What is Peranakan Identity in Jonker Street Nowadays? (Food & Culture)

WHAT IS THE PERANAKAN IDENTITY IN JONKER STREET NOWADAYS? C HAN G H U E Y Y I . 0 3 228 9 8

The Jonker Street situated in Malacca has deep rooted historical significance of Peranakans.

The story of Jonker Walk goes back to the the Dutch Period of Melaka. After Dutch colonial rule, the rich Peranakans started to live and trade here giving the street a deep-rooted ethnic and cultural flavour.

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introduction

However, Jonker street has slowly developed into a popular tourist attraction based on its well-known heritage and culture.

Resulting quite a high number of peranakan houses have been turned into museums, galleries, restaurants and cafes to attracts large amount of tourist coming into Jonker street.

Therefore...

“What Is The Peranakan Identity In Jonker Street Nowadays? �

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FOOD PREPARATION METHODS : PAST VS PRESENT

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sambal chilli : rempah

f o o d p r e p a r at i o n m e t h o d

past

present

m o r ta r & pestle

blender

Rempah is the most basic ingredient in Peranakan cuisine, it can be use to cook in a lot of dishes. Peranakans believe that watery rempah will ruin the texture of the dish also the taste as the taste of the watery rempah is not that strong compared to the pastey rempah.

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Mrs. Chan : “Shortcuts like using blenders are strictly forbidden.”

Me : “Why?” Mrs. Chan : “When you tumbuk (pound), it’s all dry. But when you use the grinder, a lot of juice comes out. So watery how? You can’t make sambal chili, sambal chilli has to be dry!” to be continued....

(Mrs. June Chan, 87 Years Old, 2018)

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coconut milk

f o o d p r e p a r at i o n m e t h o d

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Mrs. Chan : “Even the coconut milk that we use is squeezed from the meat by hand.”

Me : “Wa, must be very tiring. Got different with the canned one meh?”

Mrs. Chan : “Eh, of course. Can really tell the difference you know? Don’t believe you try a curry that is made with fresh coconut milk, different one and 100% better!” to be continued...

(Mrs. June Chan, 87 Years Old, 2018)

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past

present

handsqueezed

canned coconut milk

Peranakans believe that fresh coconut milk making the food more fragrant compared the the process canned coconut milk, which also have lesser properties, flavour and fragrant.

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Ms. Lee : “Back in th days, when Joo Suan (Owner of the musuem in 1821) wants to make Putu Mayam, they need to do alot of squating in order to press the ingredients.”

Me : “Oh, then they modified into a bench, so they can sambil rest sambil work lah?”

Mrs. Chan : “Seng Kee modified it for his wife, so it would be easier for her to make the putu mayam at arm level. ”

(Ms. Kimberly Lee, 31 Years Old, 2018)

putu mayam

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PAST

PRESENT

f o o d p r e p a r at i o n m e t h o d

Eventhough Putu Mayam isn’t a popular food nowadays, but the peranakans created the tool that are much more smaller and convenient to replace the large bench-tool, at the same time remain the same texture and fineness of the Putu Mayam.

past : large

present : small & convenient 02

peranakans kueh muih

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Mrs. Chan : “Rice flour and tapioca flour is the most important ingredient when making Nyonya Kueh.”

Me : “Peranakans made the flour as well?”

Mrs. Chan : “Yes, last time it’s very hard for us, cause we need to use the Stone Flour Mill.

Now? Very senang already loh, can straightaway buy from the keday (kedai in Malay).”

(Mrs. June Chan, 87 Years Old, 2018)

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rice flour & tapioca flour

f o o d p r e p a r at i o n m e t h o d

past

present

stone flour mill

buy from market

Peranakans usually spent a lot time and effort in preparing food ingredients in the past. But nowadays, it’s more advanced and convenient for them, so they can spend more time and patience on the food quality / presentation as all the Kueh need extra patience and time to make.

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GASTRONOMY : TRADITIONAL VS COMTEMPORARY

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Kitchen

Foyer

Toilet

Ancestor Room

Living Area

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One of the airwell, the kitchen

Dining airwell was where spices and Area

food were sunned or dried

gastronomy : airwell

tradition : b a b a & n y o n ya m u s e u m

Airwell is derived from the Hokkien term chim che (夊井).

Ventilation and light enters the house through 4 airwells.

Kitchen airwell is where the nyonyas prepared their food ingredients.

Rain falling into the airwell not only cools the house, but also brings ong (good luck) into the house, as it is believed that water signifies wealth.

Is the importance of airwell still remain in the shops inJonker Street nowadays and how the shops uses the airwell?

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jonker 88

b r e a k i n g ta b o o Jonker 88 innovated the airwell and turn it into a cramped space, a space which allows all kind of activities happening at the same time.

Furthermore, they believe wealth is achieve through hardwork, not rain. Hence, they cover the void with grey polycarbonate, resulting minimal lights penetrating into the spaces.

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Enclosed Airwell Cramp

Open Airwell Toilet

Kitchen

Dining

Dining

Five-Foot Walkway

However, Jonker 88 remain the originality of a tradition airwell by innovating the function but not forgetting the relationship between spaces, yet breaking the taboos by covering up the void.

Dining Food Preparation

Open Airwell

Toilet Open Airwell

Private Area

KEDAI aku & dia

Five-Foot Walkway

Empty shell

Restaurant Aku & Dia innovated the airwell and turn it into a green space. However, the airwell function as an aesthetically pleasing “view� but not a functional & interrelation space like what it suppose to be back in the days.

However, the airwells are still remain open as they believe rain brings wealth, sunshine brings luck.

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EXTENDING TRADITION

geographer cafe

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This modern cafe remain the originality of the airwell as an open airwell and enhance the aesthetic value by planting tall trees. The airwells are not interrupt by the trees and still allow it function as a interelation space with the bar.

Kitchen

5 Foot Walkway Dining Bar Bar

Kitchen

Bar

Dining

Toilet

Dining 5 Foot Walkway

PRESENT

It gives the user an opportunity to grab a drink from the bar then to the airwell chitchat with friends or family, creating a more unique experience compare to the dining area.

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Back in the days, when the bibiks started to live here in Jonker Street and they used five foot walkway as a place for them to conduct their businesses .

Furthermore, the people brought in the culture of “buy and go� as the peranakans disagree letting strangers enter their own shophouses.

The hustle and bustle of businesses used to overflowed onto the streets and giving the street a deep-rooted ethnic and cultural flavour.

gastronomy : five foot walkway

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PAST

PRESENT

t r a d i t i o n : b a b a & n y o n ya m u s e u m

By the mid-1970s, some of the five-foot-way trades had disappeared due to the cramped situations, hence moving their business into the shophouses.

Back in the days, people extend the communal meaning by creating the culture of where people can interact and socialise with each other easily.

Is the culture of Five-Foot-Walkway trade still remain in Jonker Street nowadays?

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JONKER 88

“inviting strangers”

Five-Foot Walkway

Food Dining Preparation

Toilet

Cramp

Open Airwell

Kitchen

Open Airwell

Dining

Dining

Dining

Dining

Kitchen

Cramp

2018 Dining

Food Preparation

2008

Toilet

Five-Foot Walkway

Back in the days, Jonker 88 set up their stalls at the five-foot-walkway and utilised it as food preparation area. The culture of “buy and go” or “stop and eat” is strongly shown as the stalls are located outside of the shophouse, the assumption of ‘no dining area’ is high.

However, the cramped conditions has overflowed onto the streets and forcing the owner of Jonker 88 moved their stalls into the shophouses and making the front part of the shophouse more public, which contradicting with the traditional businesses strategies.

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c o n s e r vat i v e t r a d e

The spaces inside Kedai Aku & Dia are semi-private and private. Strangers are not allow the enter into the shophouse, which strongly represent the culture of five-foot-walkway trade back in the days.

Private

Private

Private

Semi-Public

Public

The arch are covered to prevent competition of businesses between neighbors.

Semi-Public

KEDAI aku & dia

The strategic of peranakan conducted their business is still remain here in Kedai Aku & Dia, as they locate their stalls in such a way to achieve the culture of “buy and go�.

Five-Foot Walkway

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GEOGRAPHER CAFE

breaking continuity

Kitchen

5 Foot Walkway Dining Bar Bar

Kitchen

Toilet

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Bar

Dining

5 Foot Walkway

The five foot walkway here in Geographer Cafe is disconnect to reduce human flow and increase the functional space area to cater more customers to benefit their own business.

Kitchen

Jonker Street 5 Foot Walkway Bar Bar

Kitchen

Bar

Dining

5 Foot Walkway

embracing context

Dining

Toilet

At the same time, it also give the users an opportunity to observe and engage with the site as the distance between the street and user is short and visual connection is enhance.

Furthermore, the walkway is more ventilated and more light penetration, thus creating diverse experience between interior and walkway.

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The women of the household would sit here to prepare the food and add abit of spice to their cooking. This is also where their servants have their meals.

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gastronomy : kitchen

tradition : b a b a & n y o n ya m u s e u m

Kitchen (Dapoh), also known as the ‘stomach’ of a Peranakan home, the kitchen was where the Nyonyas spent most of their time preparing sumptuous meals for the family.

During celebrations and festivals, it would be the social centre of the house, where the womenfolk gathered.

Are the kitchen in restaurant nowdays as important as the kitchen back then?

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The ingredients are cook and prepared in the morning at the kitchen at the back then send it to the food preparation at the front.

Food Preparation Area

jonker 88

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Open Airwell Toilet

Kitchen

Dining

Dining

Five-Foot Walkway

Hence, the food are prepared in shorter time as the ingredients are all prepared in advance and broth are poured in once an order is made.

PRESENT

socialise centre The kitchen here in Jonker 88 is a place for the chef and workers to chit-chat with each other while preparing the food ingredient and broth as they believe kitchen is the socialise centre of the restaurant.

This is also the place where the chef and workers have their meal.

Airwell

Kitchen

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heightening of senses

kedai Aku & dia

The exposed food stalls that located outside of Kedai Aku & Dia make use of the smell of their food to attracts customers.

Furthermore, it allow customer to watch how their food is prepared.

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Dining + Airwell Food Preparation Area

Toilet Airwell

Private Area

Jonker Street

Stalls

This gives an opportunity to the customer to experience the entire process from scratch to mouth.

geographer cafe

pleasant dining

Kitchen Toilet

5 Foot Walkway Dining Bar Bar Bar

Dining

Dining 5 Foot Walkway

Kitchen

PRESENT

The kitchen here in Geographer cafe is enclosed, so it gives the user more pleasant dining experience. However, the absence of any view toward actual food causes doubt and uncertainties on choosing the right food as visual representations are very important when it comes to food nowadays.

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In Peranakan culture, Tok Panjang is when a long table is set up with a menu specially designed for family sharing.

During celebration or religious ceremony, the "tok panjang", could seat at least 16 people and it would be full of dishes painstakingly prepared for that special occasion.

Only family members dine on this table.

gastronomy : dining room

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PRESENT

t r a d i t i o n : b a b a & n y o n ya m u s e u m 2 large mirror are placed at each side of the dining room, and the masters of household will sit at the side of the tok panjang to have the entire view of the Tok Panjang.

Household

Mirror

Do the shops in Jonker Street nowadays adapt to the culture of Tok Panjang?

Why?

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jonker 88

disconnected

Although some of the peranakan restaurant still remain the culture of Tok Panjang, but Jonker 88 decided to break the tradition by replacing Tok Panjang with with smaller table in order to cater more customers.

As Jonker 88 is a museum concept restaurant, a lot of traditional items are randomly placed on the wall and in the cabinet and making the space more cramped and uncomfortable.

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engaging discomfort

However, the dining room in Kedai Aku & Dia do not much dining table and chairs as they invoke the culture of “buy and go”

Toilet Dining + Food Preparation Area

Airwell

Airwell

Private Area

Five-Foot Walkway

KEDAI aku & dia

Overall, the dining area here in Kedai Aku & Dia is very dark as very minimal light penetrating the space. Furthermore, they used the dining area as a food preparation area as well, where the Kueh, onde-onde are prepare making the space very unpleasant and dirty, which affect the customer’s dining experience, resulting very little customer dining in.

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geographer cafe

indirect connection

Layers of space is designed to achieved visual connections and increase porosity within interior, exterior and ground and upper floor to invoke curiosity.

Double Volume

Double Volume

BAR

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direct connection Water please.

Ok!

Hi, I’m from France.

Where are you from?

Bar

Tok Panjang (Peranakan style dining table) inspired table are arrange such a way to increase the percentage of chance contacts between customers and waiter.

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“I've been to other Peranakan homes and restaurants and I go ‘ugh this isn't what it's supposed to be’.” (Mrs. Gan, 87 years old, 2018)

Nyonya cuisine is slowly dying with each generation that refuses to take the time to learn it. Due to the temptation to use modern cooking appliances and the fact that younger generations may be unwilling to learn these old-school techniques.

I think it is unrealistic to expect that there can be no change in any culture.

The traditional way of using the space might be different with nowadays as the way we use the space now is more flexible, functional and open.

However, one thing I really hope that will be passed down and never be lost is Peranakan food, which the Peranakans are very proud of.

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conclusion : The Slow Death of Authentic Peranakan Food & Culture

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Bensman, J. (2016, November 04). Travel - The cuisine only http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20161024-the-cuisine-only-women-can-master Jonker Street in Malacca - Everything you need to know http://www.malacca.ws/jonker-street/Kampfner, J. (2013, March 11).

about

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women Jonker

can Street.

master. (n.d.).

Retrieved

from

Retrieved

from

Nonya kueh: Wolfing down Singapore's wobbliest cake. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21686262Teng, Y. Y. (2012, January 22).

Peranakan community keeps culture alive with old practices - Community | The Star Online. Retrieved from https://www.thestar.com.my/news/community/2012/01/23/peranakan-community-keeps-culture-alive-with-old-practices/ Food, eating behavior, and culture in Chinese society. (2015, November 24). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618115000657 Historical and contemporary perspectives of the Nyonya food culture in Malaysia. (2016, May 14). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618116300427 Historical and contemporary perspectives of the Nyonya food culture in Malaysia. (2016, May 14). Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618116300427 L. (2017, July 31). Preserving Cultural Identity through food : Florence Tan's Chicken Pongteh of Nyonya Cuisine. Retrieved from https://curiostraveller.com/2017/04/28/preserving-cultural-identity-through-food-florence-tans-chicken-pongte h-of-nyonya-cuisine/ Shushan, L. (2017, June 15). The slow death of Peranakan cuisine? Retrieved from https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/the-slow-death-of-peranakan-cuisine-7547486