A Peranakan Heritage...........

......Down Memory Lane







The Peranakan heritage is said to have originated from Melaka in the 17th Century and flourished to other parts of the old straits settlement states like Penang and Singapore. This unique heritage is the creation of the intersecting developments in global history and the migration of the Chinese to South East Asia.

Straits born Chinese, are Chinese by origin, named Baba and Nyonya to differentiate those who came from China. The males are called Babas and the ladies, Nyonyas . The Baba and Nyonya absorbed Malay culture and have come up with an identity that is very much their own. Their language of Hokkien dialect is spoken with a mixture of Malay words and later, English from the influence of British rule and its education. They can't read or write in Chinese .

The Babas and Nyonyas cuisine is a blend of the Malay and Chinese cooking technique and ingredients which gives the Peranakan dishes a flavour of its own. A distinctive feature of the Nyonyas in the olden days are through their dressing..




They are always seen in their 'bandung' or 'nyonya kebaya' - a traditional 'haute conture' equivalent today which has intricate embroidery like lacework on voile. Its worn over 'batik panjang' or 'batik sarong' - a tunic type wrapped around long skirt and their 'manek eh' or 'kasot manek' meaning beaded slipper, an elegant and delicate footware hand made by the nyonyas always compliment their 'bandung ' attire perfectly.

I did not inherit the delicate needlework embroidery of 'tebuk lubang' and 'kerawang' ( punch hole) techinique.



I learned to make the 'manek eh' instead, the hard way, not because I wanted to but challenged by mum. She said that the skill will not make it to my generation , coz am not married to a Baba, LOL , if she only knew, DH great grandma was a Nyonya, had pictures to prove it too ! Now, to ensure that it would make it into the next generation is no easy task.













Amazingly, both the Nyonya Kebaya and Kasot Manek has not fade in time, the Nyonya Kebaya was revived by our late first lady, Datin Seri Endon and the Kasot Manek which are still in demand are in production by makers especially in Penang, Malacca and Singapore .

Crafting beaded slippers takes time, patience and perseverance. Its time consuming and I need a good eyesight.

I had one that had become an UFP for many-many moons now. Shown here still in its framework. Its for a strappy type sandal. Its my first design of such too, normally I'll go for geometric.

I think its time to put this on my next to do list ! Should I ?