‘Lu Ho Bo?

’ Baba and Nyonya community

By C .Khor

• This article was published in Citizen’s Journal Malaysia and theSun

• Pictures are in another folder

“Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue” may seem like a
Western tradition for brides, but for the Straits Chinese in Penang, particularly those of
Hokkien descent, the Baba and Nyonya community is exactly the epitome of that phrase.
Much like the cherished bridal tradition, the Baba and Nyonya culture intertwines elements
of 'something old'—rooted in the 15th-century arrival of Chinese settlers adopting local
indigenous customs— with “something new,” representing the evolving practices and customs
that have shaped their unique identity over the centuries. This cultural montage also borrows
influences from the local indigenous Malay people, creating a harmonious blend akin to
“something borrowed.” As for “something blue,” it resonates with a sense of connection,
reflecting the maritime trade roots integral to their heritage, and perhaps, subtly alluding to
British influence, whose eyes were often blue, and reminiscent of the being known as the
“King’s Chinese who speak the Queen’s English.”

According to historical records, Chinese maritime traders engaged in trade to the Malay
Peninsula as early as 618AD during the Tang Dynasty, and these influences continue to
permeate the Baba and Nyonya community in Penang today. Broadly known as Peranakans,
these Sino communities can also be found in Kelantan, Terengganu, Melaka, Penang, Sabah,
and Penang. Detailed records are scant prior to the 15th century, and the earliest known
Chinese settlers in Southeast Asia were documented by Admiral Cheng Ho’s travelling
companion and translator, Ma Huan, in the early 1400s. Other than that, it is believed that
Kublai Khan invaded Borneo in 1292 during the Yuan Dynasty and established a settlement
along the Kinabatangan River.

Tian Chua, a former Member of the Parliament who identifies as a Baba from Melaka, asserted
that the Straits Chinese adopted Malay culture to integrate with the local population, aligning
with the historical context of the region. “They saw the Malay culture as being superior and
thought that China was a backward nation.”

The desire to distance themselves from certain practices in China, such as foot binding, further
demonstrates the adaptive nature of the community. This cultural assimilation was not just a
means of blending in but a true acceptance of local customs and traditions. “At that time,
Chinese women, including my grandmother, wanted to escape foot binding. We maintained
the Chinese cultural aspects and incorporated aspects of the local community which seemed
superior to the ‘backward’ mainlanders and new immigrants, or ‘sinkhek’.
“Baba and Nyonya are essentially Chinese people who embraced the Malayan socio-economic,
and later political conditions,” he said. “Men typically wore suits and ties, reflective of the
prevalent British influence in that era.”
Over at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion on Church Street, hoards of visitors, some on guided
tours, are seen exploring the property, capturing a glimpse into the lives led by the late Kapitan
Chung Keng Kwee’s family - one of the wealthiest families in Penang in the late 19th century.
The mansion has intricately designed rooms, adorned with exquisite Baba and Nyonya
artefacts preserved within its walls, including beautiful geometrical designed tiles with
symbolic motifs that spread across every inch of the indoor floor space. However, in the inner
courtyard where the air well is, the ground is covered with stone slabs.
“There are both Western and Chinese influences alongside here. Besides the beautifully
designed furniture, there are Eglomise, which are reverse-painted mirrors, and Victorian Bell
Jars that were popular in the Victorian era. Tulips, which were prized as much as gold during
that time were also appreciated, as were marble statues made of Carrara marble, the same
marble that Michelangelo used for his statues,” explained Dato’ Lilian Tong, who is the
president of the Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Pulau Pinang and the deputy president of
the State Chinese (Penang) Association.
Dato’ Lilian, the founder of the “Ronggeng
Rhapsody” dance troupe and author of five books
on the Baba and Nyonya heritage, including “Once
Upon a Kamcheng”, a collection of stories from
the Baba and Nyonya community, recalls a time
when Baba and Nyonya were often mocked and
called names like ‘orang Cina bukan Cina’.
“Eventually, many Baba and Nyonya opted to
register their children as Chinese in their birth
certificates instead of Baba and Nyonya or
Peranakan,” explained the larger-than-life yet
elegant Nyonya. “We were mostly English-
educated and communicated with a mix of
Hokkien, English and Malay at home. Due to this, we were also sometimes called ‘bananas’,
yellow on the outside and white on the inside,” she rued. “We are also slightly different from
the Baba and Nyonya in Melaka in that sense. There are families in Melaka who converse
mainly in patois Malay.”
The process of acculturation has played a significant role in the gradual disappearance of the
distinct Baba Nyonya culture, blending it seamlessly into the identity of Penang's Chinese
community today. The once-distinctive elements of Baba Nyonya traditions, from the
language spoken, “Penang Hokkien,” to the enjoyment of culinary delights like kiam chai boey,
nasi kunyit with curry chicken, otak-otak, sambal belacan, and sweet treats like pulut tai-tai,
onde-onde, ang koo, kuih kapit, kuih bakul, kuih bangkit, are now synonymous with the
broader Penang Chinese culture. As evidenced in the Malay names used, these foods subtly
hint at the unmistakable roots of the Baba and Nyonya heritage.
This blending is so pervasive that the unique origins of the Baba Nyonya heritage often fade
into the background, making it an integral, albeit less distinguishable, part of the
contemporary Penang Chinese identity. Interestingly, while “Penang Hokkien” differs from any
Hokkien spoken in Malaysia or China, it shares close similarities with the Hokkien spoken in
Medan, Indonesia, in terms of intonation.
Aunty Pat, an 81-year-old Nyonya who lives in Tanjong Tokong concurs with this writer, “We
must keep evolving to keep up with the current trends. However, our core values must never
change, and that is why mothers play an important role in educating their children.
“The Baba and Nyonya always put family first, then our neighbours and community come next.
That is why education is always a priority, and many of us work in the public sector,” she said.
Aunty Pat was given the name “Patricia” by the sister of the Convent Pulau Tikus. “I was the
first batch at CPT, both for the primary and secondary school and graduated with Senior
Cambridge in 1959,” she recalled beamingly. Although she now sports hair short and no
longer wears a sanguih, she still maintains the baju pendek and muar or sarong batik as her
daily attire. Sanguih is from the Malay word sangul as is the word sarong, which is a long piece
of cloth wrapped around the body. In Penang, many Malay words are used, but with the many
last letters being replaced by the letter i or ih. Hence mari becomes mai, aduh becomes adui,
and betul becomes betui.
“Penang ‘kebaya’ has the perfect cut or ‘potong coat’ that follows the curve of the body,”
claimed Aunty Pat. “To know if a ‘kebaya’ is made in Penang, just look at the underside of the
cloth to see if both sides of the embroidered ‘kerawang’ which is the lacework, look exactly
the same.” This needlework technique, known as “tebuk lubang” involves sewing the outlines
of a floral motif on the fabric and then cutting away the unused parts, leaving a meticulously
crafted and symmetrical design. “A fine piece of sarong will also have higher thread count, and
this can observed by the tell-tale signs at the edge of the sarong.”
On a humorous note, Aunty Pat revealed that the traditional Nyonya camisole, usually made
of cotton and handstitched by the Nyonya themselves, had two large pockets at the front,
sometimes to carry small objects like “tangkai” (amulets) or to put away pendants hanging
from long chains that get in the way when Nyonyas are busy preparing food in the kitchen.
However, these pockets big pockets act mostly as a shield, to cover up, because they did not
have brassieres at that time.
Lily Wong, another Nyonya, also highlighted that the Baba and Nyonya community retained
their Chinese folk religion, with some adaptation to the local folklore. “For instance, the ‘Datuk
Kong’, which is often regarded as a guardian of the land associated with prosperity and well-
being of the community, is usually a Malay Muslim. Shrines and altars dedicated to the ‘Datuk
Kong’ have statues that bear resemblance to a Malay man who dons a ‘songkok’, the Malay
headgear and carries a ‘keris’, a dagger.
“Other than that, Baba and Nyonya also practise ancestral worship and other religious rituals
associated with Taoism like ‘Pai Thnee Kong’ (prayers to the Jade Emperor) on the 9th day of
Chinese New Year, and sending off the ‘Datuk Dapur’ (Kitchen God) on Chinese New Year’s
eve. Some Baba and Nyonya have since adopted other religions, like Christianity or Buddhism,
and incorporated diverse spiritual practices into their lives,” said Lily.
This cultural blending reflects the syncretic nature of the Baba and Nyonya identity, as they
embraced aspects of both Chinese and Malay cultures to form a unique and harmonious way
of life.
-end-
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