Tradition

If you are a history buff then on your tour to Penang, a visit to Pinang Peranakan Mansion is a must. While here, you can uncover the mysterious past of the Peranakans — descendants of Chinese immigrants. Over the years, the mansion gained popularity because of a drama series called “The Little Nyonya”.

About the Pinang Peranakan Mansion

A UNESCO heritage site, the Pinang Peranakan Mansion forms a living cultural museum. It came about from the marriage of the local Malay and the Chinese immigrants. But mainly restored and maintained to remind the world of the rich Peranakan heritage of Penang. The exterior and interiors of the mansion highlight the various cultures that influenced its architecture. The Pinang Peranakan Mansion still remains a masterpiece. It features the British tilework, Scottish iron weldings, European furniture and Chinese carved wood panels.

Restored to showcase the living of the Chinese merchants of the 1890s, the mansion holds numerous stories to tell. A walk through the mansion is enough to lose yourself into a century-old lifestyle. The awe-worthy interiors will make you realise how elaborate and opulent the past lifestyle and traditions were. Inside the mansion, you can view everything; from jewellery to wedding attires to items of daily use.

How to visit?

The Pinang Peranakan Mansion conducts guided tours twice every day. So, we highly recommend you to take your own local tour guide along. Connect with a local travel expert on Locaguide and ask him to show you around the mansion. Without a helping hand, it is almost impossible to cover it entirely. He will show you the pieces that were used by the Peranakan families and explain the history behind them. Given the vastness of the mansion, visit the place early before the crowd starts pouring in. Thus, making yourself some time to indulge and soak in the glamour and grandeur of the mansion.

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A short trip from Kota Kinabalu, Mari Mari constitutes a village where the ethnic culture of the Borneo tribes is kept alive. The village houses five of the indigenous Borneo tribes, who continue to live in their old ways. Every tribe’s lifestyle, culture and history tell a different yet fascinating story.

You get a first-hand view of their way of life, work, customs, traditions and their clothing. Also, know what sets them apart from each other. Everyone who visits the village learns about the tribe’s rich past and ancient customs of the tribes. You can partake in each of the custom and activity to experience them personally. Every tribe showcases their hunting and survival skills to the tourists. Thus, altogether making it a fun excursion.

Things to do at Mari Mari Cultural Village

You can taste their traditional food, see how the dish is prepared and perhaps even try your hand at it. Moreover, while dining, each tribe will share with you how their tribe name came about and what it stands for. The experience of eating in an antiquated village will stay with you forever.

Spending half a day at the cultural village lets you explore activities each belonging to one of the five tribes. You can also sit back and enjoy the cultural performances or take part in them alongside the locals. The village surrounding remains a natural habitat of rainforest trees thus keeping you away from the city’s hustle and bustle.

Gain hands-on experience in traditional bamboo cooking, fire starting or play a game of Congkak(Malay game).

Furthermore, the experience of visiting the Mari Mari Cultural Village gets even better with a local travel guide accompanying you. Someone who can help you translate and understand the stories of the tribes and help you grasp the true essence. Find yourself a suitable local guide from Locaguide and plan a personalized itinerary with their help. Visit this cultural village with your guide and get a glimpse of tribal life in the Borneo islands.

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Practised for over 2,000 years in Indonesia, Batik Art forms a traditional art style. No one returns without buying Batik paintings, be it either in the form of art or clothes from Indonesia.

Batik painting originated in the Java island of Indonesia. It essentially makes use of a manual dyeing technique used to create patterns and designs on fabric. This also involves a lot of skill, patience and practice.

The process involved in Batik Art

The first step in the complicated dyeing process involves stretching a piece of fabric onto a frame. Then stamping the desired design using a mixture of beeswax and resin over it. Contemporary Batik art pieces often hold more intricate designs hand-drawn on the fabric. Using a pen-like instrument called “canting”, artists draw the hot wax onto the fabric. A copper tip and a wooden holder forms a canting. This to make sure the smooth flow of wax and so that the hot wax does not burn the hand.

Then comes the actual dyeing part where the slathering of colours on the fabric takes place. Once dried, the dye is locked through soaking the fabric in a tub of fixative. This process is repeated to add more colours to the fabric. 

If this kind of artform intrigues you, ask your travel guide from Locaguide to help. He/Shefind and register you for a hands-on Batik painting workshop. The workshop provides you with the chance to create your own Batik masterpiece. Learn this skilled artform and then sit back and listen to local stories as your Batik fabric gets ready.

Take help from your guide if you want to purchase a Batik painting souvenir. Your guide will show you how to identify weather or not it is a batik piece or just a one-sided screen painting. This unique local art makes sure to add another dimension to your Indonesia trip.

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