Captivating Moments: 34th Baba Nyonya International Convention and SCPA's 103rd Anniversary Celebration
Alongside 29 members of the State Chinese (Penang) Association (SCPA), we journeyed to Malacca for the 34th Baba Nyonya International Convention held on 24-26 November 2023, hosted by Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Malaysia. President Dato' Ronald Gan and his organising team, led by Lee Yuen Thien, dedicated themselves to orchestrating a series of captivating events centred around the theme "Between Man and the Ocean", featuring the "chi-wen" (fish-like dragon), believed to be one of the nine sons of the dragon, providing protection from harm and misfortune for all.
With the creative Jojo Gouw and his fabulous kebaya creations.
At the gala dinner in Malacca, in addition to the award-winning designs by Kenny, Jojo Gouw from Indonesia showcased his wearable objet d'art masterpieces on the catwalk. Jojo, soft-spoken, charming and remarkably humble, easily captured my admiration.
A highlight of the convention was the Wangkang ceremony, rooted in folk customs, honouring Ong Yah, a deity believed to protect the people and their land from disasters. This festival was first celebrated in Melaka in 1845. Those who perished at sea, regarded as 'good brothers', along with wandering souls, malevolent spirits and other negative entities, are welcomed onboard the majestic barge to embark on a journey to another dimension. Unlike other Chinese festivals, it is not celebrated annually but when calamity strikes. Ong Yah ordered similar processions in 1919, 1933, 2001 and 2012.The next festival will be held on 11 January 2024. Wangkang was inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2020. A visit to the Wangkang Museum was enlightening.
On the home front in Penang, SCPA commemorated its 103rd Anniversary on 29 November 2023, with a vibrant gala dinner featuring live entertainment, dance performances, an auction and captivating fashion shows. I was happy to set the theme for SCPA's anniversary and contributed towards the design of the logo, posters, tickets, banner and a portion of the 60-page souvenir magazine. The magazine explores the rich legacies of our beloved Babas and Nyonyas, with some sharing intriguing insights into their stories, lives, hardships and the joys that triumphed over adversity. These narratives are woven into the unique, interwoven threads of Penang’s multi-faceted tapestry. The evening's highlight was the fashion show by Cecelia Lim, a true matriarch of the needle, born to sew.
The following day, on the 30th morning, SCPA hosted a Peranakan procession featuring trishaws, the Dondang Sayang float and a dragon dance parading through the streets of George Town. This was followed by a Tok Panjang/Th’ng Tok Luncheon with live entertainment.
It was truly a joy to attend, celebrate and be part of the vibrant Baba Nyonya community.
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Written by Adrian Cheah. Photos by Adrian Cheah, Yeoh Peng Hong and organisers of the events
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5 December 2023