Melaka, Malaysia Continues To Reinvent Itself
From Pirates' Den To European Colony To UNESCO World Heritage Site
Apr 7, 2009
A reputed pirate- turned-sultan, Parameswara founded Melaka around 1400 and it's now over 600 years old.(1) The Malay Sultanate of the 15th century welcomed Indians, Chinese, and several other merchants from Thailand, Arabia, both Hindus and Muslims. In fact the Chinese and Malay inter-marriages formed a new culture called baba-nyonya.
The flourishing site controlled the trade between China and India and proved too important to leave to chance. Several countries coveted Melaka for that reason- Siam, Portugal, Holland, and England to name a few. Melaka was forced to re-invent itself for each occasion.
The city centre provides an easy walk through its history but also lets tourists sample living culture.
The Sultanate, Zheng He and Peranakan Culture
Melaka became a cosmopolitan city and culture with a trade-conducive administration as early as Sultan Mansur Shah in 1456. Neighbourhoods developed and thrive to this day. For instance
- mass settlements of Muslim Chinese came with the Chinese Imperial fleets of Zheng He in 1415. There is still a vibrant Chinatown and a unique feng shui cemetery of horse-shoe shaped graves on the hill near the city centre called Bukit China. It dates from the Ming Dynasty and has a wishing well too.
- the baba nyonya (Chinese man and Malay woman) culture, also known as Peranakan (descendants) describes those who integrated customs. There is still a baba nyonya house museum on Heeren St. and baba nyona restaurants like the reputable Nancy's Kitchen.
- The Melaka Sultanate Palace at the foot of St. Paul's Hill is the only one of its kind in Malaysia, reconstructed in 1984 based on 16th century descriptions. Strolling the magnificent gardens and the dark wooden building takes one back to the Malay kingdoms.
The Colonialists and the Dutch East Indies Trade
In quick succession, from the 15th to the 20th century, Melaka endured colonial occupiers.
- The Portuguese ruled for 130 years, 1511-1641. A gate is all that remains of their fort, A Famosa, and fittingly Malaysia declared its independence in the square adjoining this gate in 1963. There is a huge replica of a Portuguese man o' war along the river which serves as a Maritme Museum today.
- the Dutch ruled for about 150 years, 1641-1795 although the interests of the Dutch East Indies trade centred in Jakarta on Java. The famous red buildings of the Stadhuys and Christ Church draw tourists to the roundabout of trishaws and nearby Jonkers Street.
- The British ruled for about 120 years, 1826-1946, before the Crown Colony evolved to independence as Malaysia. Their interest shifted between Melaka and Singapore but Sir Stamford Raffles saved many sites including A Famosa. Victoria Fountain in front of Christ Church is a reminder of the British days.
Melaka Becomes a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Melaka endured, using its history to keep a vibrant urban centre alive. The city of approximately 500,000 was rewarded in July 2008 by being declared a World Heritage site. At Quebec City, the UN delegates declared that Melaka "developed over 500 years of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West in the Straits of Malacca. The influences of Asia and Europe have endowed the town with a specific multicultural heritage that is both tangible and intangible..." .
Melaka embodies the history and cultural development of the Malay Peninsula so much that one tourist site boasts, "Visit Melaka and visit Malaysia".
References:
1. Simon Richmond, et. al., The Lonely Planet, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, page 32
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