Infusion of Malay culture into Baweanese lives

Aunt Jamaliah and her family.

A Studio Photo taken in the late 1950s.

Notice my older cousin was wearing the Malay traditional Baju Kurong.

My late father's photo albums had helped me to recall my childhood life living at Pondok Kalompang Gubuk in the 1960s. It was during the period whereby the Baweanese language was widely used among the Singaporeans of Baweanese descent. Majority of them communicate with other races in Malay language with Baweanese accent. My late grandparents used to speak to me in Baweanese language with mixture of Bahasa Melayu.

When the Baweanese from Bawean first came to live in Singapore, they were unable to speak the Malay language i.e. Bahasa Melayu. Since this language was widely spoken by the indigenous people of Singapore, i.e. the Malays, it was necessary for them to learn the language. It became even more prominent after the independence of Singapore when Bahasa Melayu became the National Language of the country.

Other than the above factors, the Baweanese living in Singapore speak the Malay language due to the fact that they shared the same religion as the Singaporean Malays. They mingled with the Malays and gradually like the other Indonesian ethnic groups living in Singapore such as the Javanese, Banjares and Bugis, they were recognised by the Malays as part of their Community.

My cousins in Baju Kurong -the traditional costume of the Malays.

Photo taken in the late 90s during Eid-ul-Fitr.

Gradually, the Baweanese living in Singapore began to dress like the Malays, putting on the Malay traditional costume. Young Baweanese ladies replaced the Kebaya and Sarong Batik with the Malay attire -Baju Kurong. The men started to put on Baju Melayu with Kain Samping Songket.

My cousin in Kebarong and her daughter in Kebaya.

Photo taken during Eid in late 1990s

However, today there are some Singaporeans of Baweanese descent who continue to put on the Kebaya but with some 'adjustments' and 'innovations'. Such Kebaya are called Kebarong. It is actually the infusion of Baju Kurong into the Indonesian Kebaya with the elimination of the Sarong Batik. There are also those who continue to put on the Kebaya without any changes.

My sister in Kebaya while my aunt in Baju Kurong.

Photo taken in 2003 during Eid.

Through the years, the Singaporeans of Baweanese descent and other Singaporean Muslims from other Indonesian ethnic groups were very much infused and blended into the Malay Community that other races in Singapore such as the Chinese, Indians, and Eurasians acknowledged them as Malays. It became more confusing when inter-marriages between these ethnic groups occurred. Today, there are many marriages between Baweanese and Malays or Baweanese and Javanese or Baweanese and other races creating profuse confusions on the Baweanese culture and heritage especially to the young Singaporeans of Baweanese descent.

Nowadays, it is difficult to identify the Baweanese living among the Malays.

Look at the above photo. Is this a Baweanese family? What do you think?

Fortunately, through Ministers' speeches and National campaigns, the Singapore Government reminds Singaporeans not to forget their roots and heritage. The Singapore Identity Card (NRIC) plays an important part in this area too. The race identity of Singaporeans is made transparent through NRIC. Hence, a Singaporean of Baweanese descent has an NRIC with his/her race clearly printed on it as Boyanese ('Boyanese' is the spelling in Singapore for 'Baweanese'). This clearly shows that the Baweanese are not Malays.