The Peranakans (/pəˈrɑːnɑːkɑːn/ or /pəˈrɑːnəkʌn/) are an ethnic group defined by their genealogical descent from the first waves of Southern Chinese settlers to the ports in the Malay Peninsula and Indonesian Archipelago. Peranakan culture, especially in the dominant Peranakan centres of Malacca, Singapore, Penang and Medan is characterized by its unique hybridization of ancient Chinese culture with the local cultures of the Nusantara region, the result of a centuries-long history of transculturation and interracial marriage.