Malacca Events

Malacca Special Events

 Festivals and religious observances in Melaka is an excellent indicator of Melaka’s diversity. Every month there is at least one ethnic pocket celebrating a festival. Parades and fanfare accompany national holidays.These are the festival events in Malacca.

(Chinese New Year)

In Chinese New Year,families and friends celebrate the New Year by exchanging angpows, red gift packets that usually contain some cash. New Year’s parties are normally big family affairs and usually involve traditional lion dancing (to fend off evil spirits) and lots of eating.

(Teenh Koong's Birthday)

The Jade Emperor's birthday is celebrated the evening before the ninth day of the new lunar year. Families aligned with the Chinese Fukien clan erect a shrine to the deity on the front doorsteps to secure the god's blessing for the coming year.

(Chap Go Mei)

Chap Goh Mei held two weeks after New Year celebrations, Chap Go Mei brings this festive period to a close. Eligible Chinese bachelorettes toss oranges into the ocean and wish for romance.

(Thaipusam)

Hindu devotees honour Lord Muruga with a sombre parade that ends at Sri Subramaniam Deasthanan Temple in Batu Berendam. Here followers ceremoniously tout wooden arches and undergo ritualistic piercing to cleanse themselves of sin. These rituals can become quite intense, and those who participate go into a trance that helps them cope with the experience.Visit this website for further information about Thaipusam Celebration in Batu Caves, Malaysia

(Malacca tourism Week)

Melaka Tourism Week Held  in the second week in March is set aside for shameless publicity stunts on behalf of the city's major hotels. Gourmet cuisine and a few competitive events headline the festivities.

(Palm Sunday)

Along with Good Friday and Easter processions, Palm Sunday is celebrated at St Peter's Church. Participants carrying palm fronds follow a life-sized statue of Jesus which is paraded along the city’s streets during the early hours.

(Maundy Thursday)

The Easter processional continues at St Peter’s Church with an evening Mass. At Mass, a priest symbolically washes the feet of 12 boys with wine in memory of Jesus washing the 12 disciples’ feet.

(Good Friday)

More sombre than Palm Sunday, the Good Friday candlelight vigil is held within the grounds of St Peter's. Enormous candles are lit and a statue of Jesus is carried around church grounds as devotees bearing candles sing hymns and recite the rosary.

(Easter Sunday)

The Easter Sunday procession is held outside of St Peter's Church. Mass is held and hymns are sung by a chorus that draws Catholics from the surrounding countryside.

(Ching Ming)

Ching Ming is also known as All Souls' Day, on this day the Chinese community head to the cemetery at Bukit China or to other burial grounds. Here they tidy up burial plots, light candles, burn incense and make offerings of food to the deceased.

Nuzul Quran

Nuzul Quran held during the Muslim fast of Ramadan, Nazul Quran commemorates the revelation of the Quran to Mohammad during his time in Mecca. On this day, devotees gather together to pray in mosques.

(Gendang Nusantara Festival)

Gendang Nusantara Festival held in mid-April and spanning just one day, this festival features traditional Malay dancing and a complex ensemble of 500 percussionists.

(Hari Raya Puasa)

Hari RayaPuasa held at the end of April, this Muslim festival marks the end of the Ramadan fast and includes prayers at the mosque followed by large family visitations.

(Wesak Day)

Wesak Day is the Buddhist holiday commemorates the tri-fold birth, enlightenment and death of the Lord Buddha—all three of which are said to have occurred on the same calendar day.

(Anniversary of Sant Sohan Singh’s Prayer)

During the last week in May, the resident Sikh community head for the Sikh temple on Jalan Temenggong where a memorial service is held in honour of Sant Baba Sohan Singh, an important Sikh teacher. This three-day festival includes free meals on temple grounds, recitation of scripture and the singing of holy hymns.

(Feast of St John the Baptist)

Melaka’s Catholic community celebrate on 23 June by lighting candles and sharing large meals.

(Yang di Pertuan Agong’s Birthday)

The city comes alive with parades and celebrations to mark the birthday of Malaysia’s king, who was born on 6 June. The events on this national holiday kick off at Warrior’s Field in the morning.

(esta de San Pedro)

St Peter (the patron saint of fisherman) gets top billing in Melaka on the 29 June. The local Portuguese community come together to decorate their boats and attend a special Mass in which their boats are blessed. This long-standing tradition includes competitions for the best boat décor, a cook-off focusing on traditional Portuguese cuisine and a fishing contest.

(Awal Muharram)

 Following the end of the Ramadan fasting period, Muslims welcome the New Year with open displays of hospitality and traditional prayers.

(Hari Raya Aidil Fitri)

This Islamic holiday picks up in mid-July and remembers the Prophet Mohammad’s passage from Mecca to Medina. This is a largely intellectual occasion marked by open discussions and lectures held in mosques.

(Theemithi)

This deeply spiritual festival is held at the Sri Subramaniam Temple, which is located on Jalan Gajah Berang. Participants enter a trance-like state and proceed to walk, unscathed, over a glowing bed of hot coals.

(Malacca Carnival)

this celebration lasts for a month and showcases traditional dances and a variety of expositions covering local tourism, industry and art.

(Birthday of the Governor of Melaka)

A state holiday, His Excellency’s birthday is celebrated in mid-August with a parade at Warrior’s Field.

(National Day)

Citizens of Malaysia celebrate their country’s independence. The Melaka Sea Carnival is held on the same day at Klebang Besar Beach. Festivities here are centred on boating and windsurfing competitions.

(Feast of Santa Cruz)

On this important Catholic observance, thousands of Christians head for Malim, where the Feast of the Holy Cross commences at 07:00, followed by a walk through the Stations of the Cross. Proceedings end with a well-attended Mass.

(Malaysia Fest)

Two weeks in September are dedicated to shameless self-promotion on behalf of shopping centres and hotels across Melaka. Exhibits highlight local handicrafts and cuisine.

(Moon Cake Festival)

Melaka’s Chinese quarter celebrates China’s victory over Mongolia in antiquity. In this period of history, Chinese rebels relayed secret messages hidden in round moon cakes.Visit this website for further information about Mooncake Festival 2009 in Melaka

(Deepavali)

Melaka’s Hindu quarter celebrates the Festival of Lights in honour of the perpetual triumph over good over evil.

(Feast of St Francis Xavier)

the Church of St Paul honours St Francis Xavier with a Mass held on the Sunday closest to 3 December.

(Christmas)

the streets of Melaka are subdued with Christmas carols and ample yuletide celebrations during the Christmas season. Local churches hold midnight services on Christmas Eve.Visit this website for photographs and further information about Christmas Celebration in Melaka

Culture Of Peranakan of Baba and Nyonya In Malacca

Culture Of Peranakan of Baba and Nyonya

Clothing

(Baba and Nyonya 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, Baju Panjang (Long Dress) was adapted from the native Malay's Baju Kurung. It is worn with a batik sarong (batik wrap-around skirt) and 3 kerosang (brooches). Beaded slippers called Kasot Manek were a hand-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 kasot 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, derived from the name encim or enci to refer to a married Chinese woman. Kebaya encim was commonly wore by Chinese ladies in Javan coastal cities with significant Chinese settlements, such as Semarang, Lasem, Tuban, Surabaya, Pekalongan and Cirebon. It marked differently from Javanese kebaya with its smaller and finer embroidery, lighter fabrics and more vibrant colors. They also developed their own batik patterns, which incorporate symbols from China. The kebaya enicm fit well with vibrant-colored kain batik pesisiran (Javan coastal batik), which incorporated symbols and motives from China; such as dragon, phoenix, peony and lotus. For the Baba they will wear baju lokchuan (which is the Chinese men full costume) but the younger generation they will wear just the top of it which is the long sleeved silk jacket with Chinese collar or the batik shirt.

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.[9] A certain number of Baba Nonya families were and still are, Catholic. However in this modern society, lots of young Peranakan community have been embracing Christianity. Most notably in Indonesia, Country with the most significant Peranakan where most of the Chinese are Christians.

Food

(Ayam buah keluak, a traditional Peranakan dish)

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. Pindang bandeng is a common fish soup served in Indonesia during the Chinese new year and so is a white round mooncake from Tangerang which is normally used during the Autumn Festival. Swikee Purwodadi is a peranakan dish from Purwodadi, it is a frog soup dish.
Nyonya Laksa is a very popular dish in Singapore and Malaysia, as is Kueh Lapis, a type of multi layered cake, most often eaten at Chinese New Year to symbolize a ladder of prosperity.
A small number of restaurants serving Nyonya food can be found in Singapore; Penang and Malacca in Malaysia; and Jakarta, Semarang, Surabaya in Indonesia.

Marriage

(Marriage Culture Of  Baba and Nyonya)

It was not uncommon for early Chinese traders to take Malay women from Peninsular Malaya or Sumatra as wives or concubines
Consequently, the Baba Nyonya possessed a synergistic mix of Sino-Malay cultural traits.
Written records from the 19th and early 20th centuries show that Peranakan men usually took brides from within the local Peranakan community. Peranakan families occasionally imported brides from China and sent their daughters to China to find husbands.
Marriages within the community and of similar stature were the norm. Wealthy men prefigured to marry a chin choay: or matrilocal marriage where husband moved in with wife's family.
Proposals of marriage were made by a gift of a pinangan, a 2-tiered lacquered basket, to the intended bride's parents brought by a go-between who speaks on behalf of the suitor. Most Peranakans are not Muslim, and have retained the traditions of ancestor worship of the Chinese, though some converted to Christianity.
The wedding ceremony of the Peranakan is largely based on Chinese tradition, and is one of the most colorful wedding ceremonies in Malaysia and Singapore. At weddings, the Dondang Sayang, a form of extempore rhyming song in Malay sung and danced by guests at the wedding party, was a highlight. Someone would begin a romantic theme which was carried on by others, each taking the floor in turn, dancing in slow gyrations as they sang. It required quick wit and repartee and often gave rise to laughter and applause when a particularly clever phrase was sung. The melodic accents of the Baba-Nonya and their particular turns of phrase lead to the charm of this performance.

Museums

(Museums Of Baba and Nyonya)

Historical and cultural items from the Baba culture are displayed in cultural establishments on Heeren Street, Jonker Street and other streets in the same neighborhood in Malacca; the Pinang Peranakan Mansion in Penang, Malaysia; and at the Peranakan Museum in Singapore. Furniture, food, and even traditional clothes of the Baba and Nyonya are exhibited. Free weekly street shows featuring Baba performances, and traditional and pop Chinese cultural performances are found in Jonker Street in Malacca (Melaka). The shows are part of the night market (pasar malam) scene, and are usually crowded with shoppers, both local and foreign.
In Indonesia, a large population of Peranakans can be found in Tangerang, West Java.

Political affinity
Baba Nyonya were financially better off than China-born Chinese. Their family wealth and connections enabled them to form a Straits-Chinese elite, whose loyalty was strictly to Britain or the Netherlands. Due to their strict loyalty, they did not support Malaysian nor Indonesian Independence.
By the middle of the twentieth century, most Peranakan were English or Dutch-educated, as a result of the Western colonization of Malaya and Indonesia, Peranakans readily embraced English culture and education as a means to advance economically thus administrative and civil service posts were often filled by prominent Straits Chinese. Many in the community chose to convert to Christianity due to its perceived prestige and proximity to the preferred company of British and Dutch.
The Peranakan community thereby became very influential in Malacca and Singapore and were known also as the King's Chinese due to their loyalty to the British Crown. Because of their interaction with different cultures and languages, most Peranakans were (and still are) trilingual, being able to converse in Chinese, Malay, and English. Common vocations were as merchants, traders, and general intermediaries between China, Malaya and the West; the latter were especially valued by the British and Dutch.
Things started to change in the first half of the 20th century, with some Peranakans starting to support Malaysian and Indonesian independence. In Indonesia three Chinese communities started to merge and become active in the political scene.
They were also among the pioneers of Indonesian newspapers. In their fledgling publishing companies, they published their own political ideas along with contributions from other Indonesian writers. In November 1928, the Chinese weekly Sin Po (traditional Chinese: 新報; pinyin: xīn bào) was the first paper to openly publish the text of the national anthem Indonesia Raya. On occasion, those involved in such activities ran a concrete risk of imprisonment or even of their lives, as the Dutch colonial authorities banned nationalistic publications and activities.
Chinese were active in supporting the independence movement during the 1940s Japanese occupation, when the all but the so-called "Overseas Chinese Association", or residents of Chinese ancestry (traditional Chinese: 華僑中會; pinyin: Huáqiáo Zhōnghuì) were banned by the Japanese military authorities. Some notable pro-independence activists were Siauw Giok Tjhan and Liem Koen Hian, and Yap Tjwan Bing, a member of Panitia Persiapan Kemerdekaan Indonesia, who in the 1960s became a citizen of the United States.

Current status
Peranakan culture has started to disappear 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. Singapore classifies the Peranakans 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 and has led to a disappearance of the unique characteristics of Baba Malay.
In Indonesia, the Peranakan culture is losing popularity to modern Western culture, but to some degree Peranakans try to retain their language, cuisines and customs. Young Peranakans still speak their creole language, although many young women do not wear the kebaya. Marriages normally follow the western culture because the traditional Peranakan customs are losing popularity. Only three communities of Peranakan still uphold the traditional Peranakan wedding customs, Tangerang (by the Cina Benteng people), Makassar and Padang. Of the three communities the Cina Benteng people are the most adherent to the Peranakan culture, but their number are dwindling.
Cina Benteng people are normally poor people, and many of them sought opportunities in other areas. Some organizations do try to ease their burden of living. As of May 2012, around 108 Cina Benteng families are facing eviction from their traditional homes. Reason being from the Tangerang government, the area is actually meant as a green area for the city. This causes problem since most of them are low income people and don't know where to move, the government is also not providing enough money to buy new homes. Several eviction attempts at 2010 and 2011 which ended in violence, have caused trauma for them.
The migration of some Peranakan families, particularly the well-to-do, has led to a small Peranakan diaspora to neighbouring countries, from Vietnam to Australia. However, these communities are very small, and with the increasing use of the various languages in their respective countries, the use of Peranakan Malay or Baba Malay has been diluted.

Current associations
Associations of Chinese Peranakan include the Peranakan Association of Singapore, Aspertindo (Asosiasi Peranakan Indonesia) and the Gunung Sayang Association, a performing arts group. The Peranakan Association has about 1,700 members, and the Gunung Sayang has about 200 members. Although the Peranakan Association consists of a mix of young and old, the Gunung Sayang Association has primarily elderly or retired members. In Malacca, there is an Indian Peranakan Association known as the Chitty Melaka. This is a tightly knit community of Saivite Hindus. Chitty Peranakans display considerable similarity to Chinese Peranakans in terms of dressing, songs and folk dances.Eg.pantuns

Peranakan

Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya

Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian archipelago and British Malaya (now Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore).
Members of this community in Melaka, Malaysia address themselves as "Nyonya Baba". Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who have adopted to Nusantara customs witch are partially or in full costoms to be somewhat assimilated into the local communities. Many were the elites of Singapore, more loyal to the British than to China. Most have lived for generations along the straits of Malacca and most have a lineage where intermarriage with the local Indonesians and Malays have taken place. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were mostly English educated. Because of this, they almost always had the ability to speak two or more languages. In later generations, some lost the ability to speak Chinese as they became assimilated to the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.
While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (土生華人; named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) (Jawi being the Javanised Arabic script, Pekan a colloquial contraction of Peranakan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang) (Kristang = Christians). The group has parallels to the Cambodian Hokkien, who are descendants of Hoklo Chinese. They maintained their culture partially despite their native language gradually disappearing a few generations after settlement.

Terminology
Both Malay and Indonesian use the word Peranakan to mean "descendant" with no connotation of the ethnicity of descent unless followed by a subsequent qualifying noun, such as for example Cina (Chinese), Belanda (Dutch) or Jepang/Jepun (Japanese). Peranakan has the implied connotation of referring to the ancestry of great-grandparents or of more-distant ancestors.
Baba, a Persian loan-word borrowed by Malay speakers as an honorific solely for grandparents, referred to the Straits-Chinese males. The term originated with Hindustani speakers, such as vendors and traders, and became part of common vernacular. Female Straits-Chinese descendants were either called or styled themselves Nyonyas. The word nyonya (also commonly misspelled nonya) is a Javanese loan honorific word from Italian nona (grandma) meaning: foreign married Madam. Or more likely from the word Donha, from the Portuguese word for lady. Because Javanese at the time had a tendency to address all foreign women (and perhaps those who appeared foreign) as nyonya, they used that term for Straits-Chinese women, too, and it gradually became associated more exclusively with them. Nona in Javanese means "lady".
Straits-Chinese were defined as those born or living in the Straits Settlements: a British colonial construct of Penang, Malacca and Singapore constituted in 1826. Straits Chinese were not considered Baba Nyonya unless they displayed certain Sino-Malay syncretic physical attributes.

Ancestry
Most Peranakans are of Hoklo (Hokkien) ancestry, although a sizable number are of Teochew or Cantonese descent. Originally, the Peranakan were mixed-race descendants, part Chinese, part Malay/Indonesian.
Baba Nyonya are a subgroup within Chinese communities, are the descendants of Sino-indigenous unions in Melaka, Penang, and Indonesia. It was not uncommon for early Chinese traders to take Malay/Indonesian women of Peninsular Malay/Sumatera/Javanese as wives or concubines Consequently the Baba Nyonya possessed a mix of cultural traits.
Written records from the 19th and early 20th centuries show that Peranakan men usually took brides from within the local Peranakan community. Peranakan families occasionally imported brides from China and sent their daughters to China to find husbands.
Some sources claim that the early Peranakan inter-married with the local Malay/Indonesian population; this might derive from the fact that some of the servants who settled in Bukit Cina who traveled to Malacca with the Admiral from Yunnan were Muslim Chinese. Other experts, however, see a general lack of physical resemblance, leading them to believe that the Peranakan Chinese ethnicity has hardly been diluted. One notable case to back the claim is of the Peranakan community in Tangerang, Indonesia, known as Cina Benteng. Their physical look is indigenous, yet they dutifully adhere to the Peranakan customs, and most of them are Buddhist. Some Peranakan distinguish between Peranakan-Baba (those Peranakan with part Malay ancestry) from Peranakan (those without any Malay ancestry).

Language

The language of the Peranakans, Baba Malay (Bahasa Melayu Baba), is a creole 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.

In Indonesia, young Peranakans can still speak this creole language, although its use is limited to informal occasions. Young Peranakans have lost much of their traditional language, so there is normally a difference in vocabulary between the older and younger generations.

History

In the 15th century, some small city-states of the Malay Peninsula often paid tribute to various kingdoms such as those of China and Siam. Close relations with China were established in the early 15th century during the reign of Parameswara when Admiral Zheng He (Cheng Ho), a Muslim Chinese, visited Malacca and Java. According to a legend in 1459 CE, the Emperor of China sent a princess, Hang Li Po, to the Sultan of Malacca as a token of appreciation for his tribute. The nobles (500 sons of ministers) and servants who accompanied the princess initially settled in Bukit Cina and eventually grew into a class of Straits-born Chinese known as the Peranakans.

Due to economic hardships at mainland China, waves of immigrants from China settled in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Some of them embraced the local customs, while still retaining some degree of their ancestral culture; they are known as the Peranakans. Peranakans normally have a certain degree of indigenous blood, which can be attributed to the fact that during imperial China, most immigrants were men who married local women. Peranakans at Tangerang, Indonesia, held such a high degree of indigenous blood that they are almost physically indistinguishable from the local population. Peranakans at Indonesia can vary between very fair to copper tan in color.

Chinese men in Melaka fathered children with Javanese, Batak and Balinese slave women. Their descendants moved to Penang and Singapore during British rule. Chinese men in colonial southeast Asia also obtained slave wives from Nias. Chinese men in Singapore and Penang were supplied with slave wives of Bugis, Batak, and Balinese origin. The British tolerated the importation of slave wives since they improved the standard of living for the slaves and provided contentment to the male population. The usage of slave women as wives by the Chinese was widespread.

It cannot be denied, however, that the existence of slavery in this quarter, in former years, was of immense advantage in procuring a female population for Pinang. From Assaban alone, there used to be sometimes 300 slaves, principally females, exported to Malacca and Pinang in a year. The women get comfortably settled as the wives of opulent Chinese merchants, and live in the greatest comfort. Their families attach these men to the soil; and many never think of returning to their native country. The female population of Pinang is still far from being upon a par with the male; and the abolition therefore of slavery, has been a vast sacrifice to philanthropy and humanity. As the condition of the slaves who were brought to the British settlements, was materially improved, and as they contributed so much to the happiness of the male population, and the general prosperity of the settlement, I am disposed to think (although I detest the principles of slavery as much as any man), that the continuance of the system here could not, under the benevolent regulations which were in force to prevent abuse, have been productive of much evil. The sort of slavery indeed which existed in the British settlements in this quarter, had nothing but the name against it; for the condition of the slaves who were brought from the adjoining countries, was always ameliorated by the change; they were well fed and clothed; the women became wives of respectable Chinese; and the men who were in the least industrious, easily emancipated themselves, and many became wealthy. Severity by masters was punished; and, in short, I do not know any race of people who were, and had every reason to be, so happy and contented as the slaves formerly, and debtors as they are now called, who came from the east coast of Sumatra and other places.

John Anderson, Agent to the Government of Prince of Wales Island

Peranakans themselves later on migrated between Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, which resulted in a high degree of cultural similarity between Peranakans in those countries. Economic / educational reasons normally propel the migration between of Peranakans between the Nusantara region (Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore), their creole language is very close to the indigenous languages of those countries, which makes adaptations a lot easier.

For political reasons Peranakans and other Nusantara Chinese are grouped as a one racial group, Chinese, with Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia becoming more adoptive of mainland Chinese culture, and Chinese in Indonesia becoming more diluted in their Chinese culture. Such things can be attributed to the policies of Bumiputera and Chinese-National Schools (Malaysia), mother tongue policy (Singapore) and the ban of Chinese culture during the Soeharto era in Indonesia.

In old times the Peranakans were held in high regard by Malays. Some Malays in the past may have taken the word "Baba", referring to Chinese males, and put it into their name, when this used to be the case. This is not followed by the younger generation, and the current Chinese Malaysians do not have the same status or respect as Peranakans used to have.

Malacca Legendary Hang Tuah

History Of Hang Tuah

Hang Tuah (Jawi:هڠ تواه) is a legendary Malay warrior who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century.He was the most capable of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and is considered in Malaysia to be one of history's greatest silat masters. Hang Tuah is held in the highest regard, even in present-day Malaysian Malay culture, and is arguably the most well-known and illustrious warrior figure in Malaysian history and literature.

Early Life And Background
Hang Tuah was born in Kampung Sungai Duyong, Melaka. His parents were Hang Mahmud and Dang Merdu Wati. His parents owned a small shop near Kampung Bendahara. When Hang Tuah was small, he worked as a woodcutter in his parents shop. His grasp of spiritual concepts and potential as a fighter was apparent from a young age. At ten years old he learned silat together with his four comrades Hang Kasturi, Hang Jebat, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu. Their teacher was Adi Putera, a renowned master who lived a hermetic life at the top of a mountain. Under the guru's tutelage, Hang Tuah and his four compatriates were taught the arts of self-defense and meditation.
Hang Tuah appearance in the history of the region began when some men ran amok near Kampung Bendahara. Tun Perak came with a party of guards to investigate the incident, but was also attacked. His guards fled, but when Hang Tuah and his friends who happened to be at a nearby stall, saw what was happening and rushed to save Tun Perak. They fought the amuk group and killed them all.
Tun Perak was amazed by the courage of Hang Tuah and his friends and he rewarded them for their gallant service with a suit of clothes each and appointed them as commanders. They were also presented to Sultan Muzaffar Syah and they became a well known legend in the history of Melaka.

Hang Tuah Career's
Hang Tuah's illustrious career as an admiral or laksamana includes tales of his absolute and unfaltering loyalty to his Sultan, some of which are chronicled in Sejarah Melayu (the semi-historical Malay Annals)[4] and Hikayat Hang Tuah (a romantic collection of tales involving Hang Tuah).
Hang Tuah became the sultan's constant aide, accompanying the king on official visits to foreign countries. On one such visit to Majapahit, Hang Tuah fought a duel with the famed pendekar Taming Sari. After a brutal fight Hang Tuah emerged as winner, and the ruler of Majapahit bestowed upon him Taming Sari’s kris or dagger. The Keris Taming Sari was named after its original owner, and was purported to be magical, empowering its owner with physical invulnerability.
Hang Tuah also acted as the sultan's ambassador, travelling on the king's behalf to allied countries. Another story concerning Hang Tuah's legendary loyalty to the ruler is found in the Hikayat Hang Tuah, and involves his visit to Inderaputra or Pahang during one such voyage. The sultan sent Hang Tuah to Pahang with the task of persuading the princess Tun Teja, who was already engaged, to become the sultan's companion. Tun Teja fell under the impression that Hang Tuah had come to persuade her to marry him, not the Sultan, and agreed to elope with him to Melaka. It was only during the voyage home that Hang Tuah revealed his deception to Tun Teja.
The Hikayat Hang Tuah and Sejarah Melayu each carry different accounts of this incident. The Hikayat records that it was Hang Tuah who persuaded Tun Teja to elope with him, thus deceiving her. The Sejarah Melayu, however, claims that it was another warrior, Hang Nadim, who deceived Tun Teja.
Perhaps the most famous story in which Hang Tuah is involved is the fight with his closest childhood companion, Hang Jebat. Hang Tuah's deep loyalty to and popularity with the sultan led to rumours being circulated that Hang Tuah was having an illicit affair with one of the sultan's dayang (court stewardesses). The sultan sentenced Hang Tuah to death without trial for the alleged offense. The death sentence was never carried out, however, because Hang Tuah's executioner, the bendahara (chief minister), went against the sultan’s orders and hid Hang Tuah in a remote region of Melaka.
Believing that Hang Tuah was dead, murdered unjustly by the king he served, Hang Jebat avenged his friend's death. Hang Jebat's revenge allegedly became a palace killing spree or furious rebellion against the sultan (sources differ as to what actually occurred). It remains consistent, however, that Hang Jebat wreaked havoc onto the royal court, and the sultan was unable to stop him, as none of the warriors dared to challenge the more ferocious and skilled Hang Jebat. The bendahara then informed the sultan that the only man able to stop Hang Jebat, Hang Tuah, was still alive. The bendahara recalled Hang Tuah from his hiding place and the warrior was given full amnesty by the Sultan and instructed to kill Hang Jebat. After seven gruelling days of fighting, Hang Tuah was able to kill Hang Jebat.
It is notable that the two main sources of Hang Tuah's life differ yet again on the details of his life. According to the Hikayat Hang Tuah, it was Hang Jebat who avenged his friend's death, only to be killed by the same friend, but according to Sejarah Melayu, it was Hang Kasturi. The Sejarah Melayu or the Malay Annals are unique in that they constitute the only available account of the history of the Malay Sultanate in the fifteenth and early sixteenth century, but the Hang Jebat story, as the more romantic tale, remains more popular.
Hang Tuah continued to serve Melaka after the death of Hang Jebat. Later in his life, as Hang Tuah progressed in his years, the warrior was ordered by the successive Melakan ruler to court a legendary princess on the sultan's behalf. The Puteri Gunung Ledang (Princess of Mount Ledang) was so named because she resided on Mount Ledang at the Melaka-Johor border. According to legend, the Princess met with Hang Tuah, and only agreed to marry the sultan if he satisfied a list of requirements, or pre-wedding gifts. The list included a golden bridge linking Melaka with the top of Gunung Ledang, seven trays of mosquito livers, seven jars of virgins' tears and a bowl of the sultan's first-born son's blood. Hang Tuah knew the tasks would not be fulfilled, and was said to be so overwhelmed that he failed his king that he flung his kris into a river and vowed only to return to Melaka if it resurfaced, which it never did. It was also said that he then vanished into thin air. According to other sources, Hang Tuah lived to an old age, and his body is said to be have been buried in Tanjung Kling in Melaka, where his tomb can still be seen today

Legacy
Hang Tuah is famous for quoting the words "Takkan Melayu Hilang di Dunia" meaning "Never shall the Malays vanish from the earth". The quote is a famous rallying cry for Malay nationalism.
He remains an extremely popular legend in Malaysia, embodying the values of upper-class Malay culture at the time, when allegiance and loyalty to the ruler were paramount above all else. Although its historical accuracy remains disputable, the legend of the tragic friendship between Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat represents a paradox in the Malay psyche about loyalty and justice, and remains a point of debate among students of Malay history and literature.

Malacca Legendary Hang Jebat

History Of Hang Jebat

Hang Jebat (Jawi: هڠ جيبت) was the closest companion of the legendary Melakan hero Hang Tuah. Regarded in Malaysia as one of the greatest silat exponents in history, he is well known for his vengeful rebellion against the Malacca Sultan whom he served. He can also be regarded as an early Malay anarchist following his rebellion against the ruler.
After Hang Tuah was sentenced to death, Hang Jebat was conferred the coveted Taming Sari kris, a weapon formerly used by Hang Tuah. Believing that Hang Tuah was unjustly murdered by the sultan he served, Hang Jebat turned against the ruler to avenge his friend's death. No one knew that the bendahara (chief minister) went against the royal decree and hid Hang Tuah in a remote area..
With the kris in his possession, Hang Jebat was undefeatable and there was not one person in the palace who was capable of killing him. Hang Jebat's revenge allegedly became a palace killing spree or furious rebellion against the sultan (sources differ as to what actually occurred). It remains consistent, however, that Hang Jebat wreaked havoc onto the royal court, and the sultan was unable to stop him, as none of the warriors dared to challenge the more ferocious and skilled Hang Jebat.
After learning from the bendahara that Hang Tuah was still alive, the sultan had him recall the warrior and gave him full amnesty. The sultan then ordered Hang Tuah to kill Hang Jebat. Being unquestioningly loyal to the ruler, Hang Tuah obeyed the sultan's bidding and went on to challenge Hang Jebat. After fighting in a battle that lasted for seven days, Hang Tuah eventually managed to reclaim the Taming Sari by tricking Hang Jebat. Although stabbed by Tuah, Hang Jebat bandaged his wounds and ran amok in the city square for three days, killing thousands of people before retreating to Tuah's house and dying in his friend's arms.
Hang Jebat's famous quote during the fight was "Raja adil raja disembah, raja zalim raja disanggah" meaning "A fair king is a king to salute, a cruel king is a king to rebel against". This went against Tuah's philosophy of loyalty without question.
After the fight, the sultan ordered his men to tear down, burn and throw the ashes of the house into the sea. Two months later, when a lady of the bendahara's retinue gave birth to Jebat's son, the sultan ordered Hang Tuah to throw the baby into the sea as well. Instead, the laksamana entrusted the child, Hang Nadim, to the bendahara.
A Royal Malaysian Navy Lekiu class frigate is named after him: F29 KD Jebat. The recently decommissioned frigate F24 KD Rahmat was to be called KD Hang Jebat, but engine problems during builders trails caused the Royal Malaysian Navy to change her name to F24 KD Rahmat. One of the oldest engines that pulls the trains along the Singapore-Malaysia rail route is also named after him.

Christ Church

Malacca Christ Church

Christ Church is an 18th-century Anglican church in the city of Malacca, Malaysia. It is the oldest functioning Protestant church in Malaysia and is within the jurisdiction of the Lower Central Archdeaconry of the Anglican Diocese of West Malaysia.

History Of Malacca Christ Church

The Dutch conquest of Malacca from the Portuguese Empire in 1641 saw the proscription of Roman Catholicism and the conversion of existing churches to Dutch Reformed use. The old St. Paul's Church at the summit of St. Paul Hill was renamed the Bovenkerk (High Church) and used as the main parish church of the Dutch community.

In 1741, in commemoration of the centenary of the capture of Malacca from the Portuguese, the Dutch burgher community decided to build a new church to replace the aging Bovenkerk. The foundation stone was laid by the Malacca born Captain of the Malacca Burghers, Abraham de Wind, on behalf of his father, Claas de Wind, a prominent Burgher who had been the Secunde (Deputy Governor) of Malacca. The church was completed 12 years later in 1753 and replaced the Bovenkerk as the primary Dutch Reformed Church in Dutch Malacca.

With the signing of the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824, possession of Malacca was transferred to the British East India Company and in 1838, the church was re-consecrated with the rites of the Church of England by the Rt. Rev. Daniel Wilson, the Anglican Bishop of Calcutta and renamed Christ Church. The maintenance of the church was taken over by the Government of the Straits Settlements in 1858.

Originally painted white, the church and the neighbouring Stadthuys building was painted red in 1911 and this distinctive colour scheme has remained the hallmark of Malacca's Dutch-era buildings since.

Architecture

The church is built in Dutch Colonial architecture style and is laid out in a simple rectangle of 82 feet (25 m) by 42 feet (13 m). The ceiling rises to 40 feet (12 m) and is spanned by wooden beams, each carved from a single tree. The roof is covered with Dutch tiles and the walls were raised using Dutch bricks built on local laterite blocks then coated with Chinese plaster. The floors of the church are paved with granite blocks originally used as ballast for merchant ships.

The original Dutch windows were reduced and ornamented after the British takeover of Malacca and the porch and vestry were built only in the mid-19th century.

Artifacts 

Tombstones and Memorial Plaques

The floors of the church also incorporate various tombstones with Portuguese and Armenian inscriptions used as paving blocks. Memorial plaques in Dutch, Armenian and English also adorn the interior of the church. Some Armenian inscriptions provide an interesting panorama of life in the Dutch period:

Greetings, you who are reading this tablet of my tomb in which I now sleep. Give me the news, the freedom of my countrymen, for them I did much weep. If there arose among them one good guardian to govern and keep. Vainly I expected the world to see a good shepherd came to look after the scattered sheep.

I, Jacob, grandson of Shamier, an Armenian of a respectable family whose name I keep, was born in Persia near Inefa, where my parents now forever sleep. Fortune brought me to distant Malacca, which my remains in bondage to keep. Separated from the world on 7th July 1774 A.D. at the age of twenty-nine, my mortal remains were deposited in this spot of the ground which I purchased.

Church Bell

The church bell is inscribed with the date 1698 suggesting that it was used for another purpose prior to the completion of the church.

Church Administration Records

The church's collection of Kerk Boek (Church Book), Resolutie Boek (Resolution Book), Rapporten (Reports) as well as the Doop Boek (Baptism Register) going back to the earliest Dutch times in Malacca have survived through the centuries. These antiquated documents are now being kept at the National Archives of Malaysia.

Silver Altar Vessels

Silver altar vessels dating back to the early Dutch period are also in the possession of the church but is kept in storage and rarely taken out for display.

Altar Bible

The altar Bible has a cover made of brass inscribed with the passage from John 1:1 in Dutch.

A Famosa

Malacca A Famosa

A Famosa (Kota A Famosa; "The Famous" in Portuguese) is a Portuguese fortress located in Malacca, Malaysia. It is among the oldest surviving European architectural remains in Asia. The Porta de Santiago, a small gate house, is the only remaining part of the fortress still standing.

The name is often mispronounced even among Malaysians, as though the Portuguese definite article a were the English letter A. A more authentic pronunciation would be.

History Of A Famosa

In 1511, a Portuguese fleet arrived under the command of Afonso de Albuquerque. His forces attacked and defeated the armies of the Malacca Sultanate. Moving quickly to consolidate his gains, Albuquerque had the fortress built around a natural hill near the sea.Albuquerque believed that Malacca would become an important port linking Portugal to the Spice Route in China. At this time other Portuguese were establishing outposts in such places as Macau, China and Goa, India in order to create a string of friendly ports for ships heading to China and returning home to Portugal.

The fortress once consisted of long ramparts and four major towers. One was a four-story keep, while the others held an ammunition storage room, the residence of the captain, and an officers' quarters. Most of the village clustered in town houses inside the fortress walls. As Malacca's population expanded it outgrew the original fort and extensions were added around 1586.

The fort changed hands in 1641 when the Dutch drove the Portuguese out of Malacca. The Dutch renovated the gate in 1670, which explains the logo "ANNO 1670" inscribed on the gate's arch. Above the arch is a bas-relief logo of the Dutch East India Company.

The fortress changed hands again in the early 19th century when the Dutch handed it over to the British to prevent it from falling into the hands of Napoleon's expansionist France. The English were wary of maintaining the fortification and ordered its destruction in 1806. The fort was almost totally demolished but for the timely intervention of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, who happened to visit Malacca in 1810. Because of his passion for history, this small gate was spared from destruction.

Malacca Archaeological Finding

In late November 2006, a structure part of the fort, believed to be the Middelsburgh Bastion was accidentally uncovered during the construction of 110 meter revolving tower in Malacca Town.The construction of the tower was ceased and its site was subsequently shifted to the popular district of Bandar Hilir on Jalan Merdeka where it was officially opened to the public on the 18th of April, 2008. Malacca Museums Corporation suspects the structure was built by the Dutch during the Dutch occupation of Malacca from 1641 to 1824.

Earlier in June 2003, a watchtower named Santiago Bastion was discovered during the construction of Dataran Pahlawan.

Popular Historical Attraction

Malacca Most Popular Historical Attraction

(Malacca Most Attract Places Map)

• Fort A Famosa: Constructed by the Portuguese in 1511, it suffered severe structural damage during the Dutch invasion. The plan by the British to destroy it was aborted as a result of the intervention of Sir Stamford Raffles in 1808.
• St. John's Fort: Reconstructed by the Dutch in the third quarter of the 18th century, the cannons in this fort point inland because at that time, the threat to Malacca was mainly from inland rather than the sea.
• St. Peter's Church: Constructed in 1710 under the Dutch administration, the church is the oldest Catholic church in Malaysia. Its facade and decorative embellishment is a mix of both eastern and western architecture. Its bell was delivered from Goa in 1608.
• St. Paul's Church: Constructed by the Portuguese captain, Duarte Coelho, this church was named "Our Lady of The Hill", but was later turned into a burial ground by the Dutch for their noble dead, and renamed "St. Paul's Church". Currently the church is part of the Malaccan Museums Complex. The body of St. Francis Xavier was interred here temporarily before it was taken to Goa, India.
• Christ Church: Constructed in 1753, the structure reflects original Dutch architecture. The building houses hand-crafted church benches, jointless ceiling skylights, a copper replica of the Bible, a headstone written in the Armenian language, and a replica of "The Last Supper".
• Francis Xavier Church: This Gothic church was built by a French priest, Rev. Fabre, in 1849, to commemorate St. Francis Xavier who is also known as the "Apostle of the East". St. Francis Xavier is credited for his Catholic missionary work in Southeast Asia during the 16th century.
• Stadthuys: Constructed in 1650 as the residence of the Dutch Governor and his deputy, the structure reflects Dutch architecture. It is today the "Museum of History and Ethnography". The museum exhibits traditional wedding clothes and artifacts of Melaka, dating back to its days of glory.
• Cheng Hoon Teng Temple: Located along Jalan Tokong (formerly Temple Street) in the core zone of the Malacca Unesco World Heritage Site. It is the oldest functioning temple in Malaysia and grandest temple in Malacca.
• Jonker Street (Jalan Hang Jebat): This street is known for its antique goods.
• Portuguese Square: Located within the Portuguese Settlement, the square is the culmination of Portuguese culture in its full splendour and colours.
• Sri Poyyatha Vinayagar Moorthi Temple: This is the oldest Hindu Temple in Malaysia. It was built in 1781 on land given by the Dutch to the Chitty community.
• Tranquerah Mosque: The oldest mosque in Malacca.
• Kampung Kling Mosque: Kampung Kling Mosque is one of the oldest mosques in Malaysia. It was built around 1784 with the influence of Sumatran architecture. Firstly, there’s no Byzantium dome around. It was replaced by a tiered pyramidal roof. Secondly, just look at the minaret which is structured like a pagoda. There are even Chinese characters carved on the side roof of the mosque.