Opening homes for heritage's sake

When I was approached to be a judge for this year’s Melaka Tourism Awards and to choose the "Best Tourist Attraction - Traditional House", my first question was "What’s a traditional house? Aren’t all the houses in Malay kampungs (villages) traditional?" (Pictured above: Kampung Padang Sebang)

The answer: "Come and see for yourself as the traditional houses in Melaka are a class of their own".

With that ringing in my head I arrived in Melaka to be immediately whisked off by my three charming minders in a four wheel to start my tour of the five houses I had to judge. And, in the process, I discovered Melaka "hidden gems", not much publicised and oft skipped by visitors as they are not on the itinerary of the usual "must visit" attractions, such as Jonker Walk,The Stadthuys or the Malacca River Cruise.

A pity really as they are buildings of unique architecture and beauty as I found during my journey of discovery.

A typical traditional Melaka house stands on 12 to 16 main pillars (about two metres high). Its most striking feature is the decorative flower-motif tiled steps, which also serve as the house’s main entrance. (pictured above the steps of Kampung Duyong)

The houses are very colourful. Villa Sentosa (pictured below) has a pink driveway and red tiled steps, Kampung Bukit Palah is in brilliant yellow, while the others are in various hues.

There is no entrance fee. Visitors can just wander into the house and a member of the family, who stays in the house, happily shows them around. If they wish, the visitors can make a donation, with the contributions going to the upkeep of the house.

When I asked Abdul Rahim Hj Hashim, Villa Sentosa’s owner, why he opened his home to strangers, he answered: "Why not? We are very proud of our ancestry and happy to share our heritage and our family history with our guests from both within Malaysia and overseas”.

This was a common refrain from the other owners I posed the same question to.

Such a selfless act is indeed rare in an industry where the dollar sign reigns dominant, and where giving back is still the norm rather than the rule.

As I journeyed from house to house I discovered there are other commonalities among them:

•  They are treasure troves of family heirlooms, ancient artefacts and memorabilia, some almost a century old

•  The owners and their families stay in the house, so there is always someone to show tourists around – that’s the reason for the houses being commonly referred to as "living museums".

•  House owners cater meals, usually lunch or tea, on requests only.

Villa Sentosa, which proudly proclaims itself on brochures as “The Living Museum”, is the crème la crème of all the traditional houses in Melaka. Strategically located within the city centre, along the Melaka River and near hotels, it’s very popular with tourists.

This beautiful house was built in the1920s in the style fashionable during the era. Once inside it’s as if time stood still and I was transported back to the early 1900s through the intriguing collection of costumes, Malay embroidery, furniture, muskets and a wide array of ancient relics. (pictured above)

Such family heirlooms are prevalent in all the houses, each with their own history and stories.

The 100-year old Kampung Padang Sebang is far more resplendent, and is a beautiful integration of Malay and Chinese culture in its design, embellishments and decorations. (pictured below)

Its carved tiling roof top are reminiscent of the roofs in ancient building in China, the main wooden structure used the dovetail technique with no nail, its long vertical windows were designed with louvers, and the roof tiles were from Italy. A truly magnificent house.

However, this house is a bit off the tourist track. Its owner, Haji Hashim bin Taha, said he didn’t know how the tourists find out about his house. “They come in small groups, and usually visit on their way in or out of Melaka, as the road where my house is enroute to Melaka.”

I personally like Kampung Duyong run by the husband and wife team of Fatimah and Yusof. It is cosy, beautifully decorated with artefacts dating back decades. The steps leading to the house are the most beautiful I have ever seen in such a house.

A remarkable fact is the house has been painstakingly reconstructed, as the government acquired the land where the original house stood. It’s filled with all the assets of a traditional house.

Beyond a glimpse into the family's history tourists can enjoy homestay in a small house next to the traditional house, plus traditional massage and reflexology by Yusof.

The other two houses, Kampung Pengkalan Batu (pictured below left) and Kampung Bukit Palah (below right) are just as impressive, each dating back decades and a family museum in its own rights.

The owners of the houses are rather laidback in marketing their beautiful assets, relying instead on word of mouth and support of the Melaka State Government under Perzim (Melaka Museum Corporation). All the houses are listed in the Melaka Museum and that's where usually how tourists find out about them.

At least two of the five are working with local travel agents to bring in the visitors.

However, with the popularity of social media some of the owners expressed their interest in using this medium for promotion, but not really jumping into it yet. As they said, they were happy with the current visitor numbers and helping, in their small way, to promote Melaka’s rich history through their living museums.

My journey to Melaka, though short, was enriching as I came up close and personal with a small group of people who proudly open their homes for heritage's sake.

• Photos courtesy of the writer