MELAKA - HOMES TO MANY LANDS

Melaka Empire had varnished and with it, three centuries was long enough to reduce her to a place many people once called, A Sleepy Hollow.

Inter-marriages was common when Melaka was an international trading place and such marriages produced heterogeneous people for Melaka. The people of Melaka not just represented the various races from the Nusantara region but also represented other nationalities from other countries in the world. Because of that, there were as many as 84 types of languages used during the old era.

At that time, the Raja, the Kerabat DiRaja and the Para Pembesar governed the empire. The present Bendahara Street (Jalan Bendahara or Wolfestan Road) had a kampung (village) where the Para Pembesar once lived. There was also a Kampung near to Laksamana Street but today you cannot see the kampung. These kampungs were near to the hill where the Raja Palace was.

Separated by the Melaka River, the population was denser in the north during the empire period. You should take a river cruise to understand more. Rich merchants had managed robust trading activities along the bank a long long time ago. Melaka was never unfriendly but has opened herself to any foreigner to participate freely in trades. Traders had connected the East and the West and they had either stayed in Melaka or had made frequent visits from their home countries.

Connected with their frequent visits, Melakans have learned how to wear their hair in knot from the Chinese; how to eat rice on banana leaf with hand from traders on spices; and mixed Javanese cooking methods in their kitchens. You don't have to travel to Portugal just to taste Portuguese food. You can travel to their settlement in Melaka to taste Portuguese food for dinner this Saturday if you wish. The settlement attracted them when they roamed about in Tanjopacer around 1511. Tanjonpacer is actually today Ujong Pasir.

We'll talk about Kampung China, Kampung Keling, Kampung Chetti, Kampung Java, Kampung Morten and all other kampungs in time to come. Keep following ....