Korasan (Eurasian) or Kerongsang (Malay)

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'Korasan' (Kristang) or 'Kerongsang' (Malay) or 'Kerosang' (Baba Peranakan) is a Malaccan Portuguese (Kristang) word meaning 'Heart'. The actual spelling is 'Coração' in Portuguese with the pronunciation being about the same.

I came across this word recently while watching TV which explained that the Singapore Peranakans also got this word from the Portuguese to discribe a sort of jewelry the Peranakans wore.

Below are some info I found on the internet...

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THE KEROSANG

The kebaya, the blouse or jacket worn by Peranakan women, does not have buttons and is fastened by a set of three kerosangs or brooches. The word was perhaps derived from the archaic colonial Portuguese term korasang, meaning 'heart' (Coração in modern Portuguese), which may be a reference to a heart-shaped type of kerosang. This was known among Malacca Babas as kerosang ati ati (or, in Malay, kerosang hati hati, or 'heart kerosang'). This style is also referred to as a kerosang serong or 'curved kerosang', which comprises a heart-shaped brooch and two circular brooches. Kerosangs were worn by Malays, Peranakan Chinese and Indians and Eurasians throughout the Malay world and in the colonies. They continue to be common among the Peranakans.

Info from this link: http://www.sgmeetings.com/SingleNews.aspx?DirID=79&rec_code=132293

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Jinkli Nona

This is a famous Singapore Eurasian (or Malaccan Eurasian) song which has the word 'Korasang' in the lyrics.

Here are some links to this song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZfUlNZjZGA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKSBRw-6YWw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBYfDzS_X08
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyLrR2akzxo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDTckgHOxTk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92lXosuzO0w

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Question: A peranakan’s kebaya is held together by the kerosang. What is the kerosang and what is it normally made of?
Answer: The kerosang is a set of three brooches. It is made from pearls, diamonds or solid gold.

~ This info was found at this link> http://www.jssc.org.sg/answers.html

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The Peranakans favoured their gold and suasa, specifically nine carat gold. They were made into kerosang, usually in filigree flora patterns and studded with diamonds. Besides sustaining the function of securing the baju panjang, they also wore it as a badge of ostentation. The larger, the fancier, the shinier it was- all the better. In the event of death, even their flair was evident. The gold and diamonds were replaced by brooches created out of silver and mother-of-pearl.

~ This is an excerpt from this link > http://yesterday.sg/2009/08/in-a-style-of-their-own/

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