Although i'm not able to go for the RSP seminar/Peranakan Museum excursion, but i'll still do some research on it.
The Peranakans were people of mixed blood. Their ancestors consists of Chinese, Malays, and some original inhabitants of early Singapore. The Peranakans speak Baba Malay, a dialect of the Malay language, with Hokkien words included in it. However, Baba Malay was only spoken by the older generations of the Peranakans. English has now replaced the language and many Peranakan families speak English nowadays.
Peranakan men, especially elderly gentlemen, are called Baba. The women, especially elderly women, are called Nonya. The Peranakans had a culture which was a fusion of the Malay and Chinese culture. The Peranakans adapted the Malay culture in terms of food, dress and language, whereas they adapted the chinese culture in in areas like their religion, name, and ethnic identity.
The Nonyas wore baju kebayas, closely similar to the uniform of the SIA air stewardesses.
They also wore beaded slippers called Kasut Manek.
These shoes were hand-made by the Nonyas, and it took great time, effort and patience to bead and sew tiny faucetted glass beads onto a canvas. Traditional kasut maneks often have floral designs on them, with colours influenced by shades of Peranakan porcelain and batik sarongs. The beaded and sewn glass beads were made onto flats or bedroom slippers.
The Peranakans came up with their Nonya cuisine, which was developed by blending Chinese ingredients and cooking techniques with spices used by the Malay community. Rempah, a paste which is pounded with a combination of spices with pestle and mortar, is what determines the unique flavour of Nonya cuisine.
It is believed that a Nonya can determine how well her daughter-in-law can cook by listening to her preparing rempah with a mortar. I believe it might be true as the Peranakans must have had a special way to prepare rempah such that it gives Nonya cuisine such an unique flavour.
A speciality of Nonya cuisine is the Penang Asam Laksa.
I feel that the Peranakan community is very unique, and we should try to expand their community. Currently, the Peranakan community is slowly disappearing and the increase in migration has led to the community decreasing in size. I hope that the community would still be able to exist for many decades, and pass on this unique legacy to many other younger generations.
