The Little House (Montessori)
Mrs. Geraldine spoke to the children about the Chetti Melaka. Many years ago, Tamil traders came from India and settled in Melaka (near Johor Bahru in Malaysia). When they were in Melaka, some of them married women of Malay and Chinese descent.
Mrs. Geraldine shared that The Chetti Melaka are also known as the Indian Peranakans and have adopted Chinese and Malay cultural practices while retaining their Hindu heritage.
They speak a Malay patois (pronounced patwa) which is a mix of Malay, Chinese and some Tamil words. Though they may look Indian, many of them do not speak fluent Tamil. "Chetti" means "trader".
Ms. Kristine showed them the items found in a traditional Chetti Melakan kitchen. Many were fascinated by the assortment of kitchen tools before them.
Ms. Kristine showed them a wok (along with the brass moulds) used to make a "kueh rose" - sweet and crispy treats which are shaped like a rose.
Ms. Kristine showed them a wok (along with the brass moulds) used to make a "kueh rose" - sweet and crispy treats which are shaped like a rose.
As many of them have not seen "kueh rose" before, Ms. Kristine showed them a short clip of the labour intensive process of making them using the brass moulds and the wok.
Ms. Kristine showed them "batu giling" (In Malay, "batu" means "stone" and "giling" means "mill" or "grind") which is used to prepare spices. The children were thrilled to watch a short clip on how it is used.
They were also shown other types of grinder such as the "batu boh". Ms. Kristine explained that a lot of their traditional dishes require a lot of preparation. These different tools are important in the crushing of numerous ingredients and spices used which is necessary to release the natural flavours of the ingredients.
They were also shown the other types of coconut grater.
Another item that fascinated them was the murukku press. Some of them have tried murukku but wanted to know how it was made so Ms. Kristine described the process and gave them the chance to watch a short clip of it.
Mrs. Jo introduced the traditional women's attire - the "sarong kebaya" which is adorned by beautiful patterns and embroidery.
Mrs. Jo introduced the traditional women's attire - the "sarong kebaya" which is adorned by beautiful patterns and embroidery.
Along with the "sarong kebaya", they were also shown a collection of lovely beaded slippers.
The children were thrilled to see the exquisite hair pins and ornaments.
The children learnt about one of the most important festivals for the Chetti Melaka which reveres Dato Chachar (Goddess of Pox who is known for her healing powers in curing chicken pox). It is a 12-day festival usually celebrated in April and May.
They were shown the "Congkak" - a popular game among the Chetti Melaka. They were given a brief description of the game and were told that they could try it at school this week.
"Kavadi" (on the right) are carried by devotees as a fulfilment of vows or as a means to seek blessings from the goddess. "Hantu Tetek" (2 figures on the left) are the guardians of the goddess.
An afternoon of discoveries at the Indian Heritage Centre.
