Kasut Manik: The Sole of Baba Nyonya Culture

Strategically located along a strategic strait that bears its name, the Malaysian city of Melaka was the heart of Asia’s medieval maritime trade and one of the richest trading hubs in the world.

Merchants and traders from all over Asia, from China all the way to the Middle East, flocked to the city in the 15th century, turning it into a cultural melting pot.

Many of these foreign seafarers took local women as wives, conceiving a whole new cultural group later coined as “Peranakan”, meaning “local born”.

A few Peranakan communities, namely the Chitty Peranakan, Jawi Peranakan and Peranakan Eurasians (Kristang or Serani), still exist in the former British-controlled Straits Settlements of Penang and Melaka in Malaysia, as well as Singapore.

The largest Peranakan community, however, are the Peranakan Chinese - also known as the Baba Nyonya - who can also be found in Indonesia, southern Thailand and Myanmar.

The Peranakan Chinese of Malaysia and Singapore have some of the most fascinating hybrid identities - an eclectic fusion of Chinese, Malay and Western cultures.

Even Thai, Acehnese and Burmese influences on Baba Nyonya culture can be traced in Penang, where many Peranakan Chinese migrated during the British colonial period.

The community is largely renowned for their rich cuisine, colourful kuih, distinctive fashion and penchant for exquisite needlework.

One of the most prominent aspects of this refined craftsmanship can be seen in the making of kasut manik, beaded slippers that complete the look of the traditional kebaya worn by Nyonyas or young Peranakan Chinese women.

Kasut manik came into fashion in the 1920s, replacing the earlier Peranakan Chinese embroidered slippers or kasut sulam.

“The tiny glass beads to craft the kasut manik were formerly imported from European countries like Belgium,” says Adrian Cheah, a graphic designer, artist and photographer who documents Penang’s rich cultural heritage.

“Imagine the resources and global connection the Nyonyas in Penang had in the good old days. They settled for nothing less. Quality tiny glass beads were shipped halfway across the globe to them.”

These beads, Adrian explained, would sometimes vary in size or have defects, so Nyonyas had to painstakingly sort out the beads by hand first, before sewing them on to a cotton drill with waxed thread and very fine needles.

“Bead by bead, they were carefully selected, then sewn together to form a stunning shoe face. Some shoe designs could easily consume ten to twenty thousand fine beads,” he said, adding that this required patience, endurance and focus.

The extremely laborious task of crafting kasut manik was more than just a test of skill. In the days of yore, a Nyonya’s craftsmanship determined her marriageability.

“In those days, if a Nyonya did not know how to do fine beadwork and fine embroidery, she was of no value,” said Michael Cheah Ui Ghim, a fifth generation Baba, adding that Nyonyas would start learning the craft from the age of eight.

“When a Nyonya mother looked for a future bride for her son, she would look at her workmanship - her fine needlework, embroidery, how the girl crafts her kebaya, her* kasut manik*and also how she cooks.”

Michael, who is a Peranakan Chinese wedding consultant, said these beaded shoes were a form of dowry, and the bride-to-be had to make a pair for each member of the groom’s immediate family.

The pride of place for the* kasut manik*, however, was in the wedding chamber.

“There would be one cupboard just for the shoes to showcase all the shoes sewn and beaded by the girl.”

May Lim Siew Seng, a renowned Nyonya shoe beader who also runs classes on beading, explained that kasut manik is steeped in symbolism.

The mythical pair of phoenix and dragon often seen on Nyonya bridal shoes, for instance, signify marital love, while peonies and plum blossom motifs represent happiness and are used to mark joyous celebrations.

While kasut manik usually come in bold, vibrant colours, there are occasions when Nyonyas don the opposite.

“When there is a funeral or death in the family, Nyonyas will don a different kind of beaded shoe, one with muted, dull colours,” said Robert Sng of Little Shophouse, a beaded shoe shop in Singapore.

He said Nyonyas would wear shoes in blue and green - tones associated with mourning in Peranakan Chinese culture - for the duration of the mourning period.

Now, a new generation of Peranakan Chinese is carrying on the centuries-old kasut manik tradition.

“I enjoy making things so I’m not a stranger to DIY arts and crafts. However, kasut manik beadwork is on another level!” said Li Ching Ong, a ninth-generation Peranakan Chinese.

“It took a lot more time than I anticipated because it required a higher level of concentration dealing with tiny beads.”

In July 2020, Ong, who was born and bred in Australia, kick-started the Peranakan Moments Facebook page dedicated to raising awareness about Peranakan Chinese culture.

What started off as a small project to map out her family tree sparked a deep appreciation for her rich heritage, including the art of beading, something Ong watched her mother do.

“It seemed difficult. However, the reward and satisfaction to finally complete the kasut manik, and to be able to wear it, outweighed this laborious task,” she said.

For Joel Teh and his sister Jocelyn, both in their early 20s, learning the art of beading started as a mere hobby during school holidays.

“We didn’t have a smartphone then, so my mother felt it was a good idea for us to start learning how to make manikshoes from our grandmother,” Joel said.

Their grandmother has since passed on, but the heritage of Nyonya shoe beading lives on in Joel and Jocelyn, who have now opened their own kasut manik shop on Rangoon Road in Penang.

Named after their grandmother, Patricia Choo Collection is where anyone can buy Nyonya beaded shoes, from traditional versions to more modern styles with straps and heels.

“She taught us to be patient, focus and not to be distracted easily. You need that if you are doing beadwork. One wrong move with the colour of the beads and you will have to start all over again,” Joel explained.

Unfortunately, many young people are not keen on this artform, which takes discipline, hard work and time to master.

“It’s important that the younger generation willingly take up this rich, traditional craft to ensure it won’t die out,” Joel said.

As someone who grew up with all things Nyonya, Adrian feels strongly that kasut manik should not be preserved for the sake of it but instead keep up with the times.

“I believe that like culture in a society, it is ever-changing and evolving,” he said.

“The beadwork of kasut manik can be applied to a wide spectrum of items like clutch bags or handphone covers, for example. With creativity, the possibilities are endless.”

Adrian likened this to when his ancestors came from across the seas.

“When our forefathers first arrived, they accepted the situation and new environment they were in, assimilating and fusing all that was good around them to give birth to a distinct and vibrant culture.

“Like them, today’s generation has to embody the spirit of creativity and ingenuity to move forward.”