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Archive for April, 2009

Boat Asia

April 26, 2009 nahele Leave a comment

Finally after some time, the Boy and I made our way to an event. Boat Asia it was, as we headed down to Keppel Bay. Brave souls that we are, we made the decision to walk ourselves in the hot sun from Vivocity to Keppel Bay.

And it was thanks to my trusty shades and Bingrong’s height that I did not melt under the sun, or go blind =P

Call it luck or not, the Asia Dive Expo was held at the same venue as well, as we were treated to diving tourism from all around the world. There was even a mini underwater photography exhibition, much to the delight of both of us =)

My cute Boy pretending to be the Adex Photographer of the Year =)

After hiding in the tentage for some time, we thought it was time again to brave the sun again, as we made our way out into the blazing heat to see some sails.

Unfortunately, I felt that the exhibition was a tad too small. There weren’t enough boats which I thought would have been nicer if there were. Nonetheless, I guess being able to bask in the place where rich people congregate, it was not too bad. Plus, I finally found out where Prive is =)

At the end of it, guess what I found?

Thanks to my sharp eyes, I discovered that there was shuttle service back to HarbourFront Centre!

Hurray for comfort and shelter from the hot sun =)

Categories: Lover's Lane

Being A Peranakan

April 20, 2009 nahele Leave a comment

Peranakan and Baba-Nyonya (traditional Chinese: 峇峇娘惹; Hokkien: Bā-bā Niû-liá) are terms used for the descendants of late 18th Century Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region during the Colonial era, especially the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who have adopted partially or in full Malay customs in a (chronological adaptation) to be somewhat assimilated into the local communities. While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese , there are also other, comparatively small so-called Peranakan communities, such as Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan)and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang).

Ancestry

Most Peranakan are of Hoklo (Hokkien) ancestry, although a sizable number are of Teochew or Cantonese descent. Originally, the Peranakan were part Chinese, part Malay. Baba Nyonoya are a subgroup within Chinese communities, are the descendants of Sino-indigenous unions in Melaka and Penang. It was not uncommon for early Chinese traders to take Malay women of Peninsular Malay or Sumatera as wives or concubines. Consequently the Baba Nyonya possessed a synergistic mix of Sino-Malay cultural traits.

Language

The language of the Peranakans, Baba Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baba), is a dialect of the Malay language (Bahasa Melayu), which contains many Hokkien words. It is a dying language, and its contemporary use is mainly limited to members of the older generation. English has now replaced this as the main language spoken amongst the younger generation.

Clothing

The Peranakan retained most of their ethnic and religious origins (such as ancestor worship), but assimilated the language and culture of the Malays. The Nyonya’s clothing was identical to that of the native Malay’s: baju panjang (long dress), batik sarung (batik wrap-around skirt) and kerongsang (brooch). Beaded slippers called Kasut Manek were a hand-made made with much skill and patience: strung, beaded and sewn onto canvas with tiny faceted glass beads from Bohemia (present-day Czech Republic). In modern times, glass beads from Japan are preferred. Traditional kasut manek design often have European floral subjects, with colors influenced by Peranakan porcelain and batik sarongs. They were made onto flats or bedroom slippers. But from the 1930s, modern shapes became popular and heels were added.

In Indonesia, the Peranakans develop their own Kebaya, most notably ‘kebaya encim’, and developed their own batik patterns, which incorporate symbols from China.

Religion

Baba Nyonya subscribed to Chinese beliefs: Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism, celebrated the Lunar New Year and the Lantern Festival, while adopting the customs of the land they settled in, as well as those of their colonial rulers. There are traces of Portuguese, Dutch, British, Malay and Indonesian influences in Baba culture.

Food

From the Malay influence a unique “Nyonya” cuisine has developed using typical Malay spices. Examples are Chicken Kapitan, a dry chicken curry, and Inchi Kabin, a Nyonya version of fried chicken.

Current Status

Peranakan culture is disappearing in Malaysia and Singapore. Without colonial British support for their perceived racial neutrality, government policies in both countries following independence from the British have resulted in the assimilation of Peranakans back into mainstream Chinese culture. In Singapore, the Peranakans are classified as ethnically Chinese, so they receive formal instruction in Mandarin Chinese as a second language (in accordance with the “Mother Tongue Policy”) instead of Malay. In Malaysia, the standardization of Malay as Bahasa Melayu — required for all ethnic groups — has led to a disappearance of the unique characteristics of Baba Malay.

Source from Wikipedia

Thanks to the hit series Little Nyonya, the Peranakan culture has been in the limelight for quite some time. For myself, despite being a Nyonya, I find it sad that I was not educated much about the cultures of the Peranakans. If only I knew more about it, perhaps I could have helped to carry on the dying culture to the next generation. But I guess it was not meant to be.

Perhaps, in future, when I have the time, I would learn more about it, be it language or cuisines. Because even when I do not know much about the Peranakan culture, I daresay that I am proud to be one. Just give me more time, and I’m sure I’ll know more about it in future =)

Categories: Musings

I’ve Been Sketching

April 18, 2009 nahele 1 comment

But the boy says that they look like Boy Scouts and Girl Guides uniforms! =S

Categories: Leisure Lusts

I Miss

April 15, 2009 nahele Leave a comment

Mahjong

And clubbing

Oh the vices…

Categories: Musings

Musing on Love

April 12, 2009 nahele Leave a comment

I can’t help but sometimes wonder what a catch I found. A partner whom I know fits me best.

1. The love for photography
2. The love for travelling
3. A person who rekindled my interest in soccer
4. A person who ever so willingly enjoys shopping with me, he even plays the part of the ‘devil’ to tempt me!
5. A partner who enjoys exercising as well, and one who spurs me on to keep fit.
6. A partner ever so willing to enjoy a musical or theatrical moment with me.
7. A beach khaki who enjoys chilling out in the sun with me so that we’ll both turn chocolate!
8. A night owl who is trying to help an ex-night owl to gain back her abilities to stay up late…

With so many more to add to the list, I cannot help but just keep falling in love with him over and over again. Indeed, I’ve found the best catch ever… =)

Categories: Lover's Lane