Cover photo: S.M. Badjenid & Son, established in George Town in 1916, is the country’s oldest manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer of perfume compounds, essential oils, bakhoor, oudh and canvas. The business was established by Sheikh Mohammed Ahmad Badjenid who was originally from Hadhramount, Yemen. Now run by third-generation family members, the shop is always packed with customers looking for special fragrances.
While George Town’s historic cityscape and architecture were duly recognised by Unesco in 2008, of significant importance to the city’s inscription was its living cultural or intangible heritage. Over an intensive four-month period, groups of researchers from George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI) hit the streets, knocking on doors and conducting thorough interviews with the people who make this city so unique, focusing on traditional traders, artisans and artists. “We couldn’t leave any stone unturned as this was the baseline study. In the end, our survey covered over 5,000 distinct businesses and residences within the George Town World Heritage Site,” says Lim Chooi Ping, general manager of GTWHI.
From food to idols, books to garlands, worship and spirituality are tightly interwoven into the city’s fabric; all this is compiled into a book published by GTWHI, Penang’s Living Legacy: Heritage Traders of George Town, and reproduced here in brief.
Tucked in a courtyard off Lebuh Cintra is the Leong Chee Kee patisserie which has been serving up fresh coconut tarts since the 1950s. Aside from the coconut tarts, the tiny bakery is also famous for its pepper biscuits and Cantonese-style kuih. Leong How Keng learned his recipes from his father who established the bakery and he has spent over three decades perfecting his craft.
