The Kristang or Cristão people are an ethnic group of people, mostly in Malacca (Malaysia) and Singapore. Most kristangs have mixed Portuguese and Asian descent. Some of them speak a distinctive Kristang language, a creole based on Portuguese and Malay. State motto: Bersatu Teguh Capital Malacca Town Governor Tun Datuk Seri Utama Mohd. ... World map showing Asia. ... Cristão, Cristan or Papiá Kristang, Português de Malaca (Malacca Portuguese), or simply papia is a Creole language based in Portuguese spoken in a Malay grammatical structure in Malacca, Malaysia and Singapore. ... // A Creole is a language descended from a pidgin that has become the native language of a group of people. ... Not to be confused with the Malayalam language, spoken in India. ...

Both words mean "Christian": kristang in Malay and Kristang, and cristão in Portuguese.

Migration patterns

Though most Kristangs affirm their Portuguese identity, it is more likely that the first migrants to Malacca and Singapore were already Portuguese eurasians coming from Portuguese-held possesions in India, rather than pure-bred Europeans.