According to this article, there are two theories to the origin of the Peranakan culture of Baba and Nyonya. (Baba refers to the male and nyonya refers to the female). The romantic theory to this is the one where the Princess Hang Li Poh married the Sultan Mansor Shah or Malacca. She was said to come with an entourage of 500 youths who later settled in Bukit Cina and later married the local women there. Their children are the Babas and Nyonyas that we refer to today.
The other theory is that the Babas and Nyonyas were descendants of Chinese traders who married the locl womenfolk of Malacca and the surrounding areas.
The nyonyas dresses a lot of like the Malays. From the 1920's, they wore the baju panjang. The younger Nyonyas however preferred a shorter outfit called "Phuah T'ng Tay" meaning half long, half short). They also wear beaded shoes called "manek ay" to match their clothes. One of the favourite Nyonya's leisure activity is beading slipper tops to be presented as part of her wedding dowry to her groom and future-in-laws. Apart from beaded slipper, they are also skilled in producing beaded belts, purses, spectacle cases, miniature vases and comb holders.
The 1940's saw the introduction of the Kebaya Sulam (embroided kebaya), some sewn by the Nyonya herself. This is usually work together with the "keronsang", a kind of brooch which are pinned in the center of the blouse. The Nyonyas also sports a "sanggul talipon" or telephone hairbuns.
In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Kebaya Sulam became more elaborate with more embroidery and cut-through lacework called "Tee Too Bang" or Spider Web".
The Babas however wears something in the style of Dr Sun Yat Sen, called "Choong San Chong". It had multi-pockers jacket with a high Mandarin collar fastened with gold studs and ivory buttons worn with baggy wrap around pants and a topee hat. Their outfit, unlike their womenfolk, does not resemble the Malay outfit very much.
The Nyonyas those days also like to chew the "sireh". First, the leaves are
wiped clean and then buttered with a dab of lime paste before pinches of
shredded areca nut, gambier and tobacco were added. They then chew on this. It
tastes a little bitter and spicy too.
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