asianmusicproject
Collection of Information and Instructional Materials in Asian Music
The Republic of Singapore is an independent republic in Southeast Asia, comprised of one main island and about 50 small adjacent islands off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula.
"Peranakan", "Baba-Nyonya" and "Straits-born Chinese" (named after the Straits of Malacca/Straits Settlement under the British rule of Malaya) are terms used for the descendants of the early Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region who inter-married with local folks. This region includes the British Straits Settlements of Malacca, Penang and Singapore and the Dutch-controlled island of Java.
The birth of Malaysia's & Singapore's unique Peranakan or BabaNyonya heritage dates back to the early 15th century when Melaka was ruled by a Malay sultanate kingdom in which during that time, it was also a prosperous and strategic trading port for herbs and spices. As a trading port for the region, Melaka had enjoyed very strong relations with the kingdom of China.
The word "Peranakan" is also commonly used to describe Indonesian Chinese back in those days. In both Malaysia and Indonesia local languages, "Peranakan” means descendant. "Baba" refers to the male descendants and "Nyonya" the female. "Straits-born Chinese" simply means the descendants of Peranakan people who were originally born in Malacca and which also extended to Penang and Singapore, when these three places which are located along the shore lines of the Straits of Malacca were treatised as the British Straits Settlements.
The Peranakans were partially assimilated into the Malay culture, especially in food, dressing and language, while retaining some of the Chinese traditions and culture, like religion, name, folk medicine and festival celebrations they brought from China, thereby creating a new kind of mixed culture of their country of origin with local elements. Among those, like Peranakan cuisine which has developed with very strong influence of the spices of Malay cuisine and the famous Sarong Kebaya clothing for the ladies.
Singapore’s cultural life reflects its colonization by the British Empire and its diverse population. Being the melting pot of different cultures in Asia, folk music of this country reflects the culture and traditions of specific groups.
Through the years, the music industry in Singapore grew having Western-influenced performances by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as well as ethnic music performances mainly by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra. Other performing groups with Malay and Indian influence are still prevalent until today.
Characteristics
Singapore music with the Peranakan expressed their music through feelings and emotions where we find a peculiar combination of Chinese and Malay tunes.
When the members of the Peranakan of Singapore came into contact with the other groups, especially the English, certain traits of this culture too got imbibed into the Peranakan Musical scenario which gave it the present stance as we see it today.
Dondang Sayang
Dondang Sayang is a form of singing poems, an art accompanied by its own unique orchestra. Dondang Sayang, translated from Malay means "melody of love". Originating from the Malay community, it has been adopted by the Peranakans as an integral expression of their culture.
The performance of Dondang Sayang involves a group of singer of ideally 2 women and 3 to 4 men and an orchestra of between 6 to 10 persons. Various musical instruments are played with the biola or the "violin" playing the main key and percussion instruments usually 2 rebana, or "Malay drums" and gongs adding life. Guitars, an accordian, tambourines, a flute are also sometimes added to the orchestra.
Poetry
The four-line pantun or "poems" sung have a set literary structure. The first 2 lines, known as pembayang, serve as an initial rhyming agent, often with little relevance to the final 2 lines, the maksud or "meaning" which carries the main thrust of the poem. The pembayang usually describes an everyday event, object or person. The punch-line however describes deeper emotions from love to death, life's values and culture.
Joget
Joget sessions, which was actually dance sessions with very lively music from the accompaniment by string and percussion instruments
Theatre Plays
One more big favourite was staging of theatre plays using daily real life happenings as their scripts and employing only the Baba language. And for certain reasons, even the parts of the ladies were acted by the men dressed as Nyonyas, making it actually an all-male cast. Only in later years, were the real Nyonyas allowed to play their own parts. These plays used to play to packed houses and these sort of social activities were primarily instrumental in forging and keeping the Peranakan community together.
Forms, Techniques, Styles and others
