'Peranakan', 'Straits Chinese' and ‘Baba-Nyonya’ are terms referring to the descendents of very early Chinese immigrants to the British Straits Settlements in Malaya and particularly Malacca, who have intermarried the local Malays and partially adopted their customs. Babas refer to the male descendents while Nyonyas the female.

In the early 15th century, Admiral Cheng Ho from China visited Malacca and presented a princess of China, Hang Li Po, for marriage to the Sultan of Malacca, Mansur Shah, as a gift from the Emperor of China. The huge entourage of court officials and servants who accompanied the princess to settle in Malacca established the strong Peranankan presence there. The Peranakan have retained most of their ethnic and religious origins, but assimilated the language and culture of the local Malays. For example, the women (Nyonyas) have taken to wearing the baju kebaya (a Malay dress) such as the one worn by the model in this picture.