In the past, it was common for the Peranakan parents to make arrangements for their children's marriages.
As for the wedding ceremony, it is mainly based on Chinese traditions and has been one of the most colourful and elaborate ceremonies in Malaysia and Singapore.
Photo credit: A baba wedding by Cheo Kim Ban
Pre-wedding traditions
There are many distinct Peranakan practices that have been passed down from one generation to the next generation.
Food forms quite an important part of bridal gift exhanges from the engagement day through to the marriage rituals. Apart from a roast piglet, wine and jewellery, a bowl of kueh ee (red and white glutinous rice balls in syrup) will be included in the multi-tier bambook or lacquered baskets. By giving kueh ee, you are also sending an invitation to the wedding as it signifies fortune, purity, sweetness and a rosy life for the bride and groom.
Photo credit: A baba wedding by Cheo Kim Ban
Berandam is another important ceremony and it involves the ritual combing of the Peranakan bride's hair by the sang kek um (also known as the hairdresser or mistress of wedding ceremonies). The latter will start by combing a fringe for the bride before trimming it neatly. She will then tie some hair at both ends of the fringe with a piece of white or red ribbon. The ribbon is taken off during that night but the fringe on the forehead remains throughout the entire wedding ceremony.
According to the Peranakan traditions, an experienced sang kek um is able to tell if a bride is a virgin or not by looking at the hairline along the bride's forehead. The Peranakans also believed that the white ribbons symbolise purity and the red ones signify the joyous occasion.
Photo credit: A baba wedding by Cheo Kim Ban
Wedding traditions
During the wedding ceremony, the food or dessets are contained in kam cheng (a type of Nyonyaware) that are of various colours and sizes.
Dondang Saya is performed and danced by the guests. It is a type of rhyming song in Malay sung. To begin with, someone would start a romantic theme that was carried on by others and they would dance and sing at the same time.
During the actual wedding day, nasi lemak is also served during the wedding feast to mark the important occasion of verifying the bride's virginity on the night of consummation. This food item is prepared by the groom's family and then presented to the bride's family only when all are in happy agreement.
Photo credit: A peranakan legacy by Peter Wee
Just in case you're wondering, a Peranakan wedding costumes are also very fashionable. A typical Nyonya bridal gown has an elaborate cape collar, with three to four overlapping layers of materials resting on the shoulders, complete with a pleated skirt. The bride will be wearing accessories like gold brooches, diamond earrings, bracelets and anklets and they make her look like a “phoenix”. As for the groom, he will be wearing a three-quarter length embroidered tunic over an ankle-length gown. It is also part of the Peranakan wedding custom to wear an ornate silver belt or gold buckle under his gown. Both the bride and groom will also wear a special undergarment under their heavy layered costumes for ventilation purposes.
Photo credit: A baba wedding by Cheo Kim Ban
References:
Cheo, K. B. (2009). A baba wedding. Singapore: Times Graphics.
Gwen, T. H. (1953). A nonya mosaic: My mother's childhood. Singapore: Times Books International.
Wee, P. (2009). A peranakan legacy. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish.
Wee, P. (2009). A peranakan legacy. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish.
