INTRODUCTION

PERANAKAN COMMUNITY

A unique culture that combined various customs and traditions in Malacca is known as the

Peranakan, Baba-Nyonya or Straits Chinese. Peranakan was a prominent community of

acculturated Chinese unique to this part of the world,especially in Straits Settlements

(Penang,Malacca and Singapore). 600 years ago, the Chinese immigrants of Malacca

settled in the Malay Peninsular, who intermarried with the Malay population and later spread

throughout the country. Peranakan had created a unique lifestyle and customs which had not

only left behind rich legacy of antiques but it cultural influences like cuisine and language are

still evident in Penang today. Baba (for men) and Nyonya (for women) was a term first used

by Malays to differentiate these locally born Chinese from later immigrants. The Peranakans

were partially assimilated into the Malay culture especially in food-using the spices in Malay

cuisine; dressing kebaya for Nyonya and language-Malay language that contains many

Hokkien words,while retaining some Chinese traditions in religion-worship tradition of the

Chinese or converted to Christianity; name, and ethnic identity-the wedding ceremony is

based on Chinese tradition,thereby creating a fusion culture of their own.