Josephine ChiaNyonya Josephine Chia visits Peranakan Reimagined at Sensoryscape on Sentosa.
As Peranakans, we rest easier when there is any event that promotes our heritage. It means that our culture is alive and is of interest to others. Some naysayers moan that technology, the modern way of living and the fast pace of life have no room for the intricacies of our traditions. But the very fact that we now have a Peranakan Museum and many of our sister-organisations are continually producing plays, musicals and other entertainment show that there is a yen to lap up stories and history of our people.
So, it is wonderful that Sentosa should run a sensory Peranakan experience for the public to showcase our heritage and culture. The promotion began in May 2025 and will end on the 31st August. It is free to attend so there is still time yet if you have not been. Though Peranakans will be filled with nostalgia at the many displays which evoked old memories for those of us who are in the Merdeka and Pioneer Generations, the target audience is the general populace and tourists who may not know much about Peranakans or our culture.
The outdoor installations stretch alongside Palawan Beach to Siloso Point.
You can access the exhibits by car, cable car or monorail. By monorail from Vivocity, you need to stop at either Imbiah Station or Beach Station. If you take the cable-car from Mount Faber, you can alight at Sensoryscape, Imbiah Lookout or Siloso Point Cable car stations. You will be pleased to know that the cable car cabins are decorated like Peranakan shophouses.
You can take a gentle stroll along the sheltered outdoor walkway to view the exhibits.
Besides the usual displays of sarong kebayas for our nyonyas and batik shirts for our Babas, there are glass showcases of Peranakan jewelry, kerosang and belts. What is unique is the giant models of nyonyaware like the chupu, kamcheng, tingkat and even sireh set. There is an exceptional pair of giant kasut manek with at the Field of Beaded Bloom which proudly showcases a multitude of 198 beaded slipper designs!
The writer revelling within a mock-up of a Peranakan house facade (right)
There is something for everyone, child or adult, interactive or otherwise.
How can there be any Peranakan event without food? You can savour nyonya cuisine at the various partners of the programme like the Native Kitchen at Village Hotel Sentosa, Wildseed Cafรฉ, Ola Beach, Sentosa Golf Club. You can go posh or just have a Peranakan bento! I gave a talk about our culture at Village Hotel Sentosa on 25th July.
Right in the centre of the Gallery Loop is a beautiful structure of a Peranakan shophouse which has a diorama of Peranakan family portraits, some in sepia of old motorcars and other activities. I even recognised a photo of one of our members, Christine Ong with her parents.
What is truly special that come night-time, this exhibit and various others come alive with colourful lightshows that will bring you joy. You can hear the children squeal with delight as they chase rainbow streaks across the grounds.
All in all, I found it a truly marvelous sensory wonder.
