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Nyonyas
Topic Started: Sep 7 2010, 11:17:44 AM (3,203 Views)
ren
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Surprised to learn that what I took as Bumiputra traditional dress was actually the dress of a particular set of ethnic Chinese (often mixed with locals) in the Muslim Austronesian world. But I always suspected this costume to be of Chinese-influence, as the design looks like Ming-era Chinese female attire.

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Miss Nyonya Contest 2008
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image too big:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Kebaya_1.jpg

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o0 Zaw_Gyi 0o
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i actually find female nonya dress the most similar to Bamar dress of all our neighbours and this is despite not actually having a border with Malaysia.

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Edited by o0 Zaw_Gyi 0o, Sep 7 2010, 06:10:34 PM.
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ren
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I do see it.

The Nyonya style seems to be a combination of Ming era Chinese dress (changed into short blouse) paired with sarong.

The Bamar case may be a combination of sarong with a Tai-Kadai or TB blouse.

In both cases it is probably combining an Indian element with an Eastern element.
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joy
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That custome seems more closet to SEA style. For example, more tight skirt.
Comparing with malay style kebaya
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I do not see much Ming dynasty element in it.
Some pictures about Ming dynasty costume(ordinary people)
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Tradditional chinese style skirts r more loose than typical SEA skirts.
I think this because SEA girls tender to have better body curve.

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ren
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joy
Sep 20 2010, 01:51:19 AM
That's a "Chinese-style" "Malay" Kebaya.

Real traditional Malay Kebayas never show anything below the neck and are round-collared. You won't find it on Google pictures, but 99% of Malays wear this type below.
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Compare that with the Ming dynasty dress:
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Someone even claimed the Malay kebaya is a direct descendant of the Ming dress:
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女式汉服还有一种款式,就是褙子,大家看《红楼梦》里穿的比较多。
  “褙子”,是宋季男女都常有的服式,只是有颜色、质地上区别,样式上大体是对襟、窄袖,领、袖口、衣襟下摆都镶有缘饰。
  明代褙子,现在马来西亚仍可以看见~~为当地妇女的礼服。

http://www.tianya.cn/publicforum/content/no04/602854/10/0/10.shtml
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I have to change some things I said before. A similar kebaya to the Nyonya Kebaya is also worn in non-Muslim Bali. According to Wiki, From "Contacts with China were also important during this period. Chinese coins, called Kepeng were in use in Bali from the 7th century. The traditional Barong is also thought to be derived from the Chinese dragon. In the 12th century, king Jayapangus of Bali is known to have married a Chinese princess."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Bali

And this general type seems to be a common form adopted to be more modest during the initial Islamization of the Malay archipelago. Prior to that it seems women often went bare-chested.
3 reasons for suspect Chinese influence:

1. Timing: As the time that this Asian kebaya was created was also the time the archipelago had extensive trade with Ming China, it is very possible that it was influenced by Ming Chinese dress.
2. Designs are similar to Ming era dress and more Oriental instead of South Asian or Middle Eastern.
3. Most unambiguous clue: Kebayas have always been traditonally made of silk. So even from the start of the tradition, a Chinese fabric, silk, was used. The first kebayas might have been just Ming dress that local bought from Chinese merchants.
Edited by ren, Sep 20 2010, 02:13:57 PM.
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