The Heritage - Our Nyonyas

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A Creation of passion, energy, artwork, LOVE magnified a person's idea into a fabulous lifestyle ever since long time ago.  A merged of different culture intricate the bonding of this special embroidery.  

In the olden days, a few hundred years ago, young girls are match off as bride  at their early age.  As early as when they reach the age of puberty.  Before they become a bride, they are trained to carry out household chores such as to cook, to clean,  to sew, and the young girls who come from the higher class of society are sent to school to continue their education.  So many skills to learn.  

Bonding between culture takes it's course naturally when the young lads  marry into different culture.  So their lifestyles also transform and made the best out of their bonding.  However the influence of Baba and Nyonya culture are still in bedded strongly in between the transformation.  For some say it's a tough life and some enjoys the diversity.  It's a matter of choice and personality.

After the number of years, we can now find many of our Baba and Nyonya live around the world.  Our ancestors, parent's heritage link back to either Penang, Melaka, Singapore, Indonesia.   

With tiny feet and bead work shoes, bead work handbags, hand sewn Nyonya Kebaya, our food recipe heritage, our furniture design, handicraft, way of life slowly were absorbed into society in many countries.  A bonding which manage to capture into the peoples' heart because of it's beauty from around the world.  

 

Living culture from generation to generation.                                           







If you are interested to find out more Nyonya Kebaya, please do not hesitate to buy a hardcover book titled The Nyonya Kebaya:  A Century of Straits Chinese Costume by Datin Seri Endon Mahmood (Oct 15, 2004).

Phoenix Rising: Narratives in Nyonya Beadwork from the Straits Settlements [Hardcover]

Hwei-Fe'n Cheah (Author)