Melbourne - The inaugural Nyonya Kebaya exhibition at the Immigration Museum here to be jointly officiated by Malaysia`s Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi and Australia`s Prime Minister John Howard`s wife, Jannette tomorrow (Thursday), will not only showcase the rich cultural heritage of Malaysia, but also expose the assimilation of the Chinese into the Malay culture in the 19th Century.
Immigration Museum manager Padmini Sebastian said it was an experience that could be shared with Australians since they never had such an exposure and thus would benefit them.
She said the exhibition would not only focus on the intricate designs of the kebaya, the traditional costumes for `Peranakan` and the Malays but also give Australians a glimpse of Peranakan culture.
"It is a very important exhibition for Victoria and also Australia as it provides new information and knowledge," she told Bernama here Wednesday.
The four-month exhibition organised by Yayasan Budi Penyayang Malaysia (Penyayang) and assisted by Immigration Museum, Victoria, also promotes cross cultural exchange between the museum staff and Malaysians in their effort to put up the first ever show on Nyonya Kebaya in Down Under.
Sebastian said the close cooperation with Penyayang had made the exhibition possible in just seven months compared to the usual 18 months needed in setting up such an exhibition.
The chief executive officer of Penyayang, Leela Mohd Ali, said the exhibition themed "Nyonya Kebaya: Women`s Costume From Malaysia", where Abdullah`s late wife, Datin Seri Endon Mahmood`s kebaya collection would be featured, had also received strong support from Malaysian immigrants staying in Australia, especially those in Melbourne.
A group of 22 Malaysians residing in Australia will be singing Malaysian songs such as Rasa Sayang Eh, Enjit-Enjit Semut and Gelang Sipaku Gelang at the opening tomorrow where the women will be in their kebaya, while some of the women will also be modelling some of the exhibits, she said.
Penyayang show consultant Baba Peter Wee said Penyayang efforts in promoting the rich heritage of the Nyonya Kebaya, especially in the past four years had been "fantastic."
Wee, 60, who has been involved in promoting the Peranakan culture for more than 20 years, hoped that the exhibition in Melbourne, a city rich in culture, arts and fashion, would spur the fashion designers in Australia to adapt the kebaya design in their creation.
This would spur the growth of kebaya from being the traditional dress for Malaysian, Singapore and Indonesian women to the international fora.
Lee Foundation States of Malaysia has been the main sponsor of the exhibition, while Leighton Malaysia and Leighton Australia had been partly sponsoring in the construction of the set for the exhibition besides supervising it.
This is the fourth showcase of the Nyonya Kebaya after it was first held at the National Art Gallery a few years ago. The last one was at the Asian Civilisation Museum, Singapore.
Source: www.bernama.com (8 Mei 2007)
