31st Baba Nyonya Convention 2018 in Indonesia KHABAIR KHABAIR facebook: Gunong Sayang Association Such exciting news! A very special promotion extended to members of GSA. Held in Tangerang-Banten, Indonesia, members will have a choice of 3 options. DECEMBER 2017 ISSUE 7/2016-2018 1. Convention only. 23 – 25 Nov, 2018. Tentative cost for 3D2N – US$250/ person twin sharing* 2. Convention + Lasem, a visit to the Capital City of Peranakans. 23 – 27 Nov, 2018. Tentative cost for 5D4N – US$450/person twin sharing* Dear members, 3. Convention + Lasem + Semarang + Yogya + Borobudur (full programs). 23 – 29 Nov, 2018. We had a slew of activities these past few months! Do read about some of them in this issue. If you Tentative cost for 7D/6N – US$550/person twin sharing* can log on to our Facebook page, you’ll see more photographs and read more news on the events that have unfolded and future ones as well. * Prices exclude admin fee of US$10 for members and US$30 for non members. I’ll cut to the chase and tell you more about what’s upcoming. I’m really excited to share on three events in this issue. Firstly, to recapture the good old days when the GSA clubhouse was situated This early bird offer is valid till 31 March 2018. along Ceylon Road, when members would just stroll in and it was a venue to catch up with each other 2018’s convention will be hosted by Pertiwi (Peranakan Tionghoa Warga Indonesia) and the venue or discuss will be NOVOTEL Hotel, Tang City Mall – Tangerang-Banten, Indonesia. matters, play cherki and mah-jong and belt out lagu lagu, we are bringing that day back! Look out for Note : Flights to and from Indonesia at participant’s own cost. Hari Jolly! Contact : Nyonya Corrine @ 9689 5699 Secondly, Taon Anjing mo sampay lo… the GSA Chinese New Year Bazaar is happening again! Keep that weekend free and swing down to Joo Chiat Place. Your order form for Kueh Kueh is attached to this newsletter, too. Do place your orders soon. Purchases members can make from GSA Lastly, next year’s Baba Nyonya Convention takes place in Indonesia! Time for sarong hunting, folks! Baba Matthew’s cookbook “Daily Nonya Dishes” at a member’s price of only $40! The host, Pertiwi (Peranakan Tionghoa Warga Indonesia) has extended a special early bird price to Call Nyonya Jacqueline to order your autographed copies @ 9109 7585 members. Read more about it inside. Beautiful porcelain wares with Peranakan motifs. They make wonderful Christmas gifts! Before you turn the page, on behalf of the Management Committee, I’d like to wish each of you a From coffee cups, tea sets, 3-tiered kueh kueh trays to bathroom accessories. very happy new year. May 2018 be a year of new experiences and fulfilling endeavours, of rekindling Call Nyonya Lilian @ 9674 1158 or Nyonya Corrine @ 96895699 to place orders. friendships and family ties and embarking upon a healthier and happier life…and do fit GSA occasion- ally into it… Yours sincerely, Nyonya Jacqueline Tan Together with the GSA Editorial Team Special thanks to Nyonya Amelyn Thompson and Nyonya Christina Wee Page 8 Page 1 RECENT HAPPENINGS upcoming events “Hari Jolly” - 13 Jan 2018 Nationwide Inventory, National Heritage Board Come to GSA for this Open House! We will have this monthly (unless there’s a big event on that month) NHB is currently in the process of for members to hang out and meet. documenting and archiving parts of Singapore’s heritage. There are about We will be having cherki sessions. If you picked up the game at one of our cherki classes, you must come 170 items and Dondang Sayang is one and practise. Don’t worry. Advanced players can have their own table! that falls under our Intangible Cultural Heritage. Nyonya Audrey Tan and Baba Also, a jam session with probably the ukulele or bring your own instruments, flute ka, violin ka, accordion Frederick Soh contributed to this ka. It’s for anyone who just wants to enjoy an afternoon of music, even if all you’d like to do is sing. We inventory on aspects of the practice have the lagu lagu song sheets…no worries. and history of this performance art. On 11 August, Ms Vivienne Wee from We welcome members who want to share some kueh kueh or food. A good time for those who went for Ethnographica and her team spent an “Mari Kita Bikin Kueh Kueh” workshop to get guinea pigs to try your kueh. evening at GSA recording and interviewing them. Kamsiah la It’s an Open House. We can meet and chat about sarongs, kebayas, sambal belachan, GSA’s future events Frederick sama Audrey! You do GSA listed below, etc. Just stay open to other possibilities! proud! Date : Saturday, 13 Jan 2018 Time : 4 – 9 pm. Come at any time and stay for as long as you wish to between the stated hours. “Mari Kita Chakap Baba” September 2017 Intake ends Venue : GSA clubhouse @ 80 Joo Chiat Place, Singapore 427797 Yet another course has ended after 8 sessions of discussions and introductions to the vocabulary that surround Peranakan cuisine like Bakwan Kepiting and Sambal Timun, on the use of Daun Delima (pomegranate leaves) while in a game of mah-jong or cherki and on what we affectionately describe as Baba Slang! How do we Peranakans celebrate such an occasion? Chinese New Year Bazaar @ GSA Tok Panjang la, apa lagi eh? Congratulations to all 30 participants and a warm welcome to hang out with GSA for future events and when the doors of GSA open to invite you in, remember to ask, “Apa khabair? Baik tak?” Page 2 Page 7 Launch of Baba Lloyd Matthew Tan’s Cook- book “Daily Nonya Dishes” GSA’s 107th Anniversary Dinner & Dance - Malam Cabaret, 14 Oct 2017 For one special weekend (18 and 19 November 2017), GSA was honoured to host the launch of Guess who hosted the event? We all Baba Lloyd Matthew Tan’s new cookbook - Daily Nonya thought she was thrown into jail for Dishes. More than 150 GSA members and guests stealing her mother-in-law’s jewellery eagerly came, some dressed in their sarong kebaya and but there she was at Fairmont best batik, to get their first glimpse of the much-awaited Singapore, donning a bright red gown book. Among our many esteemed guests was our patron, belting out “Ja Jambo” as the opening Madam Ong Poh Neo. number to welcome diners! And as luck would have it, Betty met Chong Guan, Baba Matthew shared that putting together this book had Poh Geok and Bibik Rempah Curry at been a 15-year labour of love. He closed with a gem from that very dinner! Alamak! his mother, “Mo mandi, mandi basah basah. Mo makan, makan kenyang kenyang!” (If you want to take a bath, be sure to get thoroughly wet. If you want to eat, be sure to Our ever supportive patron, Nyonya eat until you are full!) With that, his publisher, Mr Goh Eck Anastasia Liew of Bengawan Solo, with Keng, invited the appreciative guests to help themselves her music-loving husband, Baba Johnson putting the dance floor to good use. to the dishes that Baba Matthew had specially prepared. It was a mouthwatering spread of sambal kim chiam, satay ayam bakar, ayam goreng tauyu lada, and buboh udang. By the end of the weekend, all the books personally signed by Baba Matthew had found new homes. We at GSA are grateful to have been a part of this event and we share Baba Matthew’s wish that his family’s recipes and stories will go on to inspire more families to incorporate Peranakan dishes into their daily repertoire. Looking elegant in her kebaya, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Health, Dr Amy Khor taking a photo of something to remem- “Mari Kita Main Cherki” - 4 Nov 2017 ber Malam Cabaret by. We wonder… what did she capture in her camera? To her right is Baba Alvin Teo, President of GSA and to her left, Baba Peter Lee. 15 participants from varying age groups came to pick up the finer points of playing the card game of Cherki from Baba KT. Rules and pan- tangs (taboos) were discussed much to the delight of all. With the chance to play a hand or two, three hours flew by too soon. Included was an afternoon tea to mingle, the class ended aptly with the singing of our Cherki Lagu. Suara Sayang members on stage with Adek Sayang members dancing, led by Nyonya Christina with their rendition of “Tari Tualang Tiga.” Page 6 Page 3 President’s Star Charity 2017 30th Baba Nyonya Convention in Penang What a night that turned out to be! Although it was over in a few minutes, the months of prepara- tion that went behind it was well worth the effort. Quoting Mediacorp’s Glenda Chong, “I had such a blast learning how to ronggeng with the GSA folks. Finally I can gelek just like the bibiks. Also, Apom Berkuah is my new favourite kueh.” Please do check out GSA’s Facebook page for the posts that led up to the memorable event on 10 December. Taken backstage just 3 minutes before performers went on stage for GSA’s Lagu Kueh Kueh. More than 400 delegates from Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand and other states in Here with Paul Foster (extreme left), Paige Chua (back row, 3rd from left) and Pierre Png (back row, 2nd from Malaysia attended the 3-day convention from 24 to 26 November 2017 in Penang, the beautiful right).