MELAKA: For Sara Frederica Santa Maria (pic), Christmas is more than just a holiday; it’s an opportunity to celebrate her cultural heritage. This year, she took it a step further by producing a Christmas pageant entirely in Kristang.
Sta Maria, a cultural enthusiast from the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir here, is passionate about preserving Kristang, a Creole language spoken by the Portuguese-descendant community in Melaka.
The play she staged won the hearts of those attending a lighting-up ceremony on Saturday.
“I choreographed the play exclusively in the local Portuguese language to create a traditional Yuletide mood among my villagers,” she said at the event.
The pageant, which took place after a 14-year hiatus, involved 16 participants.
Sta Maria, who was also instrumental in orchestrating the play’s inaugural performance in December 2010, and another fluent Kristang speaker coached the cast to deliver a thrilling performance.She credits her grandparents, who spoke both Kristang and Malay Peranakan, with teaching her the language.
“Luckily, all four of my children can speak the language and help me to champion it. I want to preserve the local Portuguese language, culture and heritage together with my family,” she said.Sta Maria, who also teaches Melaka Portuguese, has come up with various materials on preserving the community’s legacy by working with others, such as an ongoing collaboration with a local public university to conserve her language and culture.
She said her online classes have helped many to communicate with others in their native language.She aims to establish an institution dedicated to teaching Kristang and encouraging youth to embrace their linguistic heritage.
