02/16/99
Malaka (aka Malacca, Melaka)
True surprise. Had always conjured grim visions of
the city of Malaka (possibly because it rhymes with
'kaka'?), but I never knew anyhting about it. On the
western coast of peninsular malaysia, Malaca is the
Brugge of Asia. The city is still roughly the same
size as it was 500 years ago when the Pourtugese
determined that who owns Malaka owns Venice. The
ferry we took from Dumai, Indonesia dropped us off in
the same small muddy river that the Dutch violently
wrested from the Portugese and the British later took
in the same fashion. There are 300 year old churches.
Remanats of a 400 year old fort that walled the
entire city. Before the Europeans got here it was run
for centuries by sultans (descendents of Indonesian
dynasties), mostly Muslims who adopted the religion
of the early arab trades.
But the history is so much more complex than that.
For centuries Chinese have come to make Melaka home.
Same with Indians. Times waxed and waned for Malaka,
the Portuguese made no money because their hatred of
Islam led traders to go to other ports. The Dutch
brought on hard times by imposing a strict tax that
pushed trade to the Brit's newly founded free port of
Singapore. Rubber finally revitalized the town for
the last time and since 1850s has been doing just fine.
Today Melaka has got to be one of the happiest
culturally diverse cities on the planet. Dark Tamils
sell spices next to Chinese fabric shops. Both of
whom appear they just got off the boat, yet their
great grandfathers probally owed the same shops 100
years ago. Deeper investigation reveals great
diversity among the Chinese (different provinces,
different waves of immigration, different
inter-marrying tradtions) and the Indians (Muslims
from the North, Hindus from Tamil, Sikhs, Sri
Lankans). There is still a community that speaks
ancient Portuguese. Then of course their are all the
Malays ethnicities. The Westerners, The city folks
from KL, the villagers from the hill tribes. And
everyone has access to their piece of the pie and
everyone gets along. We saw Chinese celebrating their
New Years eating Indian food. Traditional Saris and
silks, muslim caps and handmade fabrics and worn and
the differences aren't even noticed. Muslim shawled
women driving cars, Chinese men speaking Indian
tongues and no negative words. There must be some
annimosities, but it would require a more astute eye
and longer stay to unearth.
Tomorrow we head off to Sinapore (4hr bus) for a
quick 3 day looksee. Then back up to Thailand. Should
be easy to stay in regular contact. See you then.
Julie
jalondon@hotmail.com
02/12/99
Alive and within Internet access again!
Sumatera was amazing. Hard travelling, but deep deep stuff. Highlights
were living for a week with tribal jungle families on the offshore
island of Sibereut. Slogged miles thru mud, slept feet above the pigs,
Jules got more bites then are classifiable, rode in 40' long boats cut
from single tree trunks .... Saw orangutans in forests Lowlights are
long and painfull to remember. I've got pages to get out, but not today,
tomorrow I'll get there.
Fact:
We ferried into Melaka from Sumatera yesterday. We were the only people
we met the whole time who were travelling in from the south of Sumatera
up to the north. Long hard road, that!
Melaka (which used to conjure Calcutta like visions in my head, maybe
because it rhymes with kaka?) is a great ancient Malaysian city, so deep
in culture yet nice and compact. We're tickled pink to be walk unnoticed
all over, have plethoras of food choice rolled out before us and
countless other goodies. I'll go into later.
Chinese new years gonna be huge here. (the 16th) should be a ton of
more.
More to come, miss you all
T-
tedinasia@hotmail.com
