Childbirth Tradition
When the baby was born for one full month, also called full lunar, the family will celebrate this day, therefore called the celebration of birth. At this day, family will prepare nasi kunyit (steamed glutinous turmeric rice), chicken curry and also red bean cake in the shape of tortoise as the shape represent longevity and red eggs then they will offered to the ancestors.
When the baby was born for one full month, also called full lunar, the family will celebrate this day, therefore called the celebration of birth. At this day, family will prepare nasi kunyit (steamed glutinous turmeric rice), chicken curry and also red bean cake in the shape of tortoise as the shape represent longevity and red eggs then they will offered to the ancestors.
Wedding Tradition
The traditional Peranakan wedding is a 12-days affair which usually carried out in the bride’s house, where ceremonies like the Lap Chai (exchange of gifts) and Cheo Thau (coming of age) are carried out. The Cheo Thau ceremony is one of the most important ceremonies and marks the first occasion when the bride and bridegroom will wear their authentic wedding robes.
Next, follows the Chim Pang ceremony which marks the first meeting between the couple where the bride wpuld lead the groom into the bridal chamber where he would unveil her. Together they would be served tea and a bowl of kueh ee – small white and red dumplings in a sweet broth.
The third ceremony takes place in the bridal chamber. This is called Chia Sia. Friends and guests of the bridegroom would gather in the room and tease the bride with the hope of inducing laughter from the bride. And if the bride does indeed break out into uncontrollable fits of laughter, the unfortunate groom would have to treat all the guests to dinner.
The finale of the wedding ceremony would be the ‘dua belas hari’ or Twelfth Day ceremony, where the marriage would be confirmed and approved by proof of the bride’s virginity. Firstly, the bride’s parents would invite the bridegroom’s mother to inspect a handkerchief (known as Bim Poh) collected from the wedding bed. The handkerchief will be placed on a tray and presented to the bridegroom’s mother for inspection, where she would be invited to perform a test by squeezing lime juice on the handkerchief in hope of ascertaining the authencity of the stain. However, the bridegroom’s mother normally refrain from performing the test as it would also demean the bride.
A pair of rooster and hen would also be released under the bridal bed. If the rooster emerged first, the family could expect a male first-born, and a baby girl if the hen took the lead.
A Pak Chindek and a Sang Kek Um (the wedding masters and mistresses respectively) are most often re quired for the elaborate Peranakan Wedding Ceremony because the traditions become so complex that the weddings need to be orchestrated by wedding specialists
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