The Portuguese Mission and the History of the Catholic Church in Singapore
When the Portuguese took control of Malacca in 1511, the Sultan of Malacca escaped south and founded the Johor Sultanate, which included...
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Spencer Low
- Dec 31, 2022
- 2 min
Living traces of Portuguese influence in the Celebes, Indonesia
I just spent a week holidaying with my family in Manado on the northern tip of Sulawesi, the fourth largest island in Indonesia. Aside...
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Spencer Low
- Oct 16, 2022
- 2 min
The little-known Portuguese influence on Vietnam
When most people think of Vietnam in a historical context, the Vietnamese war and the American role come to mind, or perhaps the French...
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Spencer Low
- Oct 11, 2022
- 1 min
How a distinctive Southeast Asian architectural style started with the Portuguese in Phuket
I had the pleasure of spending last weekend in Phuket, Thailand. Reading about things to do, I came across the fact that Old Phuket Town,...
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Spencer Low
- Sep 8, 2022
- 2 min
How a Portuguese adventurer, Filipe de Brito e Nicote, once controlled Burma's main port
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is not among the most well-known countries of Southeast Asia. A former British colony, it was starting...
1,054 views1 comment
Spencer Low
- Aug 28, 2022
- 2 min
Maria Guyomar de Pinha, the Luso-Asian who introduced Portuguese desserts to Thai royalty
Following up on Thailand's centuries-old relationship with Portugal, would there be any surprise that cultural exchange extended beyond...
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Spencer Low
- Aug 21, 2022
- 2 min
Thailand's oldest European connection
Each time that I go to Bangkok I like to visit the Kudeejeen neighbourhood on the west side of the Chao Phraya river. Not a well-known...
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Spencer Low
- Aug 14, 2022
- 1 min
The Portuguese influence in Indonesia: "kue pastel" anyone?
I had the pleasure of a quick trip to the Indonesian resort island of Bintan this weekend. At the breakfast buffet, I came across this...
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Spencer Low
- Jul 31, 2022
- 2 min
The Portuguese connections of some iconic aspects of Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian culture
In my last post about kerosang, I described how this traditional piece of jewellery for wearers of the kebaya blouse comes from the...
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Spencer Low
- Jul 23, 2022
- 2 min
How the Straits Chinese introduced the Malay word "kerosang" from the Portuguese
The Straits Chinese in Singapore and Malaysia are a unique culture, a centuries-old blend of Chinese and Malay. One of their traditional...
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Spencer Low
- Jun 21, 2022
- 1 min
Kristang, a Portuguese creole language, still lives on in Southeast Asia
I recently visited the Eurasian Heritage Gallery in Singapore, a museum at the Eurasian Association that commemorates the complex history...
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Spencer Low
- Jun 6, 2022
- 2 min
How Singapore could have been Portuguese (or Spanish...)
I recently went to the Singapore National Museum and came across this quote about what is now Singapore highlighted on a wall: Who is...
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Spencer Low
- Oct 26, 2021
- 2 min
Malay words of Portuguese origin
Malay was the lingua franca of Southeast Asia, and after the Portuguese took control of the trading port of Malacca in 1511, many words...
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Spencer Low
- Oct 18, 2021
- 2 min
The joint Portuguese-Spanish interventions in Cambodia
The Portuguese made their appearance in Southeast Asia when they conquered Malacca on 24 August 1511. Their Iberian neighbours the...
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Spencer Low
- Dec 26, 2020
- 1 min
Portuguese influence on Southeast Asian cuisines
The Portuguese introduced ingredients to the Asia palate that some would consider to be fundamental today. What would Thai food be like...
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Spencer Low
- Nov 28, 2020
- 1 min
Thai words of Portuguese origin
The Portuguese were the first Europeans to make contact with the Kingdom of Siam more than 500 years ago in 1511. In 1518 was signed the...
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Spencer Low
- Nov 3, 2020
- 1 min
The Portuguese in Southeast Asia
Starting with the conquest of Malacca, the Portuguese finally found in Southeast Asia the source of the spices they were looking for.
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