Singapore’s Paranakan Culture
Go make another cup of coffee and learn some more about Singapore. As you’ve already deduced, I found it a fascinating place...
On our second day, I took the excursion called ‘Peranakan Culture: Discover the Chinese-Malay Baba Nyonya Culture in Joo Chiat and Katong.’ Baba means males, Nyonya means females.
More of the exquisite ‘shop houses,’ though this first batch have been turned into residences, with no shops downstairs. They were especially lovely in the early morning light...
On to (yet another) temple. This one, however, was Taoist, though they still have a Buddha — this one is a Laughing Buddha. With their stacks of chairs, they are prepared for large crowds.
Next stop, a visit to a Peranakan shop house, with a shop below and living quarters above, though, in this case, the upstairs was a sort of gift shop and museum. The young man whose family owns it is a history student at the university, and he gave us much information on the history and politics of Singapore. Also about local foods, which we sampled later. One feature of the shop houses is the ‘five-step way’: The lower floor is shaded by an arcade, and the arcade is exactly five steps wide. I verified it with my Size 9’s. The street entrance to the shop house’s upstairs...
The shop sells food, snacks and drinks on one side and gifts on the other. We sampled local snacks in the back room.
Inside the shop...
Malaysia experienced great growth over the past century+ due to its natural resources. Thanks to Henry Ford, the Malaysian economy burgeoned in the early 1900s because Model A’s and T’s needed rubber tires, and Malaysia had rubber plantations. Its other major natural resource was tin and the need for containers for soldiers’ rations in WW I created tremendous demand for it. We were reminded by every guide that Japan occupied Malaysia and Singapore during WW II. Britain anticipated attack and defended Singapore by pointing its cannons south, out to sea. Except, Japanese soldiers invaded from the rear, from the north — on bicycles. They took Singpore and captured some 50,000 British POWs.
A few closing shots... I have no idea what this first one is, except it’s ‘interesting.’ The second one is the Marina Bay Sands Hotel again on the very left with, at the right, the ArtScience Museum — which is shaped like an open lotus flower! #
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