KESIHATAN DAN KECANTIKAN: AMALAN PENJAGAAN KULIT SECARA TRADISIONAL DALAM KALANGAN WANITA CINA PERANAKAN KELANTAN
Authors: Nik Halman Nik Nur Azizah , Abdullah Azlina , Lyndon Novel 
Published: April 2022

Abstract: The Kelantan Peranakan Chinese community is a sub-ethnic group that is rich in traditional practices and is maintained to this day. Women from these minorities still practice various traditional practices, especially in the aspects of skin health and beauty care. The effects of migration and urbanization have caused this traditional practice to become extinct among the younger generation due to the difficulty in obtaining reference sources when many elderly people in the village died without inheriting their traditional knowledge. Thus, the main purpose of this study is for the documentation and in-depth exploration of traditional skin health and beauty practices. The qualitative research approach was through interviews and observations conducted in a preliminary study and involved five informants in selected Peranakan Chinese villages. The results of the study have successfully documented the skin health and beauty care practices that are often practiced by women. Among their practices is the use of aloe vera leaves with rock sugar, ‘Bunga Jam 12’, egg whites and honey, and the consumption of ‘cekur’ and turmeric. The methods of use and recommended intake of each of these natural ingredients are also explained in detail. The findings of this study contribute to the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Malaysia in planning efforts to preserve and preserve the traditional practices of the Kelantan Peranakan Chinese sub-ethnic. In addition, it also serves as a guide to the younger generation who want to learn and apply their traditional practices one day.
Keywords: Health and beauty; Traditional practices; Skincare; Peranakan Chinese women

Abstrak: Masyarakat Cina Peranakan Kelantan merupakan satu sub etnik yang kaya dengan amalan tradisi dan dikekalkan sehingga hari ini. Kaum wanita daripada kaum minoriti tersebut masih mempraktikkan pelbagai amalan tradisi, khususnya dalam aspek penjagaan kesihatan dan kecantikan kulit. Kesan dari migrasi dan urbanisasi menyebabkan amalan tradisi ini semakin pupus dalam kalangan generasi muda kerana kesukaran mendapatkan sumber rujukan apabila ramai golongan tua di kampung meninggal dunia tanpa mewariskan ilmu tradisi mereka. Justeru, tujuan utama kajian ini ialah untuk pendokumentasian dan penerokaan mendalam tentang amalan-amalan penjagaan kesihatan dan kecantikan kulit secara tradisional. Pendekatan kajian berbentuk kualitatif melalui temu bual dan pemerhatian yang dilakukan dalam satu kajian awal dan melibatkan lima orang informan di perkampungan Cina Peranakan yang telah dipilih. Hasil kajian telah berjaya mendokumentasikan amalan penjagaan kesihatan dan kecantikan kulit yang kerap diamalkan oleh golongan wanita. Antara amalan mereka adalah penggunaan daun lidah buaya bersama gula batu, ‘Bunga Jam 12’, putih telur dan madu, pengambilan cekur serta kunyit muda. Cara-cara penggunaan dan cadangan pengambilan setiap bahan semula jadi tersebut turut dijelaskan secara terperinci. Dapatan kajian ini menyumbang kepada Pihak Kementerian Pelancongan, Seni dan Budaya Malaysia dalam merancang usaha untuk memelihara dan melestarikan amalan tradisi sub etnik Cina Peranakan Kelantan. Di samping itu, ia juga menjadi sebagai panduan kepada generasi muda yang ingin mempelajari dan mengaplikasikan amalan tradisi mereka satu hari nanti.
Kata kunci: Kesihatan dan kecantikan; amalan tradisi; penjagaan kulit; Wanita Cina Peranakan