In my childhood days, I was exposed to the wonderful Dondang Sayang songs which will always remain evergreen. There is a large section of society, not only here in Malaysia but also abroad who appreciate the beautiful songs traditionally sung by the Babas and Nyonyas. Every time I hear these songs, they bring back a lot of nostaligic memories as they are songs which were loved by my parents. My occasional correspondent and contributor in Penang was lucky enough to attend a Baba Nyonya event of song and dance at the grand, magnificent and resplendent surroundings of Khoo Kongsi, surely Malaysia’s most famous Chinese clan association. The first and last time I visited the Khoo Kongsi was way back in 1989 and I was awestruck at the facade and interior. Later, I learnt that the building materials had been transported all the way from China. What finer venue to hold such a rare event that saw a gathering of Babas and Nyonyas dressed in their gorgeous costumes? I just wish I had been there too.
The Babas and Nyonyas came from near and far, some from even as far as Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Melbourne, Australia. It was a night of Peranakan splendour and not even a heavy evening downpour could dampen the spirits of the Peranakan and their guests.
The dress code was long sleeves batik for men and sarong kebaya for women. The setting was right in the historical heart of Georgetown, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The location was Khoo Kongsi, Cannon Street, Penang.
The event in question was the Dinner & Dance to celebrate the 24th Baba Nyonya Convention 2011 which was hosted by Penang from the 25th to the 27th of November, 2011. The event was organised by the Persatuan Peranakan Cina of Penang.
The idea of holding the dinner and dance at Khoo Kongsi instead of a local hotel was a smart one as the guests could walk around the vast courtyard of the Kongsi and its surrounding buildings and personally experience a rich slice of history.
The buildings and its surroundings offered one a glimpse into the past. In the splendour of the surrounding backdrop, the majestic and historical buildings of the Kongsi stood steadfast in the evening twilight.
My visits to Khoo Kongsi so far have always been during the day and one would not have access to the Kongsi at night unless for an event like this. The chairs and tables were carefully arranged under a giant canopy with several rows of three red lanterns hanging from the side posts, flanked by two smaller canopies. There were also several traditional Peranakan handicraft stalls set up by the side.
That evening, the sky looked dark and it was threatening to rain, and yes, it did rain heavily at one point during the evening. The food and beverage was catered from the Tanjung Bungah Beach Hotel and it even had a Peranakan theme to it.
Although the venue posed logistical difficulties as far as the food and catering was concerned and yes, there were minor glitches which occurred, for example, the electricity generator was not working in the initial part of in the evening, but like I mentioned earlier, not even a thing like that, could dampen the spirits of the Peranakan and their guests. Hand crafted fans were quickly distributed and this enabled the guests to cool down.
Throughout the night the guests were kept entertained with dances and performances by the various Peranakan Associations both here in Malaysia and abroad, and it was indeed a showcase of the performers’ Peranakan origins, heritage and culture.
Some of the performances were obviously well rehearsed and were much more polished than others. Nevertheless, it was clear that the Babas and the Nyonyas were firmly united in their heritage and culture, no matter where and in which part of the world they were living in. This was evident from their attire, especially the exquisitely crafted baju kebayas worn by the women.
The Babas and Nyonyas sang traditional songs and golden oldies from the past. Their guests obviously enjoyed it as they were happily clapping and singing along with the performers. Rasa Sayang, Geylang Sipaku Geylang, Bengawan Solo, Di Tanjung Katong, Chan Mali Chan, it was fascinating, as I have not heard some of these songs being sung since my school days and yet everyone there knew the words and was singing along merrily.
In the end, it was indeed a perfect setting for such a rich and splendid showcase of heritage and culture which only the Peranakan could pull off. The evening culminated with the cutting of the 91st Anniversary Cake by the VIP in attendance, Penang State Exco Member for Tourism, YB Danny Law Heng Kiang, and it was witnessed by the association’s committee members who joined him on the stage.
The Blue Flamingo
