Friday 21 August 2009

THE RICH CULTURE OF MELAKA


The Beginning Of Historical City

Melaka is a city with a glorious past hidden each facade of the centuries-old building. Every step you take down the narrow winding roads, there will be a piece of historical treasure waiting to be discovered or an enchanting story waiting to be told. Let's take a literal stroll down memory lane because here in where it all began........








According to the historical records, Melaka was founded in 1396 by an exiled Sumatran prince named Parameswara.It was once a port-of-call for ships from Middle East, China, India, Arab Saudi and South America. The legend say’s that the prince Parameswara was out hunting one day and then take a rest under
a tree. While resting, one of his dogs cornered a mouse deer. The mouse-deer in its defence was attacked the dog by kicking the dog smartly on it’s nose. The prince was so impressed by the mouse-deer courage. He believe that this land have a potential to be a great city one day. Parameswara was named the land as ‘Melaka’ symbolic of the tree he was sitting under which was the Melaka tree.
By the end of the 15th century, Melaka had become a great trading empire from every seafaring nation such as Arabs, Indians, South Americans, China, Portuguese, Belanda and English.
Many kind of business were traded or exchanged in here. The trader from Arab, China, Indian, Portuguese, Belanda and English left it marks behind to be forged and blended into a new and unique mix. The historical melting port of cultures and races has very much influenced th architectural designs of homes and buildings in Melaka city today.
As history evolved, Melaka became the city boasts a wonderful melange of cultures - Malays, Chinese, Indians, the chittys, the Babas and Nyonyas and the Portuguese. There... in Old Melaka is where it all happened.