The multicultural nature of Malaysia is evident everywhere. In the architecture, cuisine, clothes, music and art and craft traditions. Also, in the major languages one hears such as Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, English and Tamil. In fact, the government also provides for primary education in Tamil.
The Penang State Museum and Art Gallery in Georgetown reinforces these impressions. Georgetown is the capital of Penang, a Malaysian State, and which has a special distinction. Along with Malacca City, it was formally inscribed in 2008 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The museum is a large building in white. Outside is a cast-iron statue of Francis Light, the founder of the Penang Straits Settlement. Crossing the courtyard, one goes past two large urlis with floating leaves flanking the entrance. One also encounters a bronze bust of Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II.
The two floors of the museum have several galleries, showcasing a beautiful collection of old photographs, maps, documents, antique costumes, furniture, household utensils, porcelain objects, wooden artefacts, jewellery, traditional Malaysian kites called Wau, handwritten Korans, several historical relics and much more.
On the first floor are oil paintings by William Daniels and Captain Robert Smith among other artists (some credited as anonymous).
The Malay Traditional Costumes are displayed complete with a detailed description. Another area is reserved for Daily Utensils. There are quaint tiffin dabbas (lunch boxes) in a corner. A Malay traditional house in wood has also been recreated. Long ago, Malaysians used to build homes using hardwood, points out the guide.
There are beautiful Waus on the wall near the staircase on the way to a gallery, which has marvellous handwritten Korans encased in glass. Islam is the dominant religion in Malaysia and is also recognised as the state religion, though there is a secular constitution. Every Indian one meets says that they enjoy complete religious and cultural freedom. Another room also has beautiful red Waus on the wall and traditional games (reminiscent of old Indian games) on the floor in a corner.
The ‘Chinese Traditional Hall,’ displays a furnished room with sofas, centre table, framed paintings (or photographs), cupboard, lanterns, an old telephone and lots of decorative pieces on the shelves lining the wall. Elegant and colourful porcelain items are aplenty there and in some of the other rooms. In the corridors and rooms are several kinds of ornate chairs, large cupboards and chest-of-drawers. In another room, a large and ornamental bridal bed is the centrepiece.
Another section charts the political and cultural history of Penang, including the history of the immigrant community that contributed to what Penang is today. There are details of the Baba Nyonyas or Straits Chinese, the ethnic Malay population, the European settlers, and the Indian community with Tamils, Telugus, Gujaratis and Keralites, among others receiving mention.
The section on ‘Indian Kitchen Equipment’ has cookware, grinding implements, serving utensils, glasses and plates very much like what we still see today in traditional Indian homes. In another room there are pictures of the different Indian communities in which a Tamil couple can be seen in traditional attire, with the woman in silk and wearing the typical south Indian jewellery that was in vogue last century.
Never mind that Telugus are spelt as Telegus or as one chart says, that a Malayali is also known as a ‘Malayalam, ’ the entire section is a whole-hearted tribute to the multicultural fabric of this state.
The section on Transportation shows the public-transport vehicles of the past such as buses, trains, trams cars and rickshaws. Rickshaws or trishaws as they are often called are found all over Penang even today, especially in its historical areas.
