Hi! Edwin here to talk about the Baba
Nyonya Culture and Heritage in Malaysia.
The Baba Nyonya community is very
distinctive from other ethics and races such as the more common Chinese and
Indian. You may have often heard of the Peranakan ethnic but they are really
similar to the Baba Nyonya.
Peranakan and Baba Nyonya refer to the
descendants of Chinese immigrants who arrived in Malaysia
during the 15th century as traders, which is not to be confused with
Malaysian Chinese who arrived in Malaysia in the 19th
century used by the British to work the tin mines.
These people are often intermarried with
the native Malays in Malaysia,
particularly in Malacca and most of them are fluent in Bahasa Melayu. Most Baba
and Nyonyas can converse in Chinese Hokkien dialect.
Folklore has it that in the early 15th
Century, the Emperor of China sent a beautiful princess by the name of Hang Li
Po to the Sultan of Malacca as a token of appreciation. This has sparked the
first Baba Nyonya tradition.
Read more about Baba and Nyonya cuisines at the Malaysia Food section.
I hope this information is useful for you. If you have anything to add or to comment, you may Contact Us.
