Both the Kristang culture, or Ardansa or Kultura Kristang, and the Kristang civilisation, or Vramantu Kristang, in the twenty-first century and across spacetime are diverse, multifaceted and Creole-Indigenous in their output, manifestation and emergence, with many new forms, objects and entities related to our culture and identity especially emergent in the twenty-first century following the initiation of revitalisation efforts under Kodrah Kristang. Pages in this section consolidate and introduce in sketch form major elements and symbols of Kristang culture that are present but have not yet been documented anywhere else online or in academia, such that the general public can get a bird’s eye view of what Kristang culture and civilisation are like at present.
Civilisation ∞ First Look: The Kristang
Under current Kabesa of the Kristang Tuan Raja Naga Kevin Martens Wong Zhi Qiang, the Kristang enjoy and feel a particular affinity to the Sid Meier’s Civilisation series of video games, especially Civilisation VI, thanks to their strong intercultural respect for other cultures and civilisations that the Kristang share. This affinity extends to the extent that a creolised version of what our civilisation and culture might look like if the series ever represented or featured us has become very strongly and quietly popular among the community since it was excavated by Kevin on Saturday, 29 April 2023 in his poem ‘Civilization ∞ First Look: The Kristang‘. This creolised description is thus reprinted here:
Known as the Last People when they reemerged onto the main stage of history, use the Kristang’s unique abilities to rise up quickly from behind and put your strategic mind to good use, as you make trade deals, generate Great People and build up your ireidi quickly to develop an unstoppable path to victory. Like an Omimerliang or a Tigrisoneru, you might need to make some quick improvisations and on-the-spot changes, but once you know how to roll with the punches, and follow the tides of faith and fate, the sea, sky and spacetime can all be yours.
The Kristang unique ability is called The Dreamfisher’s Pride. The Kristang cannot win a Domination Victory, even if they conquer the entire world. Instead, the unique resource Ireidi replaces Faith, Science and Culture, and is produced at Holy Site, Theatre Square, Campus and Diplomatic Quarter districts. Ireidi is produced at a faster rate compared to Faith, Science or Culture in other civilisations, and can be used to win either a Religious, Science, Cultural, or Diplomatic Victory — or sometimes, if you’re lucky like the Last People have been, all four at the same time.
The Kristang unique unit is called the Manchua, and replaces the Caravel. It is slower, but allows you to start a new trade route with any city it sails into, regardless of whether the owner is a friend or foe. Trade routes made by the Manchua cannot be plundered by barbarians or by other Civs.
The Kristang’s unique tile improvement is the Jarding. They can only be built next to Encampments, Industrial Zones and Harbour districts of other civilisations and city-states, but grant you a major Ireidi bonus that continues at a reduced rate even if you are at war with the other Civ, as long as the Jarding remains intact.
Can you rewrite history, and change the story of the Jenti Kristang and their dreams? How will you lead the Kristang, in Sid Meier’s Civilization ∞?