A Cosmopolitan City: Post D

 

A view of Georgetown from the top of Penang Hill 
Photo Credit: Sarah Watts

It was 11pm on a Saturday night when we finally arrived at our hostel on Love Lane in Georgetown Penang. We had hit the party street. There were drunken tourists but also a lot of drunken locals and to be honest, I didn’t feel overly safe. We snuck into the 7/11 on the corner for something to eat and bottle of water before hustling back to our room for a much needed sleep.

 

When we woke up late Sunday morning it was a completely different city. The streets were filled with locals and their trishaws, food carts and knick knack stalls. The sun was hot but the humidity was something I had never experienced. You could tell the locals by the way they handled heat.

 

It soon became obvious that we had arrived in the midst of Chinese New Year and the extent of the celebrations surprised me. It seemed as if the whole city had become immersed in the traditions and this was just the beginning of my realisation that Georgetown, Penang was the most harmonic, multicultural functioning city I had ever experienced.

 

The three main races of Georgetown are the Malays, Chinese and Indian but there is also a multitude of religions practised including; Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism. This combination of ethnic group resulted in the formation of the present day Penang Malays who developed their own socio-cultural practices, language and religion. It was because of this extensive mix of cultures that I found it so interesting that the celebration of the Chinese New Year was so prominent. What other religious or traditional festivities were practised and were they to the same extent as this one?

 

Walking through the streets alone these religions and cultures began to jump out at you, not just from the everyday happenings of the people but because of the amount of traditional temples and places of worship. Prayer and worshipping were (and remain) integral part of the lives of Penang’s original settlers, these places also developing into meeting points, uniting those who professed a similar faith.

 

During our 14 day stay in Georgetown is definitely became clear that certain areas of the city were occupied by certain cultures and lifestyle customs. This however, did not detract from the fact that the city remained to be peaceful and smooth functioning in terms of accepting and adopting one another’s cultures and customs.

 

References

 

Inc., G.T.W.H. 2014, George Town World Heritage Site, George Town World Heritage Incorporated, Accessed April 23, 2016, <http://www.gtwhi.com.my/index.php/introduction/george-town-world-heritage-site>.

 

Nasution, K.S. 2012, ‘George Town, Penang: Managing a Multicultural World Heritage Site’, Catching the Wind: Penang in Rising Asia, Accessed April 23, 2016, pp. 20-41.

 

‘Penang State Museum’ 2016, Personal Interaction, Georgetown Penang, Malaysia, Visited February 16, 2016.

Post D: traditional trades in Penang

Curious and excited are the two words to describe how I feel before the trip to Penang, Malaysia. I’m curious about what is the place like and how are we going to create a design when we are in a new environment. Excited about taking a flight by myself for the first time, and the challenge I will be facing. Penang is a beautiful place both the people and the view, and they have delicious cuisines from different culture. Penang has a multi-cultural diversity, such as Indian, Chinese, Malaysian and other nationality, they live in a very harmonious environment which everyone embrace and enjoys other culture (Chin yoon Khen 2014). Also what I Love about Penang is that they preserved the very traditional aspects in different culture, such as the Chinese New Year and Chinese valentine it is very different from what I have experienced in China. Penang it’s a small town but you can experience different culture atmosphere by just walk down one block.

During the process of our project we have encounter different trade in Penang, such as fabric shop, garbage collector and more. The trades from different culture bring their especially to Penang, such as weaving, silver making and incense making. The trades work in harmony with other trades, even they doing the same business they still have different techniques that they bring from their country (Chin yoon Khen 2014). What bring all these trade started on 1786 when George Town become the first British port town along the Straits of Malacca, which is founded by Francis Light in the name of the East India company. The first century after the founding people from the western country such as European trading settlers and British colonist (George Town Heritage Inc George Town World Heritage Site). Later the migrants from various parts of the India and China trading settlers come to George Town they all start to have a new life and make a living in George Town. You still can see different territory they have during the early days from different street names and the style of the architecture around Penang (THE LAZY AFTERNOON 2012).

Penang is an amazing place, it has a multi-cultural diversity, that you can feel different culture in one place, and they have done a perfect job to preserve the very tradition culture in Penang. There is more than just different cultural aspects, also a very arty place that you can get inspire from. I would love to go back again.

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Reference:

Chin yoon Khen 2014, Traditional Trades of Penang, Anonymous Areca Books, 120 Armenian Street, 10200 Penang, Malaysia.

George Town Heritage Inc George Town World Heritage Site, viewed 04/27 2016, <http://www.gtwhi.com.my/index.php/introduction/george-town-world-heritage-site>.

THE LAZY AFTERNOON 2012, Penang: Old Trade, viewed 04/27 2016, <https://thelazyafternoon.wordpress.com/2012/06/21/penang-old-trades/>.

Wikipedia 2016, George Town, Penang, viewed 04/07 2016, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Town,_Penang#Historical>.

image:

rinafalala 2015, FIRST SOLO TRIP TO PENANG (I), viewed 04/27 2016, <http://rinafalala.blogspot.com.au/>.

Alamy 2014, Penang: history and culture, viewed 04/27 2016, <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/picturegalleries/810629/Penang-history-and-culture.html?image=8>.

Malaysian Batik (D)

Batik, a Malaysian textile craft, is said to have originated in China and is a process seen across Asia that uses using wax to decorate and dye fabric. Although an age-old process, the actual origin of batik is difficult to trace and is “shrouded in mystery” (Newman 2007). This is due to the degradable nature of fabric as it is impossible to find evidence of the first batik designs. Once mainly used in the creation and design of Saris, batik in Malaysia has now become a contemporary art form used to create a very wide range of items including clothing, bags, scarves, tablecloths, placemats, cushion covers and beautiful works of art. These days more and more of these works are surfacing that showcase the high level of skill and expertise necessary to create successful pieces.

Batik cushion cover

Few tools are required when creating a batik design, and this could be the cause of its immense popularity throughout Asia. Perhaps the most common method is the hand-waxed or ‘canting process’ (batik tulis) carried out by drawing the hot paraffin wax onto cloth. Another method, more popular in Indonesia, is wax-stamped batik (batik cap), and is achieved by carving patterns into blocks which are then dipped into the wax onto pieces of cloth (Yunus 2012). Using either process, once the wax design has dried, the cloth is then painted by hand and the purpose of the wax becomes clear; the wax prevents the paint colours from bleeding into other sections of the design on the cloth.

Batik canting process

Even though batik is quite a common textile art in Asia, it is the designs printed on the cloth that differentiate the types of batik and allow it to be unique to each country or city. Traditional batik depicts motifs of flora and fauna native to the area and this allows batik artists keep in contact with their culture and heritage and to use their surroundings to their advantage; meaning batik is not only a creative process but an educational one. Modern Malaysian batik however has disregarded these original motifs and many new generation artists and designers choose to use their designs as a way to express their artistic thoughts (Lonely Planet 2007).

Tratitional batik pattern

The sale of batik fashion and fabric in Malaysia, using both the traditional but more so the contemporary designs, is led dominantly by tourists, causing batik to become internationally recognised almost instantly and putting the long and valuable history of Malaysian textile art and trade on the map.

References
Lonely Planet 2007, Malaysia, Singapore & Brunei, Lonely Planet, 10th edn, p. 57

Newman, M. 2007, ‘Malaysian batik: Runaway to the world’, Surface Design Journal, vol. 32, no. 1, pp. 10-13.

travelpulse 2013, How traditional Malay Batik is made, video recording, viewed 11 April 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCLeaqMNJTY>

Yunus, N. 2012, Malaysian Batik: Reinventing a Tradition, Tuttle Publishing, Malaysia.

D | Malaysian Batik and its Contemporary Application

Malaysia, situated in the Malacca Strait, has drawn influence from neighbouring islands with a diverse ethnic population primarily made up of Malay, Chinese and Indian. These three ethnicities make up more than 90% of Penang’s population, having coexisted in harmony for generations. Its rich culture in textiles, specifically batik, stems back to the 15^th century when it was first documented on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. (Mirzajani et al. 2015) Originating in Java and practised in China, Indonesia and parts of Africa including Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda, batik became a popular technique of cloth decoration in traditional wear. (MyMalaysia 2016)

On natural fibres of silk and cotton, the batik technique uses wax as a resist. Wax is poured into a canting, a copper vessel attached to a wooden handle with a nib. (Penang Batik Factory Sdn Bhd 2009) Designs are hand drawn directly onto fabric – the artisan working quickly. The fabric is then dyed and wax melted away to leave behind elaborate patterns that are transformed into garments. Repeat patterns are achieved through carved wood blocks dipped into wax then stamped onto fabric.

Malaysian batik canting and stamping with wax (Penang Batik Factory Sdn Bhd 2009)

Malaysian batik differs by its distinct patterns and vivid colours. In contrast, Indonesian batiks have a deeper and darker colour palette. Malaysian batik uses natural dyes with flora as a common motif. Leaves, flowers and Rajong trees are positioned into exquisite patterns. Geometric designs are also popular whilst animal motifs, excluding butterflies, are rarely seen for religious reasons. (MyMalaysia 2016)

Batik silk jacquard scarves (Penang Batik Factory Sdn Bhd 2009)

With globalisation and a younger generation looking to the West for fashion, there is a growing concern that traditional textiles will eventually fade out. Cue emerging Malaysian designers who are reconceptualising batik into contemporary designs, evocative and alluring to a modern market. Fern Chua is redefining batik, starting a movement called The New Batik. Founder of batik design house FERN, she uses on-trend motifs in minimal refined silhouettes. “I would like to present a different side of Malaysian batik and hopefully take it to the international fashion platform,” says Chua (Zhengs 2015).

Fern in her studio producing fabric to the final garments (Chua 2015)

Accessories label Frankitas (Heritage • Ethnic • Chic) is also changing the meaning of batik, incorporating it into clutches and bags. Supporting skilled artisans from Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Africa and Central Asia, they use hand woven specialised fabrics in their production process. (Frankitas 2016) Sakura Malaysia are twisting batik in a different way – embossing the motifs onto leather goods, hoping to integrate heritage in sophisticated ways that appeal to the fashion conscious consumer. (Sakura Malaysia 2012)

There is an up-and-coming bubble of Malaysian designers taking the century old technique into a contemporary context, transcending the threat faced in an “era of modernisation and prevalence of derivative lifestyles.” (Mohamad 2001) Crafted lovingly, batik is given longevity, highlighting the cross-cultural fusion between Eastern and Western values.

References

Frankitas 2016, About Us, Frankitas, viewed 26 April 2016, <https://www.frankitas.com/pages/about-us>.

Jefferies, J., Conroy, D. & Clark, H. 2015, The Handbook of Textile Culture, Bloomsbury Publishing, London, UK.

Mirzajani, M., Kahn, S., Hedeyat, M., Hanafi, J. & Abudllah, N. 2015, Textile and Batik Contemporary Motif in Malaysian Art, viewed 26 April 2016, <http://repository.um.edu.my/25141/1/chapter%202.pdf>.

Mohamad, Z. 2001, ‘Tradition of Malay Textiles,’ SEAS Bulletin, viewed 26 April 2016, <http://www.seasrepfoundation.org/pdf/articles/oct01d.pdf>.

MyMalaysia 2016, Malaysian Batik, MyMalaysia, viewed 26 April 2016, <http://www.mymalaysia.com.au/malaysian-batik/>.

Penang Batik Factory Sdn Bhd 2009, Batik, Penang Batik, viewed 26 April 2016, <http://www.penangbatik.com.my/batik_intro.html>.

Sakura Malaysia 2012, About Us, Sakura Malaysia, viewed 26 April 2016, <http://sakuramalaysia.com/aboutus/?v=0c23032714f8>.

Zhengs, D. 2015, ‘A Chat with a Contemporary Batik Designer in Malaysia: Fern Chua,’ ExpatGo, viewed 26 April 2016, <http://www.expatgo.com/my/2015/10/23/15648/>.

Images

Chua, F. 2015, Autumn/Winter 15 Lookbook, FERN, viewed 26 April 2016, <https://www.fern.gallery/pages/lookbook>.

Penang Trishaws (D)

Penang trishaw man (Niall McEntegart 2008)

As a tourist in Penang, it was hard not to notice straight away the colourful and unique “push-bike taxis” in the streets of Georgetown, also known as trishaws .The riders, the decoration and how they physically and culturally fit within Penang’s everyday life trigged me to find out more about them.

Trishaws, as its name suggests, have three wheels and are derived from pulled rickshaws, a two-wheel version invented in Japan in 1869 (New histories 2011). Trishaws present different designs in different places around the world. In South Asia, the rider sits in front of the passengers. In Indonesia, the rider sits behind, while in the Philippines riders and passengers sit side-by-side. The current type of trishaws seen in Penang, became popular after the Japanese occupation in 1941 during the WWII. In 1942 there were 100 licensed trishaws in Penang and in 1969, 2562 (Boon Raymond 2011). During the 70s and 80s with Penang going through industrialisation, there were not only more cars and buses being used as a way of transport, bus also more offers of employment providing young people with better job opportunities. “Riders found succession problems, the ones that remained are now old and elder… until today” (Boon Raymond 2011). Today there are around only 200 trishaws in Penang.

Trishaws are still a very popular way of transport in many parts of Asia, being still used by locals, not only tourists. In Georgetown, according to many of the brochures I collected along my trip, there is not a better way to discover and explore the area. The Penang Tourism website even states that it can be compared to taking a gondola ride in Venice (Penang Tourism 2011). I am not sure if I agree with that. What I saw in Georgetown was quite sad. The government has been rebranding the trishaws to tourists as a piece of history that can be experienced and hired for around 10 dollars/hour. I find amazing the idea of local people still using trishaws to move around town if they wish, or tourists riding themselves (as it happens in other parts of Malaysia). Yes, I believe cultural practices such as the trishaw should be kept alive, but not at the cost of elderly people’s exploitation who, perhaps, have no other option of employment (or should I say retirement?). I do not know much about Malaysia’s socio-political-economical situation in order to provide a solution; in fact I am not even sure if there is a problem. Maybe those people riding the trishaws are happy doing what they do. However, for me, a western citizen, it just didn’t look right a 70-year-old man riding young tourists around under a 40+ degree sun.

 

References

Boon Raymond 2011, Penang Trishaws, viewed 23 April 2016, <http://teochiewkia2010.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/penang-trishaws.html&gt;

New histories 2011, The history of the rickshaw – exploitation or tradition?, viewed 23 April 2016, <http://newhistories.group.shef.ac.uk/wordpress/wordpress/the-history-of-the-rickshaw-exploitation-or-tradition/&gt;

Penang tourism 2011, Penang in a nutshell… or a trishaw, as the case may be, viewed 23 April 2016, <http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal3/what-to-see/heritage-trail/penang-in-a-nutshell–or-a-trishaw-as-the-case-may-be.html&gt;

YouTube 2008, A documentary on trishaws in Penang, viewed 23 April 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg0IMRKqYPc&gt;

 

Image

Niall McEntegart 2008, Penang trishaw man, viewed 23 April 2016, <https://www.flickr.com/photos/niallmcentegart/4294502617/in/photostream/&gt;

Hantu hunting & Bomohs in Contemporary Malaysia

Signs in Malaysian using hantus to depict danger – created by Piaos Studio in Johor Baru as part of a project to revive Malaysian folklore http://www.behance.net/piaos

Prior to the Malaysia trip, I was somewhat aware that spirits and superstition existed within Malaysian culture; part of my extended family on my mothers’ side is Malaysian and stories about ‘witch doctors’ and ‘black magic’ were told from time to time. I was under the impression that this notion was some what taboo, more secretive business that was somewhat outdated however after the two weeks in Penang speaking to various locals as well as conducting further research, spirits and ‘bomohs’ were more prevalent and common place than I had previously thought.

Fore mostly, I was very much surprised by the extensive classification in the types of spirits that existed within Malaysian culture. When I was hunting for ‘hantu’ stories and seeking to better understand this idea of spirits, Tim and Mei who worked at the guesthouse I was staying at laughed and said to me “There are so hantu stories many where do I even start?” They explained to me that many kinds of ghosts or spirits existed, from the spirits associated with child birth, a Toyol, the spirit or goblin of an stillborn, to female ‘vampires’, and spirits of the sea or spirits who exist in jungles. They all recounted a few personal stories as well as famous folklore. [1]

Pontinak, ‘female vampire’ in Malaysian folklore – illustrated by Piaos Studios http://www.behance.net/piaos

Of course many believe in these spirits and many don’t. There has been growing skepticism voiced publicly not only amongst Malays but on a international level (Rahman, 2016) (Vinod, 2014). While it is easy to share this skepticism and ‘understand’ it to be simply folklore, fables or superstition, I was struck by how commonly spirits were accepted as a part of life by the people I spoke to. I was also confused as to how this notion of spirits or supernatural beings was reconciled with religion. Malaysia is an Islamic state and to be recognised as Malaysian Malay, one must be a Muslim, yet the idea of hantu is common and widespread amongst Malays. Similarly, Joshua, a Chinese Malaysian lawyer at a Womens Organisation Centre in Georgetown whom I met through a friend, is a deeply religious Christian yet believes in the existence of spirits and recounted to me his friends experience with a hantu. Even though Joshua himself was not there to witness it, he whole-heartedly believes this encounter happened.

The Role of Jewellery in Peranakan Culture

Above: a kerosang thoe, a brooch worn by Peranakan women and designed to symbolise a peach, an important motif in Baba Nyonya culture (Tong 2014, p. 120).

The Peranakan-Chinese people are an ethnic group descended from mixed marriages between Chinese immigrant men and local Indonesian and Malay women in the 19^th century (Encyclopædia Britannica 2014). In Malaysia and Singapore, Peranakans are also referred to as Straits-Chinese, named for the Strait of Melacca, where settlements in Singapore, Penang, and Melacca were established. The men, known as Baba, and the women, Nyonya, developed their own unique culture over time, “with influences from the Malay Archipelago, Asia, China, Europe, Anglo-Indian, and Victorian England” (Tong 2014, p. 15).

Jewellery plays an important role in Peranakan culture, particularly during weddings, but also in other ceremonies and events, along with everyday life as a means of denoting status (Lotoski 2009). Gold is considered to be the “foundation” (Tong 2014, p. 15) of jewellery pieces and the base on which precious stones and other features are placed. Nonetheless, the gold is always intricately carved in a manner not dissimilar to the popular art nouveau style of the West (Carpenter & Richter 2011, p. 340).

 

Above: a kerosang bintang brooch, designed in the form of several stars (Tong 2014, p. 69)

Pieces are designed in accordance with a number of popular motifs in Peranakan culture, such as the dragon, phoenix, waterfalls, flowers, stars, and fruit such as grapes and peaches, with each symbol having a particular meaning and significance relative to both the wearer and the occasion (Tong 2014, p. 36 & 110-115).

Above: a Peranakan couple (left) wearing traditional Chinese wedding apparel whilst another (right) wears Western garments. Over the course of a multiple day wedding, Baba Nyonya couples would wear a number of different outfits (Tong 2014, p. 30 & 74).

Peranakan weddings are renowned for their grandness and pageantry, with some ceremonies taking up to twelve days, or even thirty for the wealthiest families (Tong 2014, p. 25). The Baba-Nyonya people considered themselves thoroughly anglicised and were proud to be the “Queen’s Chinese” (Tong 2014, p. 119). Baba grooms and Nyonya brides, over the course of a wedding, would alternate at times between traditional Chinese clothing and Western dress styles (Tong 2014, p. 33), with Baba suits generally adorned with a small number of jewellery pieces in a similar style to the Nyonya, whilst she wore a larger number of pieces and in a more audacious style.

Above: a dokoh, an intricate gold necklace worn by Nyonya brides (Tong 2014, p. 58)

Nyona brides would wear a number of Peranakan jewellery items over the course of their wedding, including necklaces, tiaras, cuffs, brooches, hair pins, rings, and earrings. Some of the pieces unique to Baba Nyonya culture include the dokoh, a large, elaborate necklace made with gold plates and chains , and the rantey, a necklace worn with the dokoh, intended to create a different visual interest, consisting of a large quantity of gold orbs of similar or varying sizes and are worn several at a time (Tong 2014, p. 56-61). Perhaps the most iconic shape in Peranakan jewellery is that of the kerosang thoe (seen top), a set of brooches used to fasten clothing with the mother or ibu brooch (Tong 2014, p. 63) taking a paisley shape, designed to represent a peach, a symbol of “marriage, spring, justice, and longevity” (Tong 2014, p. 115), which points to the left, to the heart of the wearer.

 

References:

Carpenter, B. & Richter, A. 2011, Gold Jewellery of the Indonesian Archipelago, Editions Didier Millet, Singapore.

Encyclopædia Britannica 2014, Peranakan, Encyclopædia Britannica, United Kingdom, viewed 24 April 2016, <http://www.britannica.com/topic/Peranakan>.

Lotoski, A. 2009. ‘Baba Bling: The Peranakans and Their Jewellery’, PASSAGE, July/August, pp. 14.

Tong, L. 2014, Straits Chinese Gold Jewellery, Pinang Peranakan Mansion Sdn Bhd, Penang, Malaysia.