before noon that day, after the Cheo Thau ceremony. This ceremony
is one of great fanfare where the groom heads a procession of seronnee (a musical
instrument), musicians, men carrying umbrellas, and lanterns. The whole troop will then
proceed to the bride’s residence after a series of rituals at his home.
Next, follows the Chin Pang Ceremony which
marks the first meeting between the couple where the bride would lead the groom into the
bridal chamber where he would unveil her. Together they would be served tea and a bowl of kueh
ee – small white and red dumplings in a sweet broth.
Question:
1: Did you know, this symbolic act was believed to bless the newly
weds with sweetness in their marriage?
A Pak Chindek, and a Sang
Kek Um (the wedding masters and mistresses respectively) are most often required
because traditions become so complex that weddings need to be orchestrated by wedding
specialists.
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2: Did you know that even the position of the
feet during the 1st meal of the couple was thought to predict who could have
the upper-hand within the marriage.
The third ceremony takes place in the bridal
chamber. This is called chianh sia. This ceremony is amusing and unique because
friends and guests of the bridegroom would gather in the room and tease the bride with the
hope of inducing laughter from the bride. And if the bride does indeed break out into
uncontrollable fits of laughter, the unfortunate groom would have to treat all the guests
to dinner.
The finale of the wedding ceremony, would be the dua
belas hari or Twelfth Day ceremony, where the marriage would be conformed and approved
by proof of the bride’s virginity. Firstly, the bride’s parents would invite the
bridegroom’s mother to inspect the bloodstain cloth. She would be invited to perform
a test by squeezing lime juice on the blood stain cloth in hope of ascertaining the
authencity of the stain. However, she would normally refrain from performing the test as
it would also demean the bride.
In today’s fast-paced and modern society, it
is disheartening to see the lavish and elaborate Peranakan wedding fast vanishing. Few
young Peranakans these days are interested in going through the laborious twelve-day
wedding ceremony and very few older generation Peranakans can remember accurately the
complex procedure and rituals associated with it. Therefore, what we can do now is only to
preserve the unique bridal furniture and costumes as a remembrance of our roots.
Thursday 27 March 2014
Floor plan for Baba Nyonya house
Floor plan
The
floor plans show the interior design of a typical Peranakan house, consisting of the
following rooms, the ancestral hall, the living room, kitchen, bridal chamber, bedroom and
library.
The Peranakan house can be said to
symbolize the Peranakan culture. It is the setting in which Peranakan art, ritual and
tradition are most clearly expressed. This is also the reason why we chose to introduce
this website to you by bringing you through the rooms of a typical Peranakan house.
The traditional Peranakan house, with
its eclectic mix of furnishings, reveals how the unique Peranakan community has enjoyed a
lifestyle both deeply rooted in Chinese tradition, and receptive to the cultures of other
local communities.
"The exterior design of a Peranakan house is much
influenced by the European style of architecture, while the interior design
follows the Chinese style. The house can be extended beyond the original
structure repeatedly."
Mr. Peter Wee,
committee member of the Singapore Peranakan Association.
Wednesday 26 March 2014
Cloth of Baba and Nyonya
In modern times, glass beads from Japan are preferred. Traditional cast Manek design often has European floral subjects, with colors influenced by Peranakan porcelain and batik sarongs. They were made into flats or bedroom slippers. But from the 1930s, modern shapes became popular and heels were added.
Kebaya income was commonly worn by Chinese ladies in Javan coastal cities with significant Chinese settlements, such as Semarang, Lasem, Tuban, Surabaya, Pekalongan and Cirebon.
It marked differently from the Javanese keyboard with its smaller and finer embroidery, lighter fabrics and more vibrant colors. They also developed their own batik patterns, which incorporate symbols from China. The kebaya income fit well with vibrant-colored Kain batik pesisiran (Javan coastal batik), which incorporated symbols and motifs from China; such as dragon, phoenix, peony and lotus. For the Baba they will wear baggy lokchuan (which is the Chinese men full costume) but the younger generation, they will wear just the top of it which is the long sleeved silk jacket with a Chinese collar or the batik shirt.
Refence from: http://www.thebabahouse.com.my/about-us/baba-nyonya-culture.htm
Fashion clothing Baba Nyonya |
Clothing Baba Nyonya |
Wearing grandmother |
Kebaya cloth |
Tuesday 25 March 2014
Report of Baba and Nyonya
Introduction
In the modern society
of today, many Peranakans have become detached from their roots, especially the younger
generation. They show little interest in their culture and do not have the faintest idea
of their own heritage. Some of the younger Peranakans feel that the Baba culture is
chaotic and confusing. They are completely out of touch with their roots. What has caused
this?
We will give some insight into the heritage of the Peranakans and hopefully
provide an opportunity for both young and old to get in touch with their roots. The
subtitles 'Those Born Here' gives us an introduction to the Peranakans. ‘Those born here’
Often, people refer to the Peranakans as Straits Chinese and the terms, Peranakans and Straits Chinese, have been used interchangeably. There is actually a slight difference between these two terms. Straits Chinese refers to the Chinese born in the former Straits Settlements, comprising of Penang, Malacca and Singapore. A Straits Chinese is not necessarily a Baba.
Monday 24 March 2014
Princess Hang Li Poh (韓麗寶) and Sultan Melacca Mansur shah
Hang Li Po (韓麗寶) was the 5th wife of Sultan Mansur Shah (reigned 1456-1477), the 6th Sultan of Melaka.
A further dispute involves the time of arrival of the Sultan's envoy from Melaka. Some sources claim the reigning Ming Emperor was the Tianshun Emperor (reigned 1457-1464), while others state that Hang Li Po was a princess in the court of the Yongle Emperor (reigned 1402–1424).
According to the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu), however, Sultan Mansur Shah dispatched Tun Perpatih Putih as his envoy to Ming China. Hang Li Po came to Melaka, along with 500 sons of ministers and other female attendants. After their marriage, the Sultan built a palace for Hang Li Po and her attendants were given a permanent home at Bukit Cina. Many of Hang Li Po's attendants later married officials serving the Sultan.
Given the contradictions between the Chinese records and the Malay Annals, it is therefore very likely that Hang Li Po was not a princess but merely a very beautiful maid in the imperial house which was picked to assume the role of a princess. This type of "princess" are usually sent to faraway kingdoms that are not significant to the emperor, a practice that was common throughout China's history. This would explain why Hang Li Po's was not recorded in the Ming Chronicles.
Reference from: http://malaysiafactbook.com/Hang_Li_Po
Princess Hang Li Poh’s History and Myth
According the Malay Annals (Sejarah Melayu),
the Chinese Emperor had heard about the greatness of Melaka and hence
send a Chinese ship to Melaka, with the ship fully filled with gold
needles. A messenger then brought the following message to Sultan Mansur
Shah (ruler of the Melaka Sultanate) – “For every gold needle, there is
a subject. If you can count the number of needles, you will learn the
true extent of my power”.
Unfazed, Sultan Mansur Shah later sent
Tun Perpatih Putih as his envoy to China and a ship loaded with sago,
and replied with a message that reads: “If you are able to count the
sago grains, you will discover the number of my subjects and my true
power”.
The Chinese Emperor was so impressed
that he sent his daughter, Princess Hang Li Poh to marry the Melaka
Sultan. Sultan Mansur Shah ordered Princess Hang Li Poh to be converted
to Islam and married her thereafter. Sultan Mansur Shah also ordered to
build a palace for Princess Hang Li Poh and the son of minister and five
hundred female attendants that followed her from China.
There is controversy over whether
Princess Hang Li Poh ever existed since she was never recorded in the
Chronicles of Ming Dynasty. A princess was usually bestowed with the
title “Gong Zhu” (a title denoting blood-relation to the Emperor) or “Jun Zhu”
(indicating a relation to a Duke or a non-royal relation). Neither of
the two titles was present in the name of Princess Hang Li Poh. Also,
the claim of Princess Hang Li Poh converting to Islam also agree with
the above controversy as the royal member of the Ming Dynasty as
conversion to a foreign religion or belief was forbidden.
There is also speculation that Hang Li
Poh is not a Chinese princess, but a beautiful maid in the imperial
house which was selected to assume the role of a princess. This was a
common practice in the Chinese history where this type of ‘princess’ was
usually sent to kingdom far away that are deemed not significant to the
Chinese Emperor in order to maintain relationship with the other
kingdom. These princesses are usually not being recorded in the history
of China.
Reference from: http://amazingmelaka.com/2011/12/princess-hang-li-pohs-well/
Reference from: http://amazingmelaka.com/2011/12/princess-hang-li-pohs-well/
Sultan Melacca Mansur Shah
Sultan Mansur Shah was the sixth Sultan of Malacca. He ruled Malacca from 1459 to 1477. He ascended the throne after the death of his father, Muzaffar ShahExpansions of Malacca Empire
Mansur Shah implemented a policy of expansionism during his rule. Many territories in Peninsular Malaysia and eastern Sumatra and the surrounding islands were under the control of Malacca during his rule such as Selangor, Bernam, Kampar, Siak, Manjung, Rupat, Singapore, and Bintan.Mansur Shah also ordered the attack of Pahang by Tun Perak, the Bendahara of Malacca, to secure the defense of Malacca on the east coast. Siantan and Inderagiri in Sumatra were also given to Malacca as dowry for his marriage to the princess of Maharajah.
Marriage alliances
Mansur Shah also used marriage alliances between princesses of Malacca and the rulers of conquered states to strengthen Malacca’s control over those states, such as marriage between the king of Siak to Mansur Shah's daughter, Princess Mahadewi.Such alliances was a factor in Islam's expansion in maritime Southeast Asia.Princesses of conquered states were also married to sons of Malaccan ministers, such as Princess Wanang Seri of Pahang and Raden Galoh Candra Kirana, were married to sons of ministers like Tun Putih Nur Pualam.
According to historian Tomé Pires, Mansur Shah also married concubines who were foreign princesses such as Hang Li Po and daughters of merchants from India and Pasai to strengthen trade relationships. These princesses were also converted to Islam. Following the lead of the sultan, others married foreigners as well making foreign marriage customs a not uncommon sight in Malacca.
Reference from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mansur_Shah_%28Sultan_of_Malacca%29
Baba nyonya history
BABA AND NYONYA
he first Chinese immigrants to settle in the Malay Archipelago arrived from Guandong and Fujian provinces in the 10th century C.E. They were joined by much larger numbers of the Chinese in the 15th through 17th centuries, following on the heels of the Ming emperor's reopening of Chinese-Malay trade relations in the 15th century. In the 15th century, some small city-states of the Malay Peninsula often paid tribute to various kingdoms such as those of China and Siam. Close relations with China were established in the early 15th century during the reign of Parameswara when Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho), a Muslim Chinese, visited Malacca and Java during his expedition (1405-1433). According to a legend in 1459 CE, the Emperor of China sent a princess, Hang Li Po, to the Sultan of Malacca Mansur Shah (reigned 1456-1477) as a token of appreciation for his tribute. The nobles (500 sons of ministers) and servants who accompanied the princess initially settled in Bukit Cina and eventually grew into a class of Straits-born Chinese known as the Peranakans.Due to economic hardships at mainland China, waves of immigrants from China settled in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Some of them embraced the local customs, while still retaining some degree of their ancestral culture; they are known as the Peranakans. Peranakans normally have a certain degree of indigenous blood, which can be attributed to the fact that during imperial China, most immigrants were men who married the local women. Peranakans at Tangerang, Indonesia, held such a high degree of indigenous blood that they are almost physically indistinguishable from the local population. Peranakans at Indonesia can vary between very fair to copper tan in color.
Chinese men in Melaka fathered children with Javanese, Batak and Balinese slave women. Their descendants moved to Penang and Singapore during British rule. Chinese men in colonial southeast Asia also obtained slave wives from Nias. Chinese men in Singapore and Penang were supplied with slave wives of Bugis, Batak, and Balinese origin.The British tolerated the importation of slave wives since they improved the standard of living for the slaves and provided contentment to the male population. The usage of slave women as wives by the Chinese was widespread.
It cannot be denied, however, that the
existence of slavery in this quarter, in former years, was of immense advantage
in procuring a female population for Pinang. From Assaban alone, there used to
be sometimes 300 slaves, principally females, exported to Malacca and Pinang in
a year. The women get comfortably settled as the wives of opulent Chinese
merchants, and live in the greatest comfort. Their families attach these men to
the soil; and many never think of returning to their native country. The female
population of Pinang is still far from being upon a par with the male; and the
abolition therefore of slavery, has been a vast sacrifice to philanthropy and
humanity. As the condition of the slaves who were brought to the British
settlements, was materially improved, and as they contributed so much to the
happiness of the male population, and the general prosperity of the settlement,
I am disposed to think (although I detest the principles of slavery as much as
any man), that the continuance of the system here could not, under the
benevolent regulations which were in force to prevent abuse, have been
productive of much evil. The sort of slavery indeed which existed in the
British settlements in this quarter, had nothing but the name against it; for
the condition of the slaves who were brought from the adjoining countries, was
always ameliorated by the change; they were well fed and clothed; the women
became wives of respectable Chinese; and the men who were in the least
industrious, easily emancipated themselves, and many became wealthy. Severity
by masters was punished; and, in short, I do not know any race of people who
were, and had every reason to be, so happy and contented as the slaves
formerly, and debtors as they are now called, who came from the east coast of
Sumatra and other places.
John Anderson - Agent to the Government of
Prince of Wales Island
Peranakans themselves later on migrated between Malaysia, Indonesia
and Singapore, which resulted in a high degree of cultural similarity
between Peranakans in those countries. Economic / educational reasons
normally propel the migration between of Peranakans between the
Nusantara region (Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore), their creole
language is very close to the indigenous languages of those countries,
which makes adaptations a lot easier. In Indonesia, a large population
of Peranakans can be found in Tangerang, West Java.
People of Chinese ancestry in Phuket, Thailand
make up a significant population, many of whom having descended from
tin miners who migrated to the island during the 19th century. The Peranakans there are known as "Phuket Babas"
in the local tongue, constitute a fair share of members Chinese
community, particularly among those who have family ties with the
Peranakans of Penang and Malacca.
For political reasons Peranakans and other Nusantara Chinese are
grouped as a one racial group, Chinese, with Chinese in Singapore and
Malaysia becoming more adoptive of mainland Chinese culture, and Chinese
in Indonesia becoming more diluted in their Chinese culture. Such
things can be attributed to the policies of Bumiputera and
Chinese-National Schools (Malaysia), mother tongue policy (Singapore)
and the ban of Chinese culture during the Soeharto era in Indonesia.
In old times the Peranakans were held in high regard by Malays. Some
Malays in the past may have taken the word "Baba", referring to Chinese
males, and put it into their name, when this used to be the case.This is not followed by the younger generation, and the current Chinese Malaysians do not have the same status or respect as Peranakans used to have.
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