BABA AND NYONYA'S CULTURE

The origin of baba and nyonya can be found back to centuries go when the chinese emigrated from china to the British Straits settlement of Malacca,Singapore,Penang and also Java.The Chinese emigrated married the local and form a unique Baba Nyonya community.In Malaysia,most of them live in Malacca.

Peranakan in Malay means descendent."Baba" refers to the male while "Nyonya" refers to the female.They were also known as "Straits-born Chinese".Baba Nyonya's culture is very unique because the Chinese culture is asssimilated into Malay custom.During the ancient time,they retained some practices of Chinese culture but at the same time,they were adapted local Malay traditions in order to minimize the culture shock.

As we know,the most famous Baba Nyonya's cloth is "Kebaya Nyonya".This kebaya are wear with "batik sarung"(Batik wrap-around skirt) and "kerongsang"(brooch).And the most important outfit is,"Kasut Manek",a hand-made beaded slipper.Talk about their food,Chicken Kapitan(a dry chicken curry),"Ayam Buah Keluak","Inchi Kabin"(Nyonya version fried chicken),"Pindang Bandeng"(a kind of fish-soup that usually served in Indonesia during Chinese New Year) and various mouth-watering sweet delicious that come to our mind.Baba Nyonya's food also have a good smell and strong-flavoured spices from Malay and Chinese style in food preparing.

The Peranakan use Baba Malay it is a dialet of the Malay language but contain many Hokkien words.Nowaday,English replace the languages as the main language spoken among the younger generation.