Peranakan is used to describe Chinese Indonesians. In both Malay and Indonesian, ‘Peranakan’ means ‘descendants’. Babas refer to the male descendants and the Nyonyas the female. The word nyonya (also commonly spelled nonya) may originate from the Portuguese word dona, which means ‘lady’.
So says the all-knowlegable Wikipedia. I’m a huge fan of Peranakan cuisine.. and as I’ve learnt, the culture is pretty cool too. We spent a couple of hours mooching along the Peranakan area of Singapore.. checking out the shops and learning about their artwork and culture. And buying lots of their food, of course 😉 Their artwork is spectacular – especially the beaded shoes.. they take 7+ weeks to bead by hand, using rare and highly-coveted tiny glass beads. I was hoping to buy a pair to bring back to Australia with me.. but they cost around $700 a pop, whoa!!
Display of lovely Peranakan clothes and trinkets
Scarves and material
Beaded artwork to go on shoes
This is where my mom got hers made.
http://www.hotfrog.com.my/Companies/Ang-Eng-Baju-Kebaya
My mom says the above named company also supplies to stores in Singapore, that’s why the prices are so high.
Ahh thanks for the tip! It figures that in SG it’ll be raised prices 🙁
This is where my mom got hers made.
http://www.hotfrog.com.my/Companies/Ang-Eng-Baju-Kebaya
My mom says the above named company also supplies to stores in Singapore, that’s why the prices are so high.
Ahh thanks for the tip! It figures that in SG it’ll be raised prices 🙁
Hi! Just wondering where the Peranakan area is? Thanks 🙂
Around the East Coast area, apparently!
Hi! Just wondering where the Peranakan area is? Thanks 🙂
Around the East Coast area, apparently!
I’m not Indonesian! 😛
Heh I dunno, that was just copied from Wikipedia!
Colleague said she wanted to get a kebaya top from Rumah Bebe…and was told it cost $1,000!!! @_@
ARGH! I assume it was beautifully embroidered/beaded or something. Their stuff is so nice but so $ 🙁
All hand-made. Plus there aren’t that many Peranakan tailors around. Ditto for the footware. Those made in Malaysia might be a bit cheaper.
“Peranakan is used to describe Chinese Indonesians.”
This is inaccurate. Some Chinese Indonesians may be Peranakans, but Peranakans do not refer to them. Peranakans are those whose Chinese ancestors married local women (Malay), especially in the Straits Settlement that include Penang, Melaka and Singapore. They have adopted the Malay culture, yet still retaining the Chinese culture. It has evolved to become a Peranakan culture. These people speak a kind of language that has elements of Malay and Hokkien.
Assuming a Chinese man marries a Malay woman now, they will not become Peranakans.
That’s what I know.
Ahhh you should update that in Wikipedia, I copied/pasted directly from it!
Those photos are gorgeous!
everything was so colorful and lovely.. I would’ve bought the shop if I could 😉
can u post a pic of these shoes? or what they look like?
I didn’t take a pic of them 🙁 Wish I had now!!
Wow that shop looks so cute! Just out of curiosity, what type of camera do you use? I noticed in all of the places that you visit, the pictures turn out so crisp and colorful – I feel like I’m actually there and it makes me want to buy the stuff! Haha.
-Meredith
Mine’s a 3.2mp Exilim, but it’s really old and crappy when I take photos in the dark, so I don’t recommend it at all! :X
I’m not Indonesian! 😛
Heh I dunno, that was just copied from Wikipedia!
I wonder if they could make beaded chucks?
Hehe that would be so unique! Bet they’ll baulk at that though, since they only do it on slides 😉
Wow for $700, you could buy a pair of Louboutins
Yeah, so $$ :X But I guess they’re homemade with $$ beads, and take 7 weeks. I wouldn’t make one myself, I don’t have the patience!
Colleague said she wanted to get a kebaya top from Rumah Bebe…and was told it cost $1,000!!! @_@
ARGH! I assume it was beautifully embroidered/beaded or something. Their stuff is so nice but so $ 🙁
All hand-made. Plus there aren’t that many Peranakan tailors around. Ditto for the footware. Those made in Malaysia might be a bit cheaper.
Oh, its at Seah Street, behind Raffles Hotel 🙂
My uncle used to make and sell Peranakan beaded shoes/slippers in the 90s before he suddenly became a monk.
I’ve a friend whose uncle runs this Peranakan cum Eurasian restaurant not too expensive, the ox-tail stew is excellent as is the famed Ayam Buah Kalah which they sell in a bowl instead of having you to scoop it out of nuts (which can get very messy!)
Oxtail Stew
BBQ Stingray
Potato Cutlet & Fried Towpok
They also open for lunch and sell their dish in nasi-padang style 🙂
My aunt makes those shoes too! But not to sell, just as decoration for the house or something.
Mmmm I love oxtail stew, the pics look great!
“Peranakan is used to describe Chinese Indonesians.”
This is inaccurate. Some Chinese Indonesians may be Peranakans, but Peranakans do not refer to them. Peranakans are those whose Chinese ancestors married local women (Malay), especially in the Straits Settlement that include Penang, Melaka and Singapore. They have adopted the Malay culture, yet still retaining the Chinese culture. It has evolved to become a Peranakan culture. These people speak a kind of language that has elements of Malay and Hokkien.
Assuming a Chinese man marries a Malay woman now, they will not become Peranakans.
That’s what I know.
Ahhh you should update that in Wikipedia, I copied/pasted directly from it!
Those photos are gorgeous!
everything was so colorful and lovely.. I would’ve bought the shop if I could 😉
can u post a pic of these shoes? or what they look like?
I didn’t take a pic of them 🙁 Wish I had now!!
Wow that shop looks so cute! Just out of curiosity, what type of camera do you use? I noticed in all of the places that you visit, the pictures turn out so crisp and colorful – I feel like I’m actually there and it makes me want to buy the stuff! Haha.
-Meredith
Mine’s a 3.2mp Exilim, but it’s really old and crappy when I take photos in the dark, so I don’t recommend it at all! :X
I wonder if they could make beaded chucks?
Hehe that would be so unique! Bet they’ll baulk at that though, since they only do it on slides 😉
Wow for $700, you could buy a pair of Louboutins
Yeah, so $$ :X But I guess they’re homemade with $$ beads, and take 7 weeks. I wouldn’t make one myself, I don’t have the patience!
Oh, its at Seah Street, behind Raffles Hotel 🙂
My uncle used to make and sell Peranakan beaded shoes/slippers in the 90s before he suddenly became a monk.
I’ve a friend whose uncle runs this Peranakan cum Eurasian restaurant not too expensive, the ox-tail stew is excellent as is the famed Ayam Buah Kalah which they sell in a bowl instead of having you to scoop it out of nuts (which can get very messy!)
Oxtail Stew
BBQ Stingray
Potato Cutlet & Fried Towpok
They also open for lunch and sell their dish in nasi-padang style 🙂
My aunt makes those shoes too! But not to sell, just as decoration for the house or something.
Mmmm I love oxtail stew, the pics look great!