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nyonya Archives - juesatta (CJ Photography)

Nov 29

Vivien + Yang = j.u.s.t. m.a.r.r.i.e.d.

By Photography
congratulation to Vivien Law and Kuang-Yang!

congratulation to Vivien Law and Kuang-Yang!

Vivien and Yang were married early this month. I get to know both of them from Vivien’s sister, Mivian and they are on the loveliest couples I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.

Vivien comes from a Baba and Nyonya family. As you will see, I’ve included some pics of the family and friends wearing beautiful Nyonya Kebaya, and a pic of delicious Nyonya Pulut Tekan (glutinous rice in blue and served with Kaya) with Nyonya Kuih Lapis (red layer cake), which normally prepared for Nyonya weddings.

Congratulation and thank you Vivien and Yang for inviting me to be a part of your big day. It was absolutely beautiful with lots of fun and laughter. I wish you both nothing but the best in your journey through marriage and many blessings.

Below are some of my favorite pictures.

May all beings be happy.

Sep 06

A surprise guest, JJ to Melaka

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
JJ, my ex-college friend who came with Yih-Shyang to Melaka

JJ, my ex-college friend who came with Yih-Shyang to Melaka

During the mid of August, I got a visit from my formal college friend, Yih-Shyang. He came and visited me months ago and then he was to come again. This time Yih-Shyang rang me and informed me that he would bring another friend with him from Kuala Lumpur. I didn’t question on that and thought that it would be his partner.

On that morning, Yih-Shyang drove and arrived at my place. It was really surprise when I saw the guest in the car! He was another ex-college mate whom I had not met for 7 years. JJ was the friend whom Yih-Shyang came with. We were so happy to see each other again because we had so much fun back in college. He was always a kind and easy-going guy.

JJ at the Cheng Ho Tea House

JJ at the Cheng Ho Tea House

It was rather a brunch, I brought the two of them to Jeta Groove. It is one of my favorites local Nyonya restaurants and also my favourite dessert, Nyonya durian chendol. After having some food at the restaurant, the durian chendol was served. It is a dessert which consists of shaved ice, coconut milk and red bean, and sweetened with gula Melaka (a kind of brown sugar). Its main ingredient is chendol, or noodle-like strips made of green bean flour strips. By the name of it, durian chendol is the chendol with some durian meat added into it and becomes so tasty. Both Yih Shyang and JJ just fall for it after taken.

After the meal, we had no idea where to go. They didn’t make plan for the day, rather to visit me and unwind in Melaka. Thinking it would be a great idea to sit down and have a good chat, we then went to have a Chinese tea ceremony at the Cheng Ho Tea House. We chatted while enjoyed the tea ceremony done by Mrs. Lai from the tea house. Before long Yih Shyang went into photography topi. Yih Shyang was suggesting doing some portrait photography and I nominated JJ.

JJ was however reluctant to be our model initially. Giving an excuse of keeping a memoir for JJ, we then took some photos of JJ at the tea house. Gradually we started to pose him and giving him commands what to do. He knew he was tricked but he was always nice and soft-hearted, therefore being obedience. So we had a nice tea and good photography session.

During the afternoon, we then headed to the seaside close to the Eye of Malaysia. After sight-seeing, we went to the bush area and continued our portraiture shooting of JJ. He was demanded to jump while we took some shots, until he got his muscles hurt. Yih-Shyang and I felt sorry for him and promised him a delicious dinner on that evening.

JJ posing for the camera in the bust near the Eye of Malaysia

JJ posing for the camera in the bust near the Eye of Malaysia

Soon the dusk fell and we were starving. We then drove the Portuguese Settlement and quickly took some shots of sunset with only Yih-Shyang’s camera as the battery of my camera had gone flat. Then we picked a restaurant and had what Yih-Shyang requested, a Portuguese style seafood dinner. The serving was far more than what we ordered. Without wasting any food, we had everything on the dining table. In addition to that, both of them again fall for the local mango juice and each of them had 4 cups of it.

They would want to go to the Jonker Street for a walk of the night market. After the extravagant dinner we had, we were however so full that we wanted to go home and just sleep off the food coma that we were in. Yih-Shyang then took me home and we said goodbye.

Thanks to Yih-Shyang and JJ, who came all the way from Kuala Lumpur to visit me. I had a good time and was happy to see the both of them and update of their living. Sometimes it’s amazing to see how old friends have changed, to see how their lives are exciting or tragic or full of love (both of them good qualifiers of a life well lived).

Yih-Shyang and JJ had promised to come to Melaka again soon. Hope that they are happy now and I am looking forward to see them again. Share some shots of JJ.

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Jun 08

Mom’s Nyonya zongzi

By Beautiful Melaka, Photography
my loving mom was wrapping the fillings to zongzi

my loving mom was wrapping the fillings to zongzi

Zongzi is traditionally eaten during the Duanwu Festival, falling on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. It has a long history dating back thousands of years. During Duan Wu Festival which has been held annually for more than 2000 years, many traditional customs and activities are practiced on the specified day by the Chinese people. Among these customs are dragon boat racing and eating zongzi.

fillings then wrapped to tetrahedral shape and ready to be boiled

fillings then wrapped to tetrahedral shape and ready to be boiled

Many legends circulate around the festival including eating zongzi, but the most common explanation given derives from the tale of Qu Yuan, a poet and also a patriot from the Zhou dynasty (1045 BC – 256 BC). During the seven warring states period of Zhou dynasty before Qin Dynastay, Qu Yuan was a minister in the State of Chu and did much to assist the ruler in governing the state. He was however banished from the kingdom by his ruler for treason as he opposed an alliance between the Chu and their rival state of Qin. During the days of his exile, Qu Yuan wrote many famous poems until he ended his life in great despair and distress by drowning in the river upon learning that the State of Chu had been defeated by Qin.

On hearing of Qu Yuan’s death, the local villagers who were extremely fond of Qu Yuan, were in great distress. Fishermen searched for his body by sailing their boats down the river, furiosly beating the drums onboard and other people threw zongzi into the river to keep away fish and evil spirits from destroying Qu Yuan’s body. Later, many people imitated these acts to show their respect for this great patriotic poet and this practice continues today and eating of zongzi is no exception.

Zongzi is made of glutinous rice stuffed with different fillings and wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves, then are cooked by steaming or boiling. There is no set fillings as it varies from province to province, though the most commonly used for this steamed delicacy are egg, beans, dates, sweet potato, walnuts, mushrooms, pork, or a combination of all of the above. Wrapping up the zongzi is sometimes a closely guarded family secret.

basic components of Nyonya zongzi: white glutinous rice, blue glutinous rice, and seasoned pork

basic components of Nyonya zongzi: white glutinous rice, blue glutinous rice, and seasoned pork

In Melaka where Baba and Nyonya were orginated from, there is an unique type of zongzi called Nyonya zongzi. This Nyonya version features the intricate flavor depths of typical Nyonya cuisine with a hint of sweet, salty and spicy. Its recipe is also vary from Nyonya’s family to family. Despite the recipe of Nyonya zongzi is closely guarded by family, the most significant character of Melaka’s Nyonya zongzi is the blue colored glutinous rice stuffed inside.

Days before the coming Duan Wu Festival, my mom wrapped up Nyonya zongzi according to my granny’s recipe, due to popular requests from relatives and friends. Among the ingredients used were glutinous rice, seasoned pork, sugared white gourd, chestnut, natural blue coloring from flowers and others. Making of zongzi is not complicated but very time-consuming in preparing the ingredients, including soaking the rice overnight, mincing the pork and season to taste, finely chop sugared white gourd and chestnut, and last but not least, wrapping up all the ingredients with bamboo leaves. It took my mom’s two days with the help of my dad and sisters to prepare about a hundred of zongzi.

final product: delicious Nyonya zongzi

final product: delicious Nyonya zongzi

Most of the zongzi made by my mom were given to friends and relatives and I was lucky to have some. Special thanks to my mom, dad and sisters for the hard work and I really loved this yummy Chinese delicacy. Wishing everyone a happy Duanwu Festival.

Feb 24

拜天宫 – 福建人的新年 (Bai Tian Gong celebration – the Hokkiens’ New Year)

By Juesatta art, Photography

“传说明朝时一年的农历新年，倭寇在福建沿海一带，杀人放火，抢夺财物，乡民扶老携幼逃命。 乡民在黑夜中逃到一处偏僻郊野时，眼见倭寇就要追上，大家感到万分惊恐，突然前面出现一大片蔗林，乡民便逃入蔗林躲避，避过倭寇，逃过鬼门关。这天正是大年初九，逃出生天的乡民都认为这是天公救命，于是每年的大年初九凌晨便祭拜天公，以谢救命之恩。而拜甘蔗也具有不忘蔗林藏身救命之恩。”

“另一传说是，古时有一名孟将军，他到某个地方，只要喝了当地的水，就会讲当地的话，他就以这门本事辨别汉人。 可是他到了福建，手下竟然拿了外省的水给他喝，结果他一直不懂讲福建话。他便以为福建人不是汉人，就下令大开杀戒，福建人枉死无数。到了大年初九那天，从外省运来的水喝光了，孟将军才喝到福建的水，会讲起福建话，这时他才知道杀错人，马上下令封刀。而福建人认为这是天公所赐，让他们逃过大劫，便在初九凌晨拜天公谢恩。”

前两天是农历正月初八，也福建人的新年。我、Wee-Peng和Jason到访了Jason的两个伯母的家和Murphy的家去见识福建人的拜天公。同时我们也见识到了峇峇福建人为拜天公准备功夫的细腻。

Two days ago (Sunday midnight) was the 8th day of the first month of lunar calendar. On the 9th day, it would be the celebration known to the Hokkiens as ‘Bai Tian Gong’, which literally means ‘praying the Heaven God’.

During a Chinese New year of the Ming Dynasty, there was a bandit raid in the province of Hokkien. These intruders however robbed and burned down villages, attacked and killed the villagers. The people of the villages were in fear and escaped from their burnt villages during the night.

Some of the villagers then hid themselves among the sugarcane fields. Needless to say, those villagers prayed to Heaven God (Tian Gong)  for salvation during their hideout. The pursuing intruders spent many days trying to locate and hunt them but to no avail. On the ninth day of that Chinese New Year, they finally gave up and returned to their region.

The Hokkiens then happily emerged from the sugar cane fields, and praising the blessings of the celestial deities and owing gratitude to the sugarcane plants for saving them from destruction. Thus, in all Hokkien celebrations, the sugarcane plant is given prominence.

Realizing that it was also the 9th Day of the Chinese New Year and coincidentally the birthday of Heaven God, they decided to make votive offerings and prayers to the Jade Emperor for their salvation. There are many version of the Hokkiens’ Bai Tian Gong stories. Whichever it is, the hokkiens believe that our life and prosperity are granted by the Heaven God.

On the eve of the 9th day, a pair of sugarcane plants are used by the Hokkiens usually placed one on each side of the offering table or  the front door of the house. The pair of the sugarcane symbolises unity, cooperation and strength. The sugarcane itself is a symbol of harmony and a token which can bring good and ‘sweet’ results. The very straightness of the sugarcane stem also ensures that the Hokkiens can become a clan of honest and sincere people.

Three family houses I visited together with Jason and Wee-Peng, two of my best friends on the eve of Bai Tian Gong festival. The first two houses we visited were the family of Jason’s aunties, and the last house we went was my best friend, Murphy’s house. Jason comes from a Baba-and-Nyonya family so the prayers of Tian Gong for them is a grant event of the year. The celebration they held for the past few years I visisted were so unique and special. Each of the table setup and the offerings, the preparation were carefully done and also involved a lot of manpower. 

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