Sunday Sightseeing 12th June Part II

Assalaamu'alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

continuation...

This is the Pulau Pinang Museum that I talked about in previous post. Not so many things to be seen but just enough to understand Pulau Pinang or Penang Island in the past. A section at the first floor is in renovation. I made few notes for things that I had seen in the museum. The entrance fee is just RM1 for an adult. I saw two Japanese tourists with a local Japanese translator which is a Chinese explaining things to the tourists. 

What I could recall is that there are Chinese and Indian section at the ground floor. The Chinese floor displayed things like cultural traits of Strait Chinese who had been born overseas in Malayan Peninsula and Penang since 15th C. Besides they speak in local Malay dialect called loghat Tanjung and in the same time maintaining their Daoism folk beliefs. 

Later in late 19th C, there are new immigrants from China who thought that they would only be here temporarily but later have to settle down and now being apart of Malaysia. I had jot down some of their burial customs but I can not snap pictures. Anyway, I was kind of lazy too. 

I would just put the notes in another site for Chinese learning regarding cultural traits for those who are interested to know about Chinese community in Malaysia but still yet establishing close contact with them. Local Chinese have their own cultural remarks too. May Allah permits it.

Indian community in Penang is quite diverse too since British colonial administration had brought them from various states in India. There are Malayalis from Kerala, Telugus from Andhra Pradesh, Gujaratis from Gujarat, and Tamilians from Tamil Nadu. They represent various religious groups mainly Muslims and Hindus.

This is the stairs to the first floor of the museum. The first floor displays native Malays cultural traits and how they live during British administration and Japanese occupation. I had also seen postcards showing the pictures of Penang Island during British administration. They also had tram in Ayer Hitam.

This is an Anglican Church called St. George Church just beside Penang State Museum. I can't go inside the church to take a look because they would close the door if there is no occasion or specific prayers.

Anglican Church is different from Catholic Church displayed in the previous post because it is independent from Papal supervision in Vatican and it is English but their sacraments are almost the same to Old Catholics. I don't know how to explain it because I just observe it from the occasions while doing some readings about their sectarian and religious division. European and Eastern Churches have their own development too. 

Just additional sharing anyway since I saw some kids here were eager to perform da'awa to others. As to say, we must also know about others, tak banyak pun sedikit-sedikit lah. I have bunch of notes in both Arabic and English regarding Christianity and their churches beside some notes about their gospels and testaments. Some had already gone since I moved around a lot. I also tried to make notes in Chinese for Islamic studies materials, in case if I need them.

The bus stand beside St. George Church. We can have a ride in a shuttle bus for sight-seeing but I choose to walk. It would be easier to see around while walking compared to be in a transport and Georgetown isn't so big.

to be continued...