Glossaries of the Straits Chinese Homemaking

Take a glimpse into what a Peranakan family’s domestic life was back in the 20th century at this eye-opening exhibition by NUS Baba House. The Baba House was established as a conservation project with the intention of mobilising research and study into a range of disciplines. Teaming up with the Peranakan Association of Singapore, this project has since afforded a range of perspectives relating to the building’s history. The interpretative display on the first and second floors is showcased as an identifiably Peranakan home with artefacts that typify early 20th century Straits Chinese materials and social histories, as well as the contemporary perspectives that may complicate them. This exhibition brings together artefacts, artworks, video and audio recordings, and textual sources that examine the myriad ways in which the Peranakan identity is constructed.