While Malacca has multi-racial citizens of Malays, Chinese, and Indians reflecting the overall racial make-up of Malaysia, it is the Peranakan and Portuguese culture that is still practiced by a few descendant communities that attract visitors. The Peranakan and Portuguese descendants in Malacca today are the product of the state’s long history with trading and colonization by Oriental and Western powers.
1. The Malays
The majority of Melaka people`s are the Malays and they normally live in villages as tight-knit communities. They speak Malay, practice Islam and bear Arabic names and are live with traditions.
2. The Chinese
The second largest society is the Chinese. Synonyms with business and entrepreneurship, the Chinese are normally predominant in the cities. Despite the passage of time and progress this race comprising of the several dialect groups such as Hokkien, Cantonese, Hakka, Teochew and Hainanese maintain their legacies and still practice their various traditional festivities and religious rites.
3. The Indians
The Indians make up another vital ethnic group Melaka. Deepavali is the primary celebration of the Hindu Indians and Thaipusam being their religious event with various rituals including a procession from one temple to another.
4. The Baba Nyoyas/Peranakan
Malacca is also where the Babas and Nyonyas or Peranakan begin. They are ancestry of the Chinese who arrive in Melaka and married locals. They maintain many Chinese customs but Malay is their mother-tongue. They have adopted the Malay-style of a style of dressing.
5. The Chittys
The Melaka chitty are strait-born Indian and children of Indian traders who came from Panai Koromandel in India. This unique community is the ancestry of early India merchant who comes here sometime during the 15th century. They practice Hindu belief, speak Malay, food is typical Indian and they practice the traditional Indian wedding ceremony. The chitty women wear `sarung` just like the Nyoyas and traditional Malay women.