Melaka's The Bendahari hops on board Baba Nyonya Literary Festival

Singapore-based Baba Nyonya Literary Festival returns on March 19-20 at the National Library Building across the Causeway. The good news is that this year's edition of the festival will include a cross border collaboration and fringe programme in Melaka, starting on March 18.

"The Peranakan Association Singapore, which organises the Baba Nyonya Literary Festival, wanted to see how it could expand and invite other Baba Nyonya communities in the region to participate in the fest in some form - digital or in-person. This is the first time the Melaka Baba Nyonya community has an official representation - as a fringe programme - at the festival. It's an exciting restart for the pandemic-hit traditional arts and culture scene in Melaka, especially with the chance to showcase Baba Nyonya traditions and multicultural links," says Melissa Chan, the founder of The Bendahari, a creative heritage hub in Melaka.