La Vie en Mei Gui Café—Between Buckingham and Penang

Walking into La Vie en Mei Gui Café with my daughter for lunch brought back a rather unexpected memory. At the entrance, you are greeted by Prince William and Kate Middleton, while upstairs at the landing, Queen Elizabeth II stands in regal splendour. Chandeliers hang above, grand floral arrangements fill the rooms, and gilded details sit against lush crimson. British memorabilia completes the setting, with every corner arranged almost like a picture postcard. John H'ng has certainly embraced the theme wholeheartedly.

Penang's Cina Wayang (Chinese opera) – for gods and ghosts

Growing up in Ayer Itam in the 1970s was like being part of a celebration that never truly ended. The wet market was the heart of our lives, a place where food was abundant, varied and, to my young palate, simply sedaplicious. We carried our own tiffin carriers, sometimes even our own eggs, to hand over to the char koay kak lady or to Pak Dollah, the mee goreng man. They accepted them without fuss. That was how we Penangites are—prudent, practical and never wasteful.

Discover legendary handmade mooncakes by Chef Chong Kei

Celebrated by the Chinese on the 15th day of the eighth lunar moon (between September to October), the Mooncake Festival commemorates the overthrow of the Mongols, when the insurgent leaders, by way of smuggling secret messages in mooncakes, called the people to revolt.

“Jiwa Merdeka” – embracing freedom with a unified spirit

Malaysia's Independence Day, observed on the 31 August, is far more than a mere historical commemoration; it embodies the very soul of a nation. Known as Merdeka Day, this significant occasion marks not only the moment the country gained its freedom but also the genesis of a nation that, despite its rich diversity, strides forward as one unified people.

Understanding “Untuk Negeri Kita”: the making of Penang's state anthem

The score of "Untuk Negeri Kita" by Awaluddin Zainal Alam.

For more than half a century, the state anthem, "Untuk Negeri Kita" (“For Our State”), has been more than just a ceremonial tune. For me, it was the song that opened every school assembly at La Salle Primary School and later echoed through the colonial hallways of St. Xavier's Institution during my secondary years. We sang it with pride, unaware of the layered history behind its creation.

Stitching Through Hardship: A Nyonya's War-Time Chronicle

At the Church of the Assumption, nestled amidst the bustling streets of George Town, the hearts of Louis Michael Martin and Emily Elizabeth Surin became forever entwined. Their love story found its new beginning on 7 August 1926, when Rev. Fr. P. Lerond officiated their marriage. The church would have looked somewhat different then from the one we see today, as it underwent a major renovation in 1928, when two wings were added.

The Hungry Ghosts Roam The Streets Of George Town

Every year, as the seventh lunar month approaches, the streets of George Town take on an otherworldly character. For a time, the city seems to belong not only to the living, but also to the "hungry ghosts" said to descend from the underworld in search of food, offerings and perhaps a little earthly attention. Known locally as Phor Thor, the Hungry Ghost Festival is far more than a single day of ritual or remembrance. Its observances unfold throughout the seventh lunar month, weaving their way through the communities of Penang and across Malaysia, and into neighbouring Singapore and Phuket, where Chinese traditions have likewise taken root. It is a season when the veil between this world and the next seems, if only for a while, remarkably thin.

Of lanterns and mooncakes

"The Chinese people have never demanded a clear separation of the worlds of myth and reality – indeed, they are so closely bound up that it is hard to say where one begins and the other ends." – An Introduction to Oriental Mythology, Clio Whittaker et al

"The moon, along with fine wine and beautiful women, is a favourite topic for the Chinese poets." – Chinese proverb

Memories of Auntie Jo's delightful jelly mooncakes

The story of the mooncake stretches far back into the mists of antiquity. As early as the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC) and the Zhou Dynasty (1046–256 BC), their predecessor, the taishi cake, was already present. Over centuries, mooncakes evolved into a symbolic offering for the Mid-Autumn Festival, a tradition that continues to this very day. Though the classic baked mooncake has endured for thousands of years, the art of mooncake-making has never stood still. It has adapted, innovated and reimagined itself in step with the times.

Negaraku, a national anthem for the rakyat

Negaraku
Tanah tumpahnya darahku
Rakyat hidup, bersatu dan maju
Rahmat bahgia, Tuhan kurniakan
Raja kita selamat bertakhta
Rahmat bahgia, Tuhan kurniakan
Raja kita selamat bertakhta

Malaysians – unique and united

"The melting pot or mixing bowl images do not provide an adequate picture of Penang. The kaleidoscope, with its shifting patterns of colourful pieces, overlapping sometimes to make new shapes, some larger in one frame and smaller in others, offers a better metaphor for Penang's multi-ethnic population and its changes over time." – Sarnia Hayes Hoyt Old Penang 1991

Our bold and beautiful red Bunga Raya

Let us take a moment to reflect on the name of Malaysia’s national flower, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis. The word “hibiscus” has its roots in ancient Greece, derived from the Greek hibiskos. The name was recorded by the physician Pedanius Dioscorides (c. 40–90 AD) for a mallow plant now generally identified as marsh mallow, Althaea officinalis. Dioscorides described the plant in his celebrated "De Materia Medica", a five-volume work on medicinal plants and substances that became one of the most influential texts on herbal medicine in the ancient world.