Article Review – ( Identity and Learning )

I read the article about the identity of Peranakan ( Baba Nyonya ) written by Rudolph Jurjen . In my opinion regarding to the article, a society of Baba and Nyonya is “unique descendants”. It is because their communities was assimilated to Malay culture. It also enrich the people’s culture in the world. For example, the woman’s (Nyonyas) dress has taken from wearing the ‘baju kebaya’(Malay dress), but the kebaya also has the elements of Chinese culture in their dress. It showed us that the baba and nyonyas society accepted and respected the Malay culture in their live. I very attracted about them because they can used the other culture in their life style but still with their religion and ethnic name. I read the sentence about the process assimilated that was effected by the colonial British Straits settlements and the Dutch controlled island of Java, but I want to critique about that. I think before they are coming to Malaysia the process of assimilation is flexible and neutral through economic, relationship and other without any force. But after they come to this country they forced the Chinese teenagers to come to this country as a labourer only to fulfill their importance. I think most of the Baba Nyonya culture was taken and effected by the Malay culture, but most important to us is about their religion. Why not we effort about that?? Think about it=)I learned from the article that the identity is very importand as a symbol of the society. (Nurulhuda Ramli)