Malaysia’s Festa San Pedro
Celebrate Saint Peter’s Feast Day in Malacca
From 23 to 29 June, tourists on vacation flock to the Portuguese Settlement in Malacca (Melaka) town to commemorate the annual feast of the fishermen.
The Portuguese Settlement lies along the coastline of Ujong Pasir overlooking the historic Straits of Malacca. The village, about two kilometres south of Malacca town, is home to approximately 1,200 residents, the descendents of the former Portuguese rulers and the ethnic Malays.
History of the Portuguese Settlement
The Portuguese Settlement was established in 1934, thanks mainly to the efforts of two Catholic priests, Reverend Father Alvaro Manuel Coraodo and Reverend Father Jules Pierre Francois. Hence the village is also known within the community as Padre’s Sa Chang, or Priest's Land. The rationale behind its establishment was to create a place of residence for the poorer members of the community as well as to preserve the unique cultural heritage of the Malaysian Portuguese.
Initially, the majority of the Settlement’s residents worked as fishermen. Traditional fishing implements were rawai (a long line of baited hooks), langgiang (butterfly-shaped net for catching prawns) and sungkor (round net for catching shrimps). After the mid-1960’s, reclamation work along the shore made the catch less abundant. This, in addition to a better-educated younger generation, has led to many villagers being employed in other fields.
Today, there are about 40 fishermen in the village. Around 15 families work in fishing-related cottage industries producing foodstuffs such as Belaccan (dried fermented shrimp paste) and Garing-garing (fish that has been salted and dried in the sun until crisp) for the Malaysian and Singapore markets.
The Fiesta San Pedro commemorates the Feast Day of St Peter, the patron saint of the fishermen. This takes place officially on June 29. The festival, celebrated by the community for the past 66 years, highlights the traditional significance of the fishing trade to the seaside community.
Carnival Highlights
A diversity of colors, sounds and activities marks the weeklong fiesta. Flashing lights and blared music emerge from the amusement rides, while food, accessories and knick-knacks are on offer at the bazaar. At night, live bands perform music on the main stage. Cultural performances showcase the community’s blended European and Asian heritage. For instance, the branyo, a dance influenced by the Malay ronggeng and Portuguese folkdance, is danced to the tune of a violin and a rebana, a Malay drum. While male dancers wear western attire, the women are clad in traditional batik, or baju kebaya.
The celebrations culminate on June 29, the actual feast day of Saint Peter. In the evening, High Mass is celebrated in the Settlement church in honour of the saint, the community’s devout Catholicism revealing its Portuguese roots. After Mass, the statue of the saint is carried in a procession around the Settlement, when the priest blesses the fishing boats. The boats, specially decorated for the occasion, are adorned with sketches and paintings of New Testament scenes, Biblical figurines, nets full of catch from the sea and even little girls all in white dressed as ‘angels’. The blessing of the boats indicates the fishermen’s hope for a bountiful catch for the year ahead.
