We had a guided tour, which I highly recommend. Our guide, a volunteer, was very knowledgeable and pleasant, sharing many stories that made the exhibits even more interesting.
I am also very impressed by all the children activities that are to be found in all the museums I visited sofar. This sculpture outside the museum, shows how the older generation (ideally) holds the hand of the younger, as they explore the world without losing contact with their roots.
This is especially important here, as, according to our guide, Peranakan communities are starting to disappear.
Before coming to the museum, it was pretty clear to me that Peranakans are descendants of Chinese merchants that were married to local women. However, these are the Chinese Peranakans. Peranakan actually means "child of", so there are many different groups of Peranakans, depending on the cultures that have been melted together. Another example are Indian Peranakans (which are, again grouped, according to their religion). The exhibits at the museum focus on Chinese Peranakans.
A large section of the museum is dedicated to the wedding ceremony, and the textile arts that all Peranakan girls were trained for at an early age. Before the wedding, they had to prove their abilities by sending back the materials the groom family had handed to them, made up into beautiful artifacts. [REF to our guide] getting married was very important : it was the ritual that turned you into an adult.
The importance Chinese Peranakans placed on their attire is also demonstrated by the relevant exhibits. The women had a special closet to keep their handkerchiefs (their obsession with them seems to be similar with the shoe collections observed nowadays).
A large section is dedicated on religion; Peranakans seem to have been very open minded, combining a mixture of different customs and religious influences.
Oh, and the "Food and Feasting" section... seems to have been quite tiring for the women! Note to self : go to a Peranakan restaurant soon!
There is also a temporary exhibition on Ramayana, the Sanskrit myth. Many shadow-puppets are on display! If you do your homework (find out the basics of the story) before you go there, you will find it even more interesting.
Finally, since I do not intend to spoil your visit to the museum by showing you pictures, here is another sculpture found outside: seems it is the memorial of a cat that used to hang out around the museum.
Before coming to the museum, it was pretty clear to me that Peranakans are descendants of Chinese merchants that were married to local women. However, these are the Chinese Peranakans. Peranakan actually means "child of", so there are many different groups of Peranakans, depending on the cultures that have been melted together. Another example are Indian Peranakans (which are, again grouped, according to their religion). The exhibits at the museum focus on Chinese Peranakans.
A large section of the museum is dedicated to the wedding ceremony, and the textile arts that all Peranakan girls were trained for at an early age. Before the wedding, they had to prove their abilities by sending back the materials the groom family had handed to them, made up into beautiful artifacts. [REF to our guide] getting married was very important : it was the ritual that turned you into an adult.
The importance Chinese Peranakans placed on their attire is also demonstrated by the relevant exhibits. The women had a special closet to keep their handkerchiefs (their obsession with them seems to be similar with the shoe collections observed nowadays).
A large section is dedicated on religion; Peranakans seem to have been very open minded, combining a mixture of different customs and religious influences.
Oh, and the "Food and Feasting" section... seems to have been quite tiring for the women! Note to self : go to a Peranakan restaurant soon!
There is also a temporary exhibition on Ramayana, the Sanskrit myth. Many shadow-puppets are on display! If you do your homework (find out the basics of the story) before you go there, you will find it even more interesting.
Finally, since I do not intend to spoil your visit to the museum by showing you pictures, here is another sculpture found outside: seems it is the memorial of a cat that used to hang out around the museum.
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