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The Baba Nyonya community; also known as Cina Peranakan is one of the unique community found in Melaka. This community has existed before the 15th century due to intermarriages between the Chinese traders and local Malays. Their existence and social standing have greatly increased with the marriage of Sultan Mansur Syah with Princess Hang Li Poh from China
The Cina Peranakan mainly resides along Heeren Street (Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock) & Jonker Street in the heart of Melaka city. Their existence could be seen clearly based on their unique house architecture, attire (Kebaya Nyonya & Kasut manik-manik), cooking and language (Bahasa Peranakan).
As you have probably guessed, all the Baba Nyonya Wedding or marriages were arranged marriages. Normally, the elderly will seek the service of a match maker when they feel that their child has come of age to be married.
The match-maker can be a professional match maker (normally has a large network of friends) or he or she might be one of the close relative or friends. As a return for the successful match making service, the match maker will receive a red-packet (with money).
A group of elderly people (from the bridegroom family) will pay the short listed future-daughter-in law’s family a visit. This visit is known as “merisik“ , a custom that you could find both in Malay and Chinese community.
The “merisik“ group is normally headed by the match-maker and a few elderly relatives from the bridegroom (The bridegroom parents will not participate in this “merisik“ visit). The “merisik“ group will inform the girls’family of their intention and to seek approval.They will not talk formally (in normal daily conversations) but talk in a mixture of quatrain or pantun. (Malay influence).
Next is the Chim-pong or the coming-together-of-the-bride and bridegroom ritual. This is when the couple pays homage to heaven; earth and man before a special three-tiered alter called sam-kai. Elaborated preparations can be seen at the alter table. This ritual is very important as the marriage is dully solemnized during this stage.
The bridegroom will only get his first look at his wife when they meet in the bridal chamber.This is the time when the husband is allowed to lift the veil over his wife’s face (the veil needs to be lifted smoothly without dropping it on the floor).
