Comparative of cultural material study between Baba Nyonya original descendants and Baba Nyonya new descendants in Malacca

Farhana Abd Kadir

Abstract

The richness of Baba Nyonya material including kebaya or Nyonya dress, ornaments, craft from porcelain and ceramic is important to educate our future generation of its precious material culture in Malaysia especially in Malacca where parts of the Baba Nyonya community reside. This change has not only happened in modern age, but since the World War II. Due to the decimation of their wealth, compounded with rapid modernization, much of the elaborate traditions and customs of Peranakan are disappearing. Modernity and the changes in lifestyle have almost killed the culture especially among the Baba Nyonya young descendants. This current study aimed to explore the cultural material of Baba Nyonya in Malacca, and compare between Baba Nyonya origins and the new descendant’s cultural material practices. A qualitative method is applied in data collection where an in-depth interviews were carried out. Findings showed that it is difficult to preserve the cultural materials among young descendants due to the change of lifestyle with advance technology and career development.

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