The term Peranakan generally refers to people of mixed Chinese and Malay/Indonesian heritage. Many Peranakans trace their origins to 15th-century Malacca where their ancestors were thought to be Chinese traders who married local women. Peranakan males are known as babas while the females are known as nonyas (or nyonyas).While some Peranakans have retained many of their particular cultural practices, many have assimilated into the larger Chinese community today.