SINGAPORE, June 27, 2021 (mothership.sq): Ponnosamy Kalastree is of Chetti Melaka or Indian Peranakan heritage and takes a lot of pride in being part of this rich culture. When we think of Peranakans, we think of the Nyonya Peranakans. But not all Peranakans are of Chinese/Malay ancestry. In fact, the word “peranakan” is a broad term for people who are of mixed cultures, descended from interracial marriages between foreign immigrants and natives. Aside from the Nyonya Peranakans who are of Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage, there are the Jawi Peranakans who are of mixed Indian and Malay parentage. And then, of course, there are the Peranakan Indians or Chetti Melaka. The Chetti Melaka originated from Melaka in the 14th to 15th century when South Indian immigrants arrived on its shores. The early Tamil Chettis, which means “merchants” in Tamil, married local Malays and Chinese women and had mixed-race children. Some moved to Singapore in the early 19th century, starting the small yet significant community we see today. This was the beginning of a rich culture, created by the blend of Indian, Malay and Chinese traditions.
Ponnosamy, who prefers to be known as Pono, described Chetti Melaka culture as a three-in-one special — a mix of Indian, Malay and Chinese. Although ethnically they identify as Indians and practise Hinduism, they follow Malay and Chinese traditions at the same time. Today, Pono works hard to promote Chetti Melaka culture through the Association of Peranakan Indians (Chitty Melaka) Singapore. Since its founding, the association has made it its mission to preserve this unique culture and heritage. Pono estimates that there are about 5,000 Chetti Melakans and Indian Peranakans in Singapore. However the association has only 200 members. Aside from expanding the association’s membership, Pono hopes to find a new generation of passionate leaders who will continue preserving the Chetti Melaka culture in Singapore, passing it down to many generations.
Much more on this community at “source”.
https://mothership.sg/2021/06/chetti-melaka-indian-malay-chinese-interview/