Discover the hidden meanings of Melaka's Nyonya beaded shoes

Melaka's beaded shoes come in many designs, each with their own hidden meaning, such as this embroidery of peacocks. - Filepic

Emily Lim vividly remembers the crowd’s cheer when she sang a timeless Peranakan love ballad at the 32nd Baba Nyonya Convention in Melaka in 2019.

But it turns that the crowd was not just cheering for her singing, but also for her attire. She wore a green baju kebaya, and completed the look with a stunning pair of kasut manik or beaded shoes.

“I feel special whenever I get to showcase my Baba and Nyonya heritage, whether it’s through food or clothes, ” said Lim, 58, who is member of the Persatuan Peranakan Baba Nyonya Kuala Lumpur & Selangor.

Lim wearing a beautiful Nyonya kebaya, which she paired with a kasut manik. — EMILY LIM

Lim was raised by very traditional Peranakan women, who instilled in her a deep love for Peranakan culture and crafts, especially the art of making kasut manik.

“Everything they did taught me a little about our heritage, ” she said.

When Lim was a teenager, she couldn’t afford to buy a pair of her own kasut manik. This spurred her on to learn how to make them herself.

She described the first pair she made as a “disaster”, but that did not deter her from making more and perfecting her craft. Lim said it’s her way of keeping the kasut manik heritage alive in today’s ever-changing modern world.

In the beginning

While the exact origins of the Peranakan people have been difficult to pin down, many scholars believe they are descended from Chinese settlers who married into the local Malay community. As a result of this, the Peranakan culture is rich and steeped in history.

Perhaps the most common or familiar aspect of their culture is the traditional attire that many still wear today. Nyonya women would wear a baju kebaya and kain sarung, and, usually during special occasions, a pair of kasut manik.

According to Lee Yuen Thien, manager at the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum in Melaka, the Peranakan kasut manik have more to do with the community’s identity and expression than just fashion or function.

He said that the shoes reflect the long history of the Peranakan, and that the designs are usually related to their various lifestyles.

A pair of simple beaded shoes are made by sewing colourful beads onto a piece of velvet or gauze cloth cut into the shape of the shoe’s toe box. Once done, the cloth is then securely fixed onto the toe box.

There are also shoes that are covered all around in beads, and come in intricate designs.

“Each bead must be meticulously sewn by hand one at a time. If, for example, you worked for five hours a day, a basic design would take about four to six days to complete.

Some beaded shoes take up to four months to be completed. ­­— Filepic

“A more complex design with over 50,000 beads for a pair would take up to four months to complete, ” J. Manik owner and shoe designer Joyce Ngiow said.

This is the reason why the shoes are expensive. “The price hikes are proportional to the quality, ” said Ngiow, 52, who learned the craft from her aunt when she was 15.

The Melaka-born Nyonya said customers pay for the minute needlework and high quality artwork instead of “just a pair of shoes”.

In the old days, the shoes were part of a bride’s dowry as it showcased her expertise and value. A Nyonya’s sewing skill is even scrutinised during marriage proposals.

“It is said that the matriarch would often choose the prospective daughter-in-law based on their sewing skills as it was believed that one may learn about a person’s character and personality based on their handiwork, ” Lee said.

Ngiow noted that even though the shoes were very popular in the 1950s, today’s younger generation do not seem too interested in them.

However, they are much sought-after by tourists.

Lim, meanwhile, sees kasut manik as a valuable fashion item that’s not just for the Peranakan people but others too.

“Who among ladies would not want to have beautifully beaded shoes?” she said.

Ngiow agreed, saying, “Nowadays, beaded shoes have become the perfect complement to any elegant outfit, traditional or modern.”

Hidden meanings

There are two variants of beaded shoes: traditional and modern.

The traditional beaded shoes feature flora and fauna motifs. They are also typically made from European beads that are 1.5mm in diameter.

Ngiow has been making and designing beaded shoes since she was a teenager. — JOYCE NGIOW

Modern beaded shoes meanwhile use Japanese beads with designs that mainly focus on geometric patterns.

“There are several types of designs and the popular ones include peacock and goldfish motifs with different kinds of beading, ” Ngiow explained.

She added that the design possibilities of beaded shoes are endless and that each one carries different auspicious meanings. A Chinese phoenix, for example, represents vigilance and strength; goldfish brings wealth; bird signifies longevity; peacock symbolises beauty; and flower signifies growth and prosperity.

Today, Nyonyas normally wear bright-coloured beaded shoes during happy occasions like Chinese New Year, Chap Goh Mei, weddings and birthdays.

Darker colours with simpler designs are reserved for funerals or mourning periods.

Beading the future

The late Tun Endon Mahmood, the wife of Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, had always expressed her interest and appreciation for the Peranakan culture. She was especially fond of the Nyonya kebaya and wrote about it in her book, The Nyonya Kebaya: A Century Of Straits Chinese Costume.

She also expressed concerns on the continuity of the Peranakan heritage.

“I am only too aware that many aspects of Malaysia’s collective culture are being eroded and may disappear altogether if steps are not being taken to preserve them or to record them for posterity. I feel it is important that we do not lose our own. Already there are signs that we have lost some big part of this heritage, ” she wrote in her book.

In the old days, the shoes were part of a bride’s dowry as it showcased her expertise and value. - Filepic

Academician Dr Ros Mahwati Ahmad Zakaria also agrees with the statement.

The research fellow at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Institut Alam & Tamadun Melayu in Selangor shared her desire to see beaded shoes thrive in the future. Ros Mahwati said fears of the heritage being forgotten are justified if the younger generations are not exposed to Peranakan culture.

“Lack of awareness and diminishing levels of appreciating the original culture might also contribute to the loss of identity, ” she said.

In the context of kasut manik, Ros Mahwati noted one of the foreseeable reasons that may lead to cultural discontinuity is that people don’t wear them often enough. After all, the delicate shoes are not really made for daily wear.

“Actions must be taken to ensure the traditional cultures thrive in the modernisation wave and perhaps to continue flourishing in the future, ” she said.

She added that perhaps designers can breathe some modern elements into the current design of the shoes, and suggested ramping up the promotion of this ornate craft among the younger generation.

Currently, kasut manik is categorised as an intangible heritage (fine arts) by the National Heritage Department. But an adiguru or “master craftsman” has yet to be recognised by the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation, under the Tourism, Arts and Culture Ministry.

Ros Mahwati stressed the importance of preserving the cultural heritage, and that parents should take the lead when it comes to teaching children about their culture.

“Children can be taught about the different Nyonya kebayas and how beaded shoes can complement them. This might lead to an interest in wearing the outfits more often, ” she said.

To better understand the history of the Peranakan community, pop in to the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum in Melaka, after the interstate travel ban is lifted of course.

Lee revealed that there are several stores that sell authentic kasut manik in Melaka, which go for an average of RM250 for a very simple pair, and up to a few thousand ringgit for something more intricate.

“A visit to Melaka will be incomplete without trying to immerse oneself in the Peranakan culture, and beaded shoes is a good place to start, ” Lee concluded.

The Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum was founded in 1986 and is open daily from 10am to 4.15pm. It is located at 48-50, Jalan Tun Cheng Lock, Melaka. Call 06-282 1273 for more information and to book a guided tour. A small entrance fee applies.