30 Oct 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
  • Desata tu Suerte Explora un Universo de Más de 11.000 Juegos y Bonos Exclusivos con la app 1xslots, October 30, 2025
  • Jackpot City Login NZ Your Guide to Accessing Top Online Casino October 29, 2025
  • Your Ultimate Guide to Arada Bet Exploring the World of Online Betting October 29, 2025
  • Is Forex Trading Profitable Unraveling the Myths and Realities October 29, 2025
  • estanozolol 10 mg donde comprar 18 October 28, 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 27084

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

Fontan Casino Oficjalna Strona 100 Zł Za Rejestrację

June 18, 2025 onlinevoice 0

Les casinos en ligne français les plus recommandés pour des gains élevés

July 17, 2025 onlinevoice 0

Pin-up Gambling Establishment Türkiye En İyi Canlı Casino Oyunları Ve Slot Makineleri

March 10, 2025 onlinevoice 0

Udenlandske Casinoer for Danske Spillere: Tendenser i Online Gambling

October 22, 2025 onlinevoice 0
PREVIOUS

An Overview of Tamil Music

NEXT

Excellence Awards

RELATED POST

Indian Prime Minister Shree Narendra Modi in Singapore

November 25, 2015 onlinevoice 0

PBD 2018 in Singapore

January 10, 2018 onlinevoice 0

Stocks / Legal system

October 10, 2015 onlinevoice 0

Bridging Generations with a Trishaw

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