Echoes of the Bastion: A Journey into Malacca’s Soul
Decades ago, before the tides were pushed back by reclamation, the Malacca Straits breathed just 100 meters from the "Bastion House." This British-built landmark stood as a silent witness to the city’s layered history nestled between the Dutch Stadhuys and the enduring stones of the Portuguese A’Famosa.
DECADES ago, school holidays were spent in the flat of my Uncle Sabapathy, housed in the old Dunlop building in Malacca called, in suitably august terms “The Bastion House”.
In the days before land reclamation, Malacca as “Bandar Bersejarah” with its Cowboy and Indian farce tourist shows, decorated trishaws, and concrete mangosteen drink stalls, the waters of the Malacca Straits would come within one hundred metres of these British-built residences. These residences were housed at the far end of the once resplendent Dutch administrative complex, the Stadhuys, and the single standing remains of the Portuguese fort built to fend off the Dutch assault in the 17th century, known as A’ Famosa.
The Rhythm of the Settlement Today, that history doesn't just sit in museums; it dances. The legacy of the Portuguese Settlement lives on through the vibrant sounds of the Fiesta San Pedro. What began as a 1970s revival by pioneers like Noel Felix and Joe Lazaroo has evolved into a living, breathing celebration of "D’Albuquerque’s Children."
Experience the evolution of tradition with 1511 O Maliao Maliao, led by Gerard De Costa, as they bring the soul of the Portuguese Settlement to life through music, innovation, and an unbreakable bond with the sea.