Peacock Power: Multicultural Legacies

From wedding headdresses to holographic courtship displays, the peacock has left its mark across cultures and centuries. Follow our writer Anya as she explores the Peranakan Museum's latest exhibition and uncovers how one bird became a symbol of beauty, status and globalisation.

Just a few minutes away from SMU’s School of Law, the Peranakan Museum stands tall with its traditional designs and a bronze statue of a young girl with an elderly man outside. It was as if it was beckoning me to enter, even if it was just a few minutes shy of ten in the morning when the doors of the museum opened. You might be wondering, my dear reader, what would I be doing at the Peranakan Museum at 10am on a random Tuesday? 

But this was no random Tuesday: The Blue and Gold had invited me to the media preview of the Museum’s latest exhibition – Peacock Power.  

The start of the exhibition: Peacock Power! 

Upon reaching the exhibition, my fellow visitors and I were greeted by Curatorial Advisor Peter Lee, who began by sharing how the peacock is an animal that resonates emotionally with everyone. He further emphasised that when a peacock was spotted in the wild, it garnered excited reactions from both children and adults alike. I found myself to be in awe – as part of the exhibition preview, I had the opportunity to interact with a holographic peacock which could alter its behaviour depending on my real-time actions! As I waved fervently to the ‘peacock’, it observed me for a while before opening its feathers as part of its courtship ritual – but I unfortunately had to decline its advances.

However, let’s address the elephant in the room: why specifically the peacock? The peacock has both positive and negative associations: it is a motif of beauty and vanity – both of which are themes covered in the exhibition. Native to Asia and once only present in Asian cultures, the peacock has now crossed borders, serving as a multicultural symbol. 

To start us off, we were introduced to the role of peacocks in Peranakan culture, where they  were ubiquitous in ceremonial events. In terms of domestic affairs such as weddings, peacock patterns adorned wedding attire, carpets and even golden headdresses. Even though some of these outfits were specifically for Peranakans, the cultural influences were derived from a multitude of cultures, such as European, Chinese and Indian. Additionally, in religious proceedings, peacock feathers were used in small fans for Hindu deities, as it was believed that the ritual would bring good fortune and prosperity. Peacock feathers were also present in the mask used in the East Java dance Pono Rojo, where thousands of peacock feathers were mounted to the mask’s top. 

Apart from ceremonial events, the peacock was significant in illustrating globalisation in an early period. We were presented with a few beautiful artefacts which included a set of Peranakan tiles crafted in Japan, a beautiful birthday hanging with a Chinese goddess and cherubims, and a couple of ceramics from China and Scotland – all with peacock patterns found in them! According to Curator Diana Chee, peacock patterns were found in trade ceramics during the 19th and 20th centuries from China, and eventually in Scottish ceramics. Essentially, this had put emphasis on the multicultural and cosmopolitan nature of the Peranakans – and on a larger scale, Singapore as a trading hub with multicultural legacies. 

One of the many intricate ceramic pieces on display!

Beyond the religious and cosmopolitan symbols, the peacock was also a key muse in artworks due to its beauty. In Chinese ink paintings, the peacocks were often drawn with a train of feathers that ran down the artwork. The artists of all three presented artworks came from global ports of call from the 19th and 20th centuries, including Singapore! Besides that, peacock patterns are often adorned on the clothing of the Peranakans, as shown in the various sarees and kebayas that featured peacocks on it. These were usually a representation of societal status – the more intricate peacock patterns, the higher the social status. 

Thousand Eyes by Singaporean Ernest Goh - the beautiful ‘thousand eyes’ on a peacock’s tail.

Well, all that were just some ‘peacock feathers’ I picked up from the preview – you’ll simply have to find out more for yourself! Peacock Power will be running from 31 October 2025 to 30 August 2026. Visiting the exhibition is free for students, but it is recommended to bring any student identification for verification. Hopefully, you will also be swept away by some peacock feathers, and find yourself at the Peranakan Museum on a random Tuesday!