Asian women and The Peranakan Museum

People who know me well will laugh about this entry, since I'm not exactly known for being big on museums. I really want to like it, but in most cases I get bored out of my mind. My parents tried a lot with both my sister and me, but the only thing that really stuck was The Museum of Natural History and The Maritime Museum, both situated in Gothenburg. In addition, not that the quality of any of the two is in any way low, but I'm guessing that the reason they became favorites was most likely linked to the quantity of the visits. Sometimes I swear I thought of the aquarium of The Maritime Museum as part of our personal living room. I even remember the rather cunning name of their alligator: Smiley or 'Smilet' as he was called by the locals i. e. 'The Smile'. Hence, if we ever get a pet gator, that's what I'll call her.

Anyways, as a grown up I've really tried educating myself with various exhibitions at The Tate, Musee Du Louvre and Casa Museum Gaudi along with Fundacio Joan Miro, Museu Picasso de Barcelona and Mori Art Museum to mention a few. Most of it is tragically lost on me. The only time I seem to appreciate art is when it's either gritty (stuff like Goya's 'Saturn Devouring His Son' or even Carl Larsson's 'Midvinterblot') or interactive (give me Universeum or Sagrada Familia any day).

In short, I was quite surprised I even agreed going to (I always try to sneak off) and let alone was actually rather fascinated by, The Peranakan Museum in Singapore. The themes were in short marriage, food and how to make it as a woman of mixed origin in a very different Singapore compared to today.

According to Wiki, the Peranakan or Nonya cuisine combines Chinese and Malay influences and Peranakans are descendants of early Chinese migrants inter-marrying local Malays and settling, in amongst others, Singapore. The Malay word 'Nonya' refers to respect and affection for women of prominent social standing

 A Peranakan bride 

 The jewelery are described..

..in this text and are full of symbolism..

 ..as well as these Pagoda Trays, used to bear gifts from the families of the bride and groom

 The museum was a complete explosion of beautiful patterns, colors and sparkles; this is a wedding bed

 Some of the items were extremely delicate and there was definitely a striking presence of strong, female characteristics

 Another beautifully carved mirror frame, maybe not in so many colors, but absolutely exquisite

A wedding process with the female participants closest to the camera..

..where this was a wedding garment of heavy embroidered silk worn by Peranakan Chinese brides decorated with phoenixes and peonies  

A beautiful pattern which looks like it would belong to any modern campaign 2012; butterflies were a sign of the wedded couple getting many children

 

Coming from very interesting as well as both exciting and amazing settings in most of the temples and castles in Japan, where many are displayed just like museums, the difference was huge. Besides the Geisha culture, which in a way is very much under wraps since it's still an ongoing form of art, the Japanese culture scene is in many cases directed towards the Shogun/Emperor eras with predominantly male leading characters. Hence it was very nice to have a historic walk, looking through the eyes and perspective of Asian women for a change

 An altar from a wealthy Peranakan home..

 

..with a few of the male deities which were common

I got the feeling that on one hand it was extremely rough being a woman during these times, but on the other filled with excitement, passion and happiness, just like today. It made me get yet another revelation of how thankful I am to all those women who in the past fought for my present reality. Without you, my life today would not be possible.