# data[].attributes.body
Total population:
- Unknown
Regions:
- Terengganu
Language:
- Malay
- Mandarin
Religion:
- Taoism
- Confucianism
- Han Buddhism
- Christianity

Who are they?:
The descendants of Chinese nationals from various Prefectures of the Province of Fujian (Hokkien) in southern China who settled in the various parts of Terengganu from the period of the 14th to the 17th century. (Persatuan Peranakan Cina Terengganu, 2017).

Location:

They mainly resides in Kampung Cina’s main street where the peranakan heritage is celebrated and preserved and some area in Kampung Tiruk, Wakaf Tapai in Terengganu.

Read more about Peranakan Chinese Terengganu through the article below:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
KUALA TERENGGANU (Terengganu) - If Penang and Malacca are famed for their Baba and Nonya, Terengganu can lay claim to its own Mek and Awang.

Not many people know that this East Coast state also has a substantial Peranakan Chinese community whose women are called Mek and men Awang.

Peranakan, meaning locally born, refers to migrant communities who have assimilated with the Malays over many generations, often through inter-marriage. The blend of the two has created a distinctly new culture, especially in the kitchen where the merging of flavours has brought out a deliciously fused cuisine. It has also helped fuse ties between the races.

Whether Peranakan or not, the East Coast Chinese community is known to have much closer ties with the Malay community there. And this holds important lessons on how Malaysia's different races can learn from one another and learn to live in harmony.

Chinese make up about 10 per cent of the population on the East Coast. They take pride in being part of a melting pot, especially amid Malaysia's current political turmoil wherein the Chinese and Malays are pitted against each other.

They see themselves as creating a more honest sort of multiracialism, which mixes and blends, yet remaining a distinct part of the whole. "Our community is small, and we have to mix with the other people. On the West Coast, there is less integration," said Mr Teo Ken Bin, who can trace his family tree back nine generations.

In the East Coast states of Terengganu and Kelantan, some Peranakan Chinese can trace their family tree back 10 generations. "It's now very much part of our own lifestyle, the way we cook, our dress, and how we eat with our fingers," Mr Teo said. The urbanite Chinese of the West Coast are much more segregated from the community around them.

Mr Teo, 60, said his family believed their ancestry dated back nine generations based on a tablet on his grandmother's prayer altar. It was a tablet for Kapitan Zhang Zhaorong, an 18th-century Chinese community leader.

The Teo ancestral home is a 200-year-old house in Kampung Cina, which is essentially a row of old shophouses built over the centuries in various styles from art deco to southern Chinese. Reminiscent of the more famous George Town in Penang, the picturesque street was once mainly settled by the Chinese but now has a more mixed population.

The Teo house is a hybrid of traditional Malay wooden architecture at the back with a southern Chinese shophouse frontage. Part of the structure has been turned into a small restaurant offering local Peranakan food - Madam Bee's Kitchen - run by Mr Teo's wife, Tan Choo Bee.

She said their cuisine, while similar to the Malaccan or Penang Peranakan cooking - which fuses the Chinese and Malay food cultures - has a more distinct East Coast flavour. Terengganu Peranakan cooking makes liberal use of the local pungent fish sauce called budu, Malay spices as well as a lot of local seafood.

Popular dishes are the local version of crab cake, ayam pachok which resembles satay with a stronger flavour, fish in spicy tamarind sauce and slow-cooked chicken with palm sugar. Their desserts bear close resemblance to Malay kuih including sekaya pulut (glutinous rice with coconut-egg jam), akor (egg and coconut pancake) and jackfruit tarts.

Mr Alex Lee, an energetic tour operator, agrees that the East Coast Chinese are better integrated. An enthusiastic collector of old Malay houses, he has come to appreciate Malay culture and philosophy, and is prone to reciting Malay poetry to illustrate these ideas.

Mr Lee, 46, grew up in the small Malay town of Marang, about 20km from the state capital Kuala Terengganu.

"When you speak the language, you understand the culture better, and you know better how to live together," he said. "The East Coast Chinese understand the Malay culture better."

For him, it began with the floral carvings on his grandfather's shophouses where he had run a backpackers' guesthouse in the 1990s. They were the first things he salvaged when the century-old shophouses were demolished.

From there, he began to collect wood carvings and later, entire houses of Terengganu Malay origin. Eventually, he ended up with 29 whole houses, and over 100 partial houses which provide spare parts for restoration work.

In 2005, he began reassembling them on a piece of seafront land in Setiu, an hour's drive from Kuala Terengganu. These houses fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, and no nails are used. They also do not rot as the hard wood resists moisture and termites.

With 17 houses now reincarnated in a landscaped garden resembling a palace of old, Mr Lee opened it as the Terrapuri Resort. Each house is now a guest room.

For him, Terrapuri is a repository of the Malay stories, history, philosophy and heritage of his homeland. As the largest such project in Malaysia, it had cost about RM10 million (S$3.7 million) but he has refused lucrative offers for the houses.

He said the more he learnt about Malay houses, the more he saw them as a reflection of the Malay philosophy on life.

"Community values are very important in understanding the architecture and stories," said Mr Lee, whose family has been in Terengganu for five generations.

For instance, he said, floral carvings follow a Malay verse which describes how vines are to be carved - never strangling or pushing the other out of the way. It is a reflection of the Malay philosophy of sharing.

His obvious love for Malay culture is often what persuades house owners to sell to him; in one case, it took 15 years to clinch the sale. One house had belonged to an influential Islamic teacher, and carvings in Jawi writing depicting an old fable found in the Quran were found on its outer wall. "There are just so many exciting stories to tell," he said.

Having seen how his appreciation for the Malay culture has brought him closer to the community, Mr Lee has now turned his energies to bringing the two communities closer.

He hopes to do this through the Peranakan Terengganu festival held in September. Organised by the Terengganu Chinese Chamber of Commerce, it was not just to showcase the Chinese Peranakan culture, but also to get people of all races to mingle.

Mr Lee, though, sees a growing gap among the races as the younger generation increasingly finds they have less in common with each other. "The Malays need to understand the Chinese culture, and the Chinese need to understand the Malay culture," he said. "Here, for generations, it was not just tolerance that we had for each other, but a real blend of cultures."

The Peranakans had played a very important role in nurturing this relationship, he said.
carolyn.sy@gmail.com NEXT WEEK: TREK TO THE JUNGLE SCHOOL

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
KUALA TERENGGANU (Terengganu) - If Penang and Malacca are famed for their Baba and Nonya, Terengganu can lay claim to its own Mek and Awang. Not many people know that this East Coast state also has a substantial Peranakan Chinese community whose women are called Mek and men Awang.

# data[].attributes.body
Total population:
- 37,000
Regions:
- Malaysia (Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, Penang)
- Singapore
Languages:
- Papia Kristang
- English
- Malay
Religion:
- Christianity (Roman Catholic)
- Judaism and Secular

Who are they?:
They are the ethnic group of people of mixed Portuguese and Malaccan descent based in Malaysia and they are called as Kristang.  (Louie, 2017).

Location:
The Portuguese Settlement also known as Mini Lisbon is a Kristang community in Ujong Pasir, five kilometers from the city of Melaka, Malaysia.

# data[].attributes.body
Total population:
- 1,001,255
Regions:
- Malaysia
(Sabah, Labuan)
Languages:
- Dusun,
- Kadazan,
- English
- Malay
Religion:
- Christianity (74.8%)
- Sunni Islam (22.6%)
- Animism

Who are they?:
They are called Kadazan Dusun which signifies the number of people that lives together as the largest indigenous ethnic group in the state of Sabah, Malaysia. (Britannica, 2008).
Location:
The Kadazan are grouped along the coastal plain from Kudat to Beaufort and in the hills around Tambunan.

# data[].attributes.body
Total population:
- 5000
Regions :
- Malaysia (Melaka)
- Singapore
Languages
- Chitty Malay
- Malay
- English
- Tamil
Religion
- Hinduism

Who are they?:
They are the South Indian merchants arriving from the Coromandel Coast intermarried with local Malay and Chinese women which established a Chetti Melaka community in Melaka. (Roots, 2021)

Location:
The area in Gajah Berang in Melaka became a designated village for the Chetti Melaka.

For more information about Chetti, watch the video below to enhance your understanding about the community.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video about this ethnic for better understanding. Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kepelbagaian Etnik: Menyelusuri Keunikan Etnik Kadazandusun, di Sabah, Malaysia.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video of how Peranakan Chinese of Terengganu lives. Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Uncover The Peranakan Chinese of Terengganu

# data[].attributes.body
Harvest Festival, or commonly known as Tadau Kaamatan, is a sacred tradition to honor the bond between the Creator and Creation (Estelle, 2017). Its purpose is to present their gratitude to their god, Kinoingan, for sacrificing his daughter, Huminodun. The word ‘Kaamatan’ means “harvest” in Kadazandusun.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video to learn more about the festival. Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
The annual fiesta, from June 24 to 29 observes the feast of St. Peter the patron saint of fishermen. It is special to the community as a remembrance of their days when fishing was their main livelihood for those living at Praya Lane and Kampong Bandar Hilir.

For better understanding about the festival, a research from a student of UNIMAS has been prepared for you below:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE PORTUGUESE’S YOUTH

# data[].attributes.body
Cultural performances showcase the community’s blended European and Asian heritage, with dances that are a fusion of European costumes, instruments and Asian costumes such as the branyo dance.

# data[].attributes.body
The decorated boats are one of the main highlight of the festival. They were adorned with sketches and paintings of the New Testament scenes, Biblical figurines, nets full of catch from the sea and even little girls dressed in white resembling the angels. They insinuates the fisherman’s hope for a bountiful catch for the year ahead.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video on how the Kristang celebrate San Pedro Fiesta. Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A centuries-old Portuguese community in Southeast Asia | "DAN LAIN-LAIN"

# data[].attributes.body
What a fun performance! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Joy Of San Pedro at Portuguese Settlement Friday 28 June 2019

# data[].attributes.body
Intrudu is a significant event among the Portuguese community to prepare for Lent. It is an occasion where friendship are renewed and quarrel are soothed. The festival also signified as the preparation for their grand feast of Easter Sunday and to mark the seven-week preparation to Easter after Christmas Day.

A better read up has been prepared for you below to indulge yourself in learning more about this festival:

# data[].attributes.body
One celebration that is unique to the Chetti community is the Parchu festival. It is celebrated twice a year with Parchu Ponggal (Bhogi) observed the day before Ponggal in January. The other important festival for the Chetti community is the Sembahyang Dato' Chachar festival.

# data[].attributes.body
According to Basil (2020), Parchu Bhogi takes place on the eve of Pongal, during which a feast is prepared for the ancestors.
Parchu Bhogi or Parchu Nasi Lemak is also known as the Harvest Festival, it is celebrated as a thanksgiving for the benefits of a good harvest, the Chetti in Malacca celebrates Parchu Bhogi for four consecutive days. They will pray for their souls, commemorating a late ancestor or family member.

# data[].attributes.body
Splish-splash! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video and learn on how the Chettis celebrate their Parchu Bhogi!

# data[].attributes.body
The most important annual festival, Sembahyang Dato Chachar or Megammay Thiruvizha, is dedicated to the goddess Mariamman. During the festival, thousands of devotees attend the festivities held at the Muthu Mariamman Temple in Gajah Berang.

# data[].attributes.body
Read more about Sembahyang Dato' Chachar Festival in the excerpt below:

Excerpt from Timothy P. Daniels's book, Building cultural nationalism in Malaysia: Identity, Representation and Citizenship, page 128.

# data[].attributes.body
What a splendid take on the festival! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Every year, the peranakans community of Kampung Cina celebrate their heritage in festival Peranakan which has been rebranded as Festival Mek and Awang Terengganu where there are cultural shows, photo exhibition, street art exhibition and food demos, and night markets. The Meks (women) and Awang (men) will proudly adorn their sarong kebayas, a dress which have cultural influences of the Malays.

Read more about the festival in the article below:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu's Chinese Peranakan Association put their heritage on display with cultural performances and a variety of cuisines at a mega festival.

Sixty-two of the association's members were joined by 88 guests of Peranakan descent from Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia at the 34th Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Kampung Cina, recently.

Association secretary Yap Chuan Bin said its members showcased traditional food and beverages, their unique lifestyle, songs and music at the event that drew 5,000 people from all over the country.

"This is the association's first official participation in a national-level event since being formed a year ago.

"Apart from taking part in the various events organised at the festival, we also took our guests to historial sites like Admiral Cheng Ho's shrine in Sungai Nerus and to the peranakan settlement in Tirok," said Yap.

The festival is an annual event organised in rotation by states since 1984. It is one of the main programmes under the auspices of the Federation of Chinese Associations Malaysia (Hua Zong), an organisation that represents all 13 Chinese Assembly Halls in Malaysia.

Terengganu Chinese Assembly Hall president Tan Beng San said 60 men and women had kicked started the commencement for the festival by running a torch relay spanning over 2,000km from Bukit Cina, Malacca last May 21.

Tan said the torch passed through Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Pahang before finally arriving in Terengganu earlier this month.

"The torch has travelled all over Terengganu to promote the festival and to spread the spirit among the community, and usher in the annual celebration," said Tan.

He added that funds raised from the festival will be channelled towards ten primary and one secondary Chinese school here.

Among the festival's attractions were cultural shows, 14 booths showcasing the different Chinese clans, Chinese calligraphy demonstrations, acupuncture treatment, a street procession of 20 groups displaying Chingay from Penang, long-stalk walkers from Batu Pahat in Johor, a 200ft dragon dance from Penang, colourful floats and brass bands.

Also held were an exhibition and photography competition for the public.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak approved an allocation of RM300,000 for the festival that was officiated by MCA president and Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai and Terengganu Trade and Industry committee chairman Datuk Tengku Putera Tengku Awang.

Liow, who read out Najib's speech, said that the Chinese civilisation had been preserved until today due to the attitude of the people who gave high respect to the elderly.

"The good ethics has become part of Malaysia's culture which is not limited to the Chinese, but also other races in Malaysia.

"This will help develop the country and reduce conflicts and differences as well as emphasise on similarities between us," he said.

Najib expressed his gratitude to all the races for the political stability the country had achieved via various people-friendly programmes.

He said that as a responsible government, the leaders would try to ensure that no one was left behind in the development process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
'34th malaysian chinese cultural festival'

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Celebrating Chinese cultural heritage in Terengganu

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
KUALA TERENGGANU: Terengganu's Chinese Peranakan Association put their heritage on display with cultural performances and a variety of cuisines at a mega festival. Sixty-two of the association's members were joined by 88 guests of Peranakan descent from Penang, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Malacca, Singapore and Indonesia at the 34th Malaysian Chinese Cultural Festival at Kampung Cina, recently.

# data[].attributes.body
Meks gorgeously adorning their traditional kebaya sarong during the Mek and Awang festival.

# data[].attributes.body
Oh, to partake myself in this festival! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Total population:
- 436, 672
Languages:
- Sinama
- Bajau
- Tausug
- Tagalog
- Malay/Indonesian
Religion:
- Sunni Islam (99.26%)
- Minority: Folk Islam, Christianity, and others (0.74%)

Who are they?:
The Sama people groups are generally referred to in Sabah as the East Coast Bajau. While outsiders call them Bajau, they most commonly refer to themselves as Sama. (Joshua Project, n.d.)

Location:
Their settlements are found mainly along Sabah's eastern coastal area and particularly in Tawau, Semporna, Lahad Datu, and Sandakan districts.

For  further explanation of the Sama-Bajau community, do click the pdf below:

# data[].attributes.body
The Regatta Lepa water festival is one of the longest-running and most unique celebrations of its kind in Malaysia and Borneo. The Regatta Lepa is an annual gathering of ‘Sea Gypsies’ from different villages around Semporna in Sabah.

Click the research paper below for better understanding on the  festival of the Sama-Bajau community:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A TALE OF TWO FESTIVALS EXAMINING SAMABAJAU CULTURE IN THE KAMAHARDIKAAN FESTIVAL OF BONGAO, TAWI-TAWI PROVINCE PHILIPPINES AND THE REGATTA LEPA FESTIVAL OF SEMPORNA SABAH MALAYSIA.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video to learn more about the festival. Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
The highlight of the festival is the lepa-decorating (boat-decorating) contest held between Bajau families. Their already rainbow-colored boats are further decked out in streamers, flags (known as tapi), bunting, ceremonial umbrellas which symbolize protection from the omnipresent sun and rain that beats down on the ocean and sambulayang, gorgeously decorated sails passed down within Bajau clans.

# data[].attributes.body
What an eye-catching scenery! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video and enjoy the colorful ambiance of the festival! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Terengganu Peranakan Festival 2017  Kuala Terengganu

# data[].attributes.body
The festival are loaded with cultural events where men and women of all ages engaged in, for example:

i.  Sumazau dance
ii. Mipulos (knuckle wrestling)
iii. Sugandoi
iv. Unduk Ngadau Beauty Pageant

# data[].attributes.body
The unique dance with the accompaniment of the gongs is played with both hands raised resembling the fluttering of a bird's wings, according to the rhythm they play.

# data[].attributes.body
The significance of this game is to interact with society in order to make new friends and strengthen the bonds between the community.

# data[].attributes.body
According to Kadazandusun Cultural Association (KDCA) 2021, Sugandoi is observed as a recital and a thanksgiving event befitting for all creations to express their gratitude  for the gifts of life that their Creator lovingly and generously gave them.

# data[].attributes.body
The most anticipated event for this festival is the Unduk Ngadau beauty pageant as this beauty pageant is a tribute to Huminodun. It is to represent Huminodun and the sacrifices she has given for the Kadazan-Dusun community.

# data[].attributes.body
What a mesmerizing sight to see! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch this video to experience the joy of the festival! Might as well admire the beautiful Terengganu dialect used in this video. Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.body
Get #Cultured!

# data[].attributes.body
Watch the video! Get #Cultured.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Intrudu Festival/Intrudu Water Festival Portuguese Settlement, Melaka