The Discovery of me

I think I'm getting OLD-er.

Christmas, New Year and even Chinese New Year came and went just as quick as a snap of a finger, and I still don't feel a thing. As if it went right over my head. Maybe I'm feeling old too fast. It's sad how the little boy that's always meant to stay young at heart withers with age.

Anyways, I always learn new things each time I come home. This time round, I found out that I do have Malay blood in me....though diluted over the generations. All the while, I was naive to think that as a Baba, ( the girls, we call them Nyonya ) I was Chinese with Malay customs and traditions intertwined with the Chinese one. However, I did muster the courage to ask my grandaunt over the CNY dinner about my background.

Apparently, when Puteri Hang Li Por from China landed on Malaysian soil, ( it was called Tanah Melayu, then ) she brought with her a whole entourage consisting of maid-servants and soldiers and a few other not-so-important-in-my-story people. These soldiers took for themselves the local women ( who were the Malays ) as their wives. From this inter-marriage of the foreign Chinese and local Malays, we get the Straitsborn ( orang Peranakan ) tribe....if you can call it a tribe. This group of people flourished mainly in 3 states : Malacca, Penang and Singapore. Their customs were a rich mixture of Chinese and Malay influence. Till today, you can still see the 2 elements pervasive in their local tradition and practice. Back then, however, it wasn't necessary for the conversion of religion as well. So I have been spared of circumcision...which could have been a good thing for me:P

I also found out that my grand-uncle actually traced back his roots to the first generation of Mainland China Chinese who landed on Malaysian soil. He is the 7th generation. Therefore, with simple calculation, I am the 9th generation Chinese from Mainland China. That's a pretty long time.

All in all, I am a mix-ed kid. Not your typical Chin-dian or Chinese mix Orang Putih, but still mixed somehow.