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Hikayat or epics are collections of stories and legends of heroism that often involve mythological and historical figures in a setting usually engaging the role of protagonists and antagonists.
Hikayat Inderaputera, ‘The tale of Inderaputera’, is a Malay romance about the fantastical adventures of Prince Inderaputera, son of the king of Semantapura.<br/><br/> Probably composed in the late 16th century, Hikayat Inderaputera was one of the most widespread and popular Malay tales, and is known from over thirty manuscripts dating from the late 17th century onwards.
Hikayat (Jawi: حكاية) - an Arabic word that literally translates to 'stories' - is a form of Malay literature, which relate the adventures of national heroes of Malayan kingdoms, or royal chronicles.<br/><br/> The stories they contain, though based on history, are heavily romanticised.
The Serat Jayalengkara Wulang recounts the story of the wanderings of Prince Jayalengkara, and his visits to sages in secluded places who instruct him in mystical science.<br/><br/> This illuminated manuscript was begun on 22 Rejeb in the Javanese year 1730, equivalent to 7 November 1803, by a scribe in the court of Sultan Hamengkubuwana II of Yogyakarta.
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon, considered to be based on historical events. The Ramayana depicts the duties of relationships, portraying ideal characters like the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal king.<br/><br/> The Ramayana was already well known in Java by the end of the ninth century CE.<br/><br/> The late 18th-century renaissance of literature at the central Javanese courts of Surakarta and Yogyakarta saw the rewriting of the Ramayana Kakawin in modern Javanese.
The Serat Jayalengkara Wulang recounts the story of the wanderings of Prince Jayalengkara, and his visits to sages in secluded places who instruct him in mystical science.<br/><br/> This illuminated manuscript was begun on 22 Rejeb in the Javanese year 1730, equivalent to 7 November 1803, by a scribe in the court of Sultan Hamengkubuwana II of Yogyakarta.
The Serat Jayalengkara Wulang recounts the story of the wanderings of Prince Jayalengkara, and his visits to sages in secluded places who instruct him in mystical science.<br/><br/> This illuminated manuscript was begun on 22 Rejeb in the Javanese year 1730, equivalent to 7 November 1803, by a scribe in the court of Sultan Hamengkubuwana II of Yogyakarta.
The Serat Jayalengkara Wulang recounts the story of the wanderings of Prince Jayalengkara, and his visits to sages in secluded places who instruct him in mystical science.<br/><br/> This illuminated manuscript was begun on 22 Rejeb in the Javanese year 1730, equivalent to 7 November 1803, by a scribe in the court of Sultan Hamengkubuwana II of Yogyakarta.
In Javanese wayang (shadow puppets), the panakawan or panakavan (phanakavhan) are the clown servants of the hero. There are four of them – Semar (also known as Ki Lurah Semar), Petruk, Gareng and Bagong. Semar is the personification of a deity, sometimes said to the be the dhanyang or guardian spirit of the island of Java. In Javanese mythology, deities can only manifest themselves as ugly or otherwise unprepossessing humans, and so Semar is always portrayed as short and fat with a pug nose and a dangling hernia.<br/><br/>His three companions are his adopted sons, given to Semar as votaries by their parents. Petruk is portrayed as tall and gangling with a long nose, Gareng as short with a club foot and Bagong as obese.<br/><br/>Wayang is a Javanese word for particular kinds of theatre (literally 'shadow'). When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theatre, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of shadow puppet theatre are accompanied by gamelan in Java.<br/><br/>UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theatre and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003.
This ethical guide for rulers was composed in 1603 by Bukhari al-Johori, and contains advice on good governance. This manuscript version was made by master calligrapher Muhammad bin Umar Syaikh Farid at Penang, Malaysia, on 4 Zulhijah 1239 AH (31 July 1824 CE).
This ethical guide for rulers was composed in 1603 by Bukhari al-Johori, and contains advice on good governance. This manuscript version was made by master calligrapher Muhammad bin Umar Syaikh Farid at Penang, Malaysia, on 4 Zulhijah 1239 AH (31 July 1824 CE).
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge). Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived. Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived.<br/><br/> Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
The Javanese script, natively known as Hanacaraka), Carakan, or Aksara Jawa, is a pre-colonial script used to write Javanese and several other native languages of Indonesia. It is closely related to the Balinese script.
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge). Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived. Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived.<br/><br/> Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge). Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived. Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge).<br/><br/> Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived.<br/><br/> Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
Wayang is a Javanese word for particular kinds of theatre (literally 'shadow'). When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theatre, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of shadow puppet theatre are accompanied by gamelan in Java.<br/><br/>UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theatre and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003.<br/><br/>Semar is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punokawan (clowns), but is in fact divine and very wise. He is the dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java, and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the kotak (wayang set). He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form.
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge). Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived. Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge).<br/><br/> Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived.<br/><br/> Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
Wayang is a Javanese word for particular kinds of theatre (literally 'shadow'). When the term is used to refer to kinds of puppet theatre, sometimes the puppet itself is referred to as wayang. Performances of shadow puppet theatre are accompanied by gamelan in Java.<br/><br/>UNESCO designated Wayang Kulit, a shadow puppet theatre and the best known of the Indonesian wayang, as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on 7 November 2003.<br/><br/>Semar is a character in Javanese mythology who frequently appears in wayang shadow plays. He is one of the punokawan (clowns), but is in fact divine and very wise. He is the dhanyang (guardian spirit) of Java, and is regarded by some as the most sacred figure of the kotak (wayang set). He is said to be the god Sang Hyang Ismaya in human form.
From 'Cermin mata bagi segala orang yang menuntut pengetahuan' (Spectacles for Those who Seek Knowledge).<br/><br/> Jawi is an adapted Arabic alphabet for writing the Malay language. It developed in and around Malaya from about 1300 CE—about the same time as Islam arrived.<br/><br/> Jawi is one of the two official scripts in Brunei and Malaysia for the Malay language. However, nowadays it has all but been replaced by a Roman script called Rumi; Jawi is usually only seen as a script for religious and cultural purposes. Day-to-day usage of Jawi is maintained in more conservative Malay-populated areas such as Sulu in the Philippines, Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia.
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Malay-Indonesian archipelago of Nusantara during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Malaysia identify themselves as 'Nyonya-Baba' or 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the females and Baba for males. 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 adopted partially or in full Malay-Indonesian customs to become partially assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> 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), it may also be applied to the Baba-Yaya community in Phuket and other provinces of southern Thailand.
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)
Peranakan Chinese and Baba-Nyonya are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Indonesian-Malay Archipelago during the Colonial era.<br/><br/> Members of this community in Melaka identify themselves as 'Nyonya Baba' instead of 'Baba-Nyonya'. Nyonya is the term for the women and Baba for the men. It applied especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who had adopted partially or in full Malay customs to become somewhat assimilated into the local communities.<br/><br/> In colonial times they were an elite in Singapore, Melaka and Penang, identifying strongly with the British administration. Most have lived for generations along the Straits of Malacca. They were usually traders, the middleman of the British and the Chinese, or the Chinese and Malays, or vice versa because they were often educated in English. 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 more fully assimilated into the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.<br/><br/> While the term Peranakan is most commonly used among the ethnic Chinese for those of Chinese descent also known as Straits Chinese (named after the Straits Settlements), there are also other, comparatively small Peranakan communities, such as the Indian Hindu Peranakans (Chitty), Indian Muslim Peranakans (Jawi Pekan) and Eurasian Peranakans (Kristang or Christians)