Serial No: IAH008
Title: Aroonratana
I wish to keep this house at Kampung Siam as a heritage home of a Penang Siamese family.
Noo Wan @Wandee Aroonratana, born 1924
Kampung Siam, Pulau Tikus
I was born in Penang. My grandfather and father came from Southern Thailand in the 1910s. Our family name is Aroonratana. In the Siamese language, Aroon means morning and Ratanak means sunrise. Our family has a long tradition of practicing traditional healing and performing menora. My grandfather continued to practice as a “traditional doctor” when he came to Penang. The skill and knowledge were passed down to my father, and later to me. We healed by using traditional herbs and rituals. Performing the menora was essentially a part of the healing ritual. It later became a popular form of entertainment in Penang. Our family menora troupe was well-known back then attracting huge crowd everywhere. As for the traditional healing, it was once very popular. I packed my own remedy under my own brand “Irawan Powder”. The making and packing were all done in this house with the help of my children. I stopped making it later because some of the herbs could hardly be found. Fortunately, the family menora tradition is continued today by the younger generation.
I am proud carrying the family name Aroonratana. I wish to preserve this house as a heritage home of a Penang Siamese family. Because the Siamese is a minority, I hope that the future generation can know about our community and our traditional lifestyle.
I Am Home 