The Fusion of cultures: Peranakan Culture

Singapore is home to many culture and people who descend from many different parts of the world. An amalgam of cultures was brought into Singapore due to the rapid influx of immigrants in the 15^th century, such as Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian. One unique culture which encompasses the Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian communities is of course the Peranakan culture. The word Peranakan means to give birth to a child. This means that the children of such mixed intermarriages were called Peranakan, meaning that they were born locally and were of mixed blood.

A traditional Peranakan Family

Portrait of a Nonya

The peranakan community came about when Chinese men who settled in the South East Asian Islands had to intermarry with the local inhabitants. Intermarriages between Chinese men and non muslim local malays such as the bataks, balinese, ambonese, the coastal malays and other malay groups started. As such, malay and indonesian influences were incorporated into the Peranakan way of life and the lingua franca of the Peranakan community became to be known as Baba Malay or Peranakan Malay.

The Peranakans being an affluent community, indulge in their passion for sumptuous furnishings, jewellery and brocades. Their terrace houses were gaily painted, with patterned tiles embedded in the walls for extra decoration. When it came to the interior, Peranakan tastes favoured heavily carved and inlaid furniture.

Exquisite possessions of the Peranakans

Peranakan dress was similarly ornate. Nonyas wore fabulously embroidered kasot mane (slippers) and kebaya (blouses worn over a sarong), tied with beautiful kerasong brooches, usually of fine filigree gold or silver.

The Babas were masters of the popular 19th century Malay singing form -- dondang sayang. The dondang sayang or love ballad, originated in Melaka, in the 15th century. A typical group is made up of 4 musicians who perform on the violin, 2 rebana and agong or tetawak. The chief musician is usually the violinist who plays a primary role in dondang sayang, providing a counter melody to the vocal melody. The music is slow, beginning with a violin introduction, with the rebana followed by the gong, and finally the voice entering. Its style is somewhat informal and its lyrics usually consist of love poems.

They were also one of the first Chinese communities to learn Western classical music as well as popular genres such as jazz and swing. Chinese music was restricted to weddings when the seroni, a wind instrument, was played.

Rebana Ubi

Tetawak (Agong)

The Peranakan arts and culture is indeed fascinating and definitely splendid. Such ethereal culture is of no doubt, very valuable to us.

For more information, go to:

1. http://peranakan.org.sg

2. http://www.musicmall-asia.com/malaysia/syncretic/dondang-sayang.html