Peranakan

Stories were told of Captain Francis Light shooting silver coins from his cannon towards the North Eastern part of Penang island in order to clear and populate the area. Locals hacked their way through dense jungle to retrieve the coins thus serving his purpose.

Archaeological discoveries of Chinese potteries suggested that Chinese seafarers began arriving at the Malay Peninsular from as early as the time of the Han Dynasty. (206 BC - AD 220) These seafarers were mostly merchants who stopped for trade and supplies. The Straits of Malacca was an ideal shelter while waiting for changes in the monsoon season. Some started spending more time on land to establish small businesses. In the absence of Chinese women, these men started setting up homes with local Malay girls. Islam was introduced to these shores only after the 13th century and polygamy was the norm. The seafarers typically had Chinese wives back home and others around the region, local wives to look after businesses in their absence.

Hang Li Po's entourage included 500 youths of noble birth who married the  non-Muslim locals. By the mid 15th century, most of the Malay population embraced Islam. By then, small communities of descendants from earlier Sino-Malay marriages were established. It is from this pool that newly arrived Chinese picked their wives. Subsequent marriages of their offspring within the community created the Peranakan Cina.

Source: The Pinang Peranakan Mansion by Chan Suan Choo