Baba Nyonya Language Baba Nyonya’s language is a creole dialect of MalayLanguage, where most of it contains word from Chinese Hokkien dialect. Baba isused to call male Peranakan and Nyonya is used to call female Peranakan. Bibikis the term used for an older female Peranakan.
Baba Nyonya is a endangering language. Baba Nyonya’s language had been replaced by English amongst the youngergeneration. The use of language between younger and older generations aredifference because younger generations are not taking their language seriousand they have lost most of their language. The example of some of the popular Baba Nyonyawords : WORD MEANING Apa khabair How are you? Apasair Why? Bibik Form of address for an elderly lady Bini Wife Gua I / Me Kuping Ear Loteng Upstairs Ulair Snake Pi Go Omor Age Lu You Lemo Lime Lawa Stylish / Good looking Mo Want Peranakanpronounce the words ending with “ a” with an “ ah” sound, but Malays pronounce itas “ er”. For example Malay words “ saya”, “ apa”, “ punya”, they pronounce it” sayer”, “ aper” and “ punyer”, whereas Baba pronounce it “ sayah”, “ apah”, and” punyah”. BabaNyonya usually can be found at Penang, Malacca and Singapore. At differenceplace, the language of Baba Nyonya used is also different. At Penang, BabaNyonya speaks more Hokkien Language which is influenced from the male language.
At Malacca, Baba Nyonya base on the Malay language which comes from the femaleside and at Singapore the language is based on the English language whichinfluenced by the western culture. Baba Malay are endangering because nowadaysthe younger generations are sent to English or Chinese school to learn anotherlanguage. RITUAL The birth celebration of Baba Nyonya. During the full lunar month muar-guay ceremony, which happens, thirty days after the birth of the child Nyonyas would hold a ceremony wherebynasi kunyit (steamed glutinous turmeric rice), chicken curry and red bean cakesin the shape of tortoises (ang-koo) together with either ang-t’oe or ang-ee andtwo red hard-boiled chicken eggs would be offered to the ancestors.
Themuar-guay ceremony also marks the end of the abstinence period for the baby’smother as was also practiced by the Malay women after giving birth. The death celebration of Baba Nyonya Priestess will be invited to help clean and dress the deceased withwhite pyjamas which he worn on his wedding eve before placing the body in thecoffin. The Peranakan believed that death is a continuation of living. Thus, goods such as money, televisions or motor cars, represented in paper crafts andmade in miniature, are burnt as offerings. The family of the deceased is tomourn for a total of one-and-a half years. They wear black for the next threemonths.
At death house, all mirrors and other reflecting surfaces were coveredor concealed while all household deities were covered with red paper. The celebration of Baba Nyonya Wedding Baba nyonya’s weddings are old combination of Chinese and Malayelements in the wedding ceremonies. The Malay influence was apparent in thelanguage used, the jewelry, the proceedings, the use of the mak andam and pakchindek, the use of the pak boyan in the wedding procession and other examples.
They begin with the presentation of the birth certificates “ Sang Jee” andpreparation of the bridal chamber “ Ann Ching”, on this day at the chosen time, bananas, yams and citronella plants are placed under the bridal bed by a youngboy “ Koh Yah” who is privileged to roll thrice on the bridal bed for the firsttime. On the eve of the Wedding besides mid-day luncheon or dinner beinggiven “ Chia Lang Khek” the gifts for the bride and groom – to – be areexchanged. The Cheo Thau ceremony is most important ceremonies and marks thefirst occasion when the bride and bridegroom have to wear their authenticwedding robes. The father then prays at the High Altar and offers wine to God, the Creator, by pouring wine four times on the floor.
Following this he offersa sip of wine from the same cup to his beloved daughther who is now a woman. The finale of the wedding ceremony would be the Twelfth Day ceremony, where themarriage would be conformed and approved by proof of the bride’s virginity.
