Chinese in Kelantan constitute roughly 4%
out of the entire 1.4 million Kelantanese in which the Malays alone make up 95%.
Though very small in number compared to other states in Malaysia, their presence is undeniably very significant and contributes much to the state's prosperity.
The Kelantanese Chinese are historically, culturally and demographically unique compared to their cousins in other parts of Malaysia.
The earliest confirmed arrival was of the Hakka Chinese who came and went up the Kelantan River roughly 400 years ago, going deep into the interior, eventually settling down at a remote post now called Pulai in Gua Musang.
Pada 400 Tahun dahulu, iaitu lebih kurang tahun 1600 zaman hamper keruntuhan pemerintah Dynasti Ming, terdapat segolongan rakyat cina mula berhijrah ke Kampung Pulai melalui Sungai kelantan dan Sungai Galas untuk mencari gali emas. Apabila tiba di Kota Bharu, ketua golongan ini pergi mengadap Sultan kelantan dan mereka dapat mengenalpasti bau air sungai Kelantan pada ketika itu di mana di satu tempat yang terletak di kawasan ulu,pendalaman bukit-bukau dan hutan rimba itu, iaitu di Kampung Pulai kaya raya dengan emas. Mereka menaiki kapal kecil (Tongkang) mengikut Sungai Kelantan dan Sungai Galas yang mengambil masa 2-3 minggu baru sampai di Pulai.
( Kenny Chee Sien Chen )
There, they engaged in gold mining ( it is well known, since ancient times that the Kelantanese interior is littered with gold ) and though, such large scale activity is no longer existed today, the people continue to reside there in rather isolated manner from the mainstream Chinese. These Hakka Chinese, confined to the extreme reach of the interior is however, smaller in number compared to the Hokkiens that followed later.
The first Hokkiens came down to Kelantan through the Isthmus of Kra soon later or perhaps around the same time as the Hakka of Pulai. They scattered all over the Kelantanese plain, living side by side with either Malay or Thai neighbours, working the land as farmers, adopting local customs and languages in the process. Amidst hardships on the adopted foreign land, they thrived very well as the then " Siamese-appointed " British Advisor to the Kelantanese Court, W.A. Graham, noted in his guidebook on Kelantan ( 1908 ) :
The Straits Chinese followed much later ( some a hundred years ago ) during the beginning of British takeover of Kelantan in 1909. They sailed up from the Straits or Singapore and are easily distinguishable from the early Chinese settlers as they prefer to stay in towns, indulging in trades or working as labourers instead of farming.
The terminology, Cina Bandar and Cina Kampung came to being later from such differences in economic activities as well as the level of social interactions they show in regards of the native population. Still, both mixed well with the locals and many placed in their daily lives the Kelantanese identity as their favorable forefront identity.
( TRIVIA : The Kelantanese Malays refer the Kelantanese Chinese as Chino Kito or Chino Kelate while those from other states as Chino Luwaa. Such reference is made since the Kelantanese tend to see the Kelantanese Chinese as a part of themselves thus giving them a special place in the closely knitted, culturally sensitive Kelantanese society, compared to the non-Kelantanese Chinese aka Chino Luwaa )
So to speak, the Kelantanese Chinese are so well assimilated ( without the expense of their own cultures and religions ) and well immersed in the local atmosphere that many speak fluent and beautiful Kelantanese far better than the non-Kelantanese Malays who had spent much of their lives in Kelantan ( believe it or not, even better than some native Kelantanese Malays themselves ! ) I heard one who can even perform Wayang Kulit in the local dialect ! Either it comes from deep interaction with the larger Malay populations or simply because the Kelantanese Malay dialect is " pronunciation-friendly " to the Chinese speakers, I have no idea but to wonder.
Pasar Pokok Pinang, Kota Bharu, Kelantan :
A typical morning scene at a back street wet market, much favored by the local Chinese.
Pasar Pokok Pinang ( top image ) seen from Jalan Suara Muda in Kota Bharu.
The wet market started from a typical Kelantanese makeshift markets where peddlers trade their goods by the street sides, to passing padesterians. Gaining popularity, it later turned into a permanent market place, which caters mostly to the Chinese kitchen needs and perhaps the only place in Kota Bharu where pork is openly butchered and sold ( the premise at the right ).
Normally closed from dusk to dawn, the area would only come to life at night once a year, on few nights before Chinese New Year ( below image ).
Caption reads "Chinese Joss-House, Kampong China" ( from Kelantan : A State of The Malay Peninsula , W.A Graham, 1908 ).
Unfortunately, the source didn't mention anything about it other than this old photo which was taken around 1905. From from the look, location and probability, it looks very similar to the 200 years old Tokong Mek of Kampong China ( present day photo, below ). Is this really Tokong Mek a hundred years ago ?
Sources : http://raykinzoku.fotopages.com
Edited by Hang Li Po, 18 October 2007 - 10:39 AM.