21 Aug 2025
   
  • Home
  • ARTICLES
  • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
  • Women
  • Children
  • Interviews
  • Event
  • Business
  • Arts
  • Culture
  • Others
    • Tamil
    • Jokes
    • Younger generation
    • Recipes
    • TIPS
  • ECONOMY
  • Dr Abdul Kalam Anniversary
Headline News
  • Mostbet Sharhi: Afzalliklari, Kamchiliklari va Tikish Imkoniyatlari August 21, 2025
  • Влияние коэффициентов на выигрыши при ставках на спорт 1xbet August 20, 2025
  • Топ 5 игр для ставок онлайн: выигрывай с удовольствием August 20, 2025
  • Исследуем Захватывающий Мир Казино Автоматов: Руководство для Начинающих August 19, 2025
  • Преимущества использования мобильного приложения Мостбет для ставок August 19, 2025
  • home
  • ARTICLES
The unique Peranakan Indian Community (Chetti Melaka) in Singapore

The unique Peranakan Indian Community (Chetti Melaka) in Singapore

September 24, 2018 onlinevoice 0 26945

Cover Photo:  Ms Merlin Pillay sharing some Chetti Melakan recipes with President Halimah Yacob and Mr Bay Yam Keng. Senior Parliamentary Secratary, Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth

 

 

Pon Kalastree

Mr David Bok, Mr Sanasee Philips Roy and Mr Ponno Kalastree, are some of the Chetti Melakans, who contributed to the exhibition

The Chetti Melaka are a fascinating community, with an unique culture that epitomizes the spirit of multiculturalism through a rich blend of Indian, Malay and Chinese influences. Also known as Peranakan Indians, they speak a language, Chetti Creole, which combines Tamil, Malay, and Chinese dialects; wear traditional outfits that reflect Javanese, Bugis, Acehnese, Batak and Tamil fashions; and have a cuisine that marries Indian, Malay, and Peranakan Chinese culinary styles. Their unique heritage is on display at the Indian Heritage Centre’s (IHC) first community co-created exhibition, Chetti Melaka of the Straits: Rediscovering Peranakan Indian Communities.

The Chetti Melaka form a small but significant community of early migrants who have made Singapore their home. They are descendants of Tamil traders who first settled in Melaka,
a Heritage Institution of during the reign of the Melaka Sultanate in the 15th to 16th centuries, and married local women of Malay and Chinese descent.

Today, it is estimated that there are about 5,000 Chetti Melaka living in Singapore. While they largely retain their Tamil Hindu traditions, the Chetti Melaka have also embraced practices from the Chinese and Malay communities, resulting in a unique fusion of cultures.

The Indian Heritage Centre launched its first community co-created exhibition and annual CultureFest on the 6th September.  Chetti Melaka of the Straits: Rediscovering Peranakan Indian Communities and the annual Indian CultureFest 2018 were launched by guest-of-honour Madam Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore.

The exhibition celebrates the culture and legacy of the Chetti Melaka, offering visitors a rare look into this lesser-known community and their way of life.

Mr Ponno Kalastree, President of the Peranakan Indian (Chitty Melaka) Association Singapore said, “We are happy to work with the Indian Heritage Centre to co-create this exhibition and to share our stories and heritage with everyone. As the only community that combines the Indian, Chinese and Malay cultures into something ‘uniquely Chetti’, it is important to us that this legacy is safeguarded and passed on to future generations. We hope that through this exhibition, we can help generations of Chetti Melaka to re-connect with their roots, and also share our very special heritage with others.”

Photos and Article Courtesy:  Indian Heritage Centre

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Tweet

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  • ABOUT ME
  • OTHER ARTICLES

Ücretsiz Online Casinon » Şimdi Oyna

November 3, 2024 onlinevoice 0

Japan education programme guidance

September 8, 2018 onlinevoice 0

Zee Tamil -an overview

January 2, 2019 onlinevoice 0

Casino Utan Svensk Licens & Utländska Casino Lista För 2025

February 4, 2025 onlinevoice 0
PREVIOUS

An Overview of Tamil Music

NEXT

Excellence Awards

RELATED POST

TERM LIFE INSURANCE

September 6, 2017 onlinevoice 0

A meaningful mission

August 2, 2018 onlinevoice 0

South Asian Diaspora Convention (SADC 2016)

July 29, 2016 onlinevoice 0

SINDA’s Project Give

November 1, 2018 onlinevoice 0

No Comment

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Profile

Mrs. Soundaranayaki Vairavan


She has a Bachelors in Arts Degree in History with Ethiraj College, Madras University,Diploma in Freelance Journalism with International Correspondence School and Masters in Communication Management with University of South Australia. Read More

Editors desk



Online Voice is a 17 years old now! Special Thanks to all the readers who have made it possible. Now I reckon how a magazine can make your life full of chance encounters! Over these seventeen years, my experience has grown manifold.Read More

Contact



Email: vairavan@singnet.com.sg
Copyright 2015 | Online Voice | All Rights Reserved | Powered by Raga Designers