Some recent videos I found on Youtube describing Peranakan culture - enjoy!
Top 5 Peranakan Things To Do in Singapore!
Peranakan culture has many elements and influences including those from European, Chinese and Malay sources. Here are some things you can do in Singapore to learn more about the 'Straits Chinese'!
Read MoreWhere To Buy Nyonya Sarong Kebaya in Singapore
Singapore is famous for its gorgeous sarong kebaya, the Nyonya outfit that inspired the shapely uniform worn by female flight attendants of Singapore Airlines. But it's not easy to find where the good shops are unless you've spent time pounding the pavement! Save your feet and check out my blog post on where to buy this unique sarong skirt and kebaya blouse outfit loved by many Peranakan ladies.
Peranakan Partying With a Purpose
From left: Baba Eng Thai, Baba Peter Wee, Mrs Mary Tan, President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Baba Koh Choon Hui.
A roomful of Nonya ladies in colourful kebaya blouses and floral sarongs, and Baba men in handsome batik shirts was a spectacular sight at the recent Peranakan Ball in Singapore!
Read MorePeranakans - Neither Fish Nor Fowl?
An interesting article titled 'Neither Fish nor Fowl written in 2008 by Patricia Ann Hardwick of Indiana University.
'This article traces the way in which political processes influence the creation and presentation of Peranakan ethnic identity during the colonial and post-colonial period in Singapore. Peranakan culture combines southern Chinese and Malay traditions and is unique to the nations of Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Peranakan identity began to emerge in the seventeenth century and flourished under the British administration of the Straits Settlements and British Malaya in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Associated with the British colonial system, Peranakan identity was suppressed by early Singaporean nationalists. Aspects of Peranakan identity including women’s costume and Peranakan material culture are currently celebrated by the Singaporean nation as emblems of its unique past, as individuals claiming to be Peranakan are encouraged to assimilate to majority Chinese culture.'
How about the good 'ole Qilin? A pretty exotic beast with the head of a dragon, the body of a horse, and fish scales covering its skin!
Auspicious Designs: Batik for Peranakan Altars
If you like Batik AND Peranakan design…this looks like a great show! See the latest special exhibition at The Peranakan Museum – don’t forget to take a guided tour! Runs from 11 April to 28 December 2014.