Kebaya kerfuffle: Indonesians not pleased by Singapore and other SEA countries nominating garment for Unesco heritage list

Frequent flyers of Singapore Airlines would be no strangers to the kebaya.

It is, after all, the uniform for female flight attendants of the national carrier. 

But the kebaya isn't exclusive to Singapore — the long-sleeved, open front top is synonymous with numerous cultures and communities in Southeast Asia.

On Nov 23, the National Heritage Board (NHB) announced that Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore will be jointly nominating the kebaya for Unesco intangible cultural heritage status.

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“The kebaya has been, and continues to be, a central aspect in the representation and display of cultural heritage and identity for Malay, Peranakan and other communities in Singapore," Chang Hwee Nee, NHB's chief executive officer said.

The four nations are looking to submit the nomination file to Unesco in March 2023. The result is expected to be announced at the end of 2024.

As for this upcoming joint bid for the kebaya, NHB noted that it will allow countries an opportunity to celebrate their shared cultural heritage and promote mutual understanding.

Unfortunately, one country was missing from the party.

What made the absence more startling was that the country in question officially recognises the kebaya as her national costume. 

Indonesia was not best pleased.

There are communities within the Malay Archipelago that strongly identify with the kebaya and some see this Unesco heritage bid as cultural appropriation.

Dictionary.com defines cultural appropriation as the adoption, usually without acknowledgment, of "cultural identity markers from minority communities into mainstream culture".

"The big question here is, of these four countries, how many and how often do they wear the kebaya? None," one Instagram user snapped.

Another mentioned the audacity of the act and stated how the kebaya "only belongs to Indonesia".

However, there is still an opportunity for Indonesia to be part of the Unesco bid.

"The four participating countries welcome other countries to join this multinational nomination," NHB said. 

Despite the uproar online, Indonesian kebaya supporters are urging their nation to join the bid, Malaysian news publication The Star reported.

This move would align with Indonesia's foreign policy of pursuing "collaboration rather than competition", explained Lia Nathalia, head of Komunitas Perempuan Berkebaya (translates to Community of Kebaya-Wearing Women).

Some in Indonesia are taking the matter into their own hands by starting a "Kebaya goes to Unesco" campaign.

The kebaya has a long and deep history in Singapore's Malay and port city heritage and the myriad of designs demonstrates the blending of cultures often seen here.

This can come in the form of traditional Javanese motifs or flowers, animals and mythical creatures from the numerous communities that have arrived on our shores over the centuries.

Today, the tradition of donning the kebaya is very much alive and kicking, and it's not just the famed Singapore Girl.

It features in traditional performing art forms like Dondang Sayang and Wayang Peranakan as well as more contemporary productions such as Little Nyonya and Emily of Emerald Hill. 

Singapore's first inscription on the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was for her hawker culture, back in 2020.

The fact that it was a single country nomination drew criticism from across the border as Malaysians came out all guns blazing against Singapore's bid. 

Malaysian foodies were adamant that Singapore's hawker stalls are simply "too sanitised" to compete with the allegedly better-tasting Malaysia counterparts, The New York Times reported.

ALSO READ: French baguette gains place on World Cultural Heritage list to bakers' delight

amierul@asiaone.com

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