Among them are the Peranakans. The term suggests a person who is locally born but has a heritage of mixed cultures – like the Peranakan Chinese and Indians.
Although the Peranakan Chinese are generally more commonly associated with the states of Melaka and Penang, a community of them have been living in Kelantan for centuries.
The best place to learn more about them is at the Galeri Persatuan Peranakan Cina Kelantan in the state’s Tanah Merah district.
Located in a traditional wooden house believed to date back to 1923, this was formerly the ancestral house of one Yeap Boon Yang, who donated it to the Kelantan Chinese Peranakan Association in 2015 to build a gallery.
Today, it is a treasure trove that provides visitors with valuable insights into the community’s history and unique hybrid culture. These are among the highlights.
History and settlement
In one section of the gallery, you can learn about the migration of the Chinese from as early as the 15thcentury to various parts of Southeast Asia.
According to “Hai Lu”, a travelogue based on the voyages of Chinese mariner Xie Qing Gao from 1782 to 1795, there was already a group of Hokkien Chinese living in a Kelantan port area.
It is also believed that there was a group of Hakkas in Pulai who were involved in gold mining activities.
It is enlightening to learn that most of the traditional villages of Kelantan’s Peranakan Chinese community are located along the riverbanks of Sungai Kelantan, Sungai Pengkalan Datu and Sungai Kemasin.
Prior to the construction of roads, these rivers played an important role in transportation, as a main water resource for their farms, and to catch fish.
Sadly, the number of these villages is decreasing because many from the younger generation have relocated. Quite a number of these traditional houses have also been renovated into brick structures.
Culture
The gallery gives visitors insights into the beauty of the Peranakan Chinese’s unique hybrid heritage, thanks to acculturation with the Malays and Siamese.
For example, it is said that some of them possess a darker complexion compared to other Chinese, have wider eyes, speak fluent Kelantanese Malay and even eat rice with their hands.
Additionally, they are said to enjoy traditional activities and entertainment such as flying the traditional kite called wau, playing congkak, participating in bird singing competitions, performing dikir barat which is a style of Malay choral singing that incorporates poetry, and watching wayang kulit, which is a puppet theatre play.
In fact, some of them have been known to play the role of the tukang karut or storyteller in dikir barat performances, and the tok dalang role or puppet master in wayang kulit shows.
Another intriguing fact? Some members of the Peranakan Chinese community even give their children local Malay names although they maintain their family surnames. Examples include Law Awang or Gan Awang for boys and Tan Mek Lee or Chan Mek Kui for girls – unique indeed!
Nevertheless, many Peranakan Chinese still hold fast to their ethnic Chinese identity and observe Chinese religions and rituals as well as indulge in Chinese gambling games.
All in all, the gallery offers a charming peek into the distinct characteristics of this community. More importantly, it will leave visitors with a greater sense of appreciation of the various peoples – and it’s not just the Peranakans, but the Malays, Indians, Chinese, Kadazans and Dayaks – who collectively make up the beautiful tapestry of multicultural Malaysia.
Galeri Persatuan Peranakan Cina Kelantan
B 234, Jalan Wan Ahmad
17500 Tanah Merah
Kelantan
Free admission but prior appointment required.
For bookings, contact Lim Kham Hong at 016-930 6660.
Learn more about Galeri Persatuan Peranakan Cina Kelantan via its website.