By Koh Tze Yin
A LITTLE HISTORY:
Southeast Asia is made up of colossal number of ethnic cultures, including the Nyonya's: Nyonya's is a name used for the culture of the early Chinese immigrants in Malacca on the Malaysian Peninsula, they later increased with the British straights settlements in Singapore and Penang after intermarriages with the Malay population. The Nyonya kebaya first appeared in Baba Nyonya culture only at the beginning of the twentieth century. The Nyonya kebaya was first formed by the Peranakan people of Malacca. Subsequently, the kebaya was worn at a time when the world around was changing, as the world changed so did the way the kebaya was made and worn, the progression of its manner is remarkable. The kebaya has generally been around for over a century, however, its traditional, cultural value and historical claim is never changing.
ABOUT THE NYONYA KABAYA:
There is a story behind every Nyonya kebaya: when it was made, where it was made, who it was made by, what it was made for and the occasion for which it was made. In terms of creativity, some kebayas stand out more then others. It is a promise that the more lavish the kebaya the more prolific the story for tales are embroidered upon the material. Working on the creation a kebaya is monotonous and demanding, it takes up to six uninterrupted hours a day to slave away at a sewing machine to perfect a segment of a kebaya. Kebaya tailors are usually women who inherit the art from their mothers or other women in their family. The main distinction of the Nyonya kebaya from other kebayas is that the fabric used for the top is sheer, sometimes it is voile, georgette, or gauze cotton. Because the top is so translucent, these days, underneath women will wear a lacy shirt or a contrasting bra. Therefore, there are two well known basic styles of the Nyonya kebaya, the first one is a long jacket also referred to as kebaya labuh the second is with a short jacket also known as kebaya pandek; both very distinctive in Nyonya culture.
THE DYING ART:
The art of kebaya is seemingly perceived as fading in fault of both worlds. For the artists who take it to the grave, who refuse to pass down the skill to the next generation, and to the next generation that don't care enough to learn nor lack the passion to want to preserve it. It was only recently when I met Kim, a very well-known yet humble tailoress who has dedicated her life to perfecting her craft. She had told us that the prime minister's wife, Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, for whom she has fitted a kebaya for before, had asked her to share the art, to not take it to the grave. She agreed. When she speaks of the Kebaya her passion transcends, she strongly wishes to conserve the art but she too feels, there is a probability that it will fade. When I had asked her why students are not excelling in the ability of kebaya-making she had responded by saying "Usually students will never be as good as making the kebaya as their teachers, today they are interested in other things. It's more then just learning how to sew, they have to have the gift." And a gift it is indeed, walking through Kim's store, her artistry is certainly impeccable, I noticed that some of her most intricate embroideries are even suitable for weddings. As a perfectionist she is very aware of how the kebaya should fit the body, where, and how it should be pinned to each individual shape. Before I had recently tried on a kebaya I knew little of it, after fitting on a few with different styles: one with a traditional skirt, another with regular jeans. I strongly feel like it would be a great loss for generations to come if it were to grow fainter as it is doing so presently. The kebaya, as I have learned, is more then just an aesthetically beautiful blouse, it is also part of history, a culture, and to wear one is to wear a story. The mysterious art of kebaya should be uncovered to contemporary fashion. To women worldly.