Re: Hakka Nyonya

["Dixie" <Dixie@singnet.com.sg>]

I have come across Hakka Babas or Nyonyas in Singapore. However, the
Peranakan culture is disappearing as most Babas/Nyonyas just proclaimed
themselves as Chinese.

In a book about Singapore and Malaysia Peranakans (can't remember the
title), it says something like:
"Most people thought that there are 3 groups of Peranakans: Penang, Malacca
and Singapore. But you can also classify them into 2 groups ie. Penang and
Malacca, as the Peranakans in Singapore come from  Penang and Malacca."
The book also mention that a person is Baba/Nyonya when the paternal side
is Baba/Nyonya, not when the maternal side is Baba/Nyonya.
Eg. Lee Kuan Yew always proclaim himself as Hakka but never a Baba. 

> I came across your mail to Dixie on the subject matter which has been a
> puzzle to me for some time. You see my maternal Granny was a Hakka and
> she was a Nyonya from Melaka likewise her sis-in-law or rather my
> mother's uncle's wife was also a Hakka but was a Nyonya too and was a
> Sin Keh MM ( one who organises chinese weddings). My maternal Granpa was
> a Hakka and the whole clan speak Hakka but also intermix with Penang
> Hokkien all the women in my Mum's family wear sarongs inluding my Mum,
> too bad it stops at our generation.
> So we have Hakka Nyonya in Penang but not sure about Spore tho'.

> Regards,
> Su