Kasut manek (sometimes spelt kasut manik or known as kasut manek manek) are beaded slippers made and worn by Peranakan women as a part of their traditional costume. Kasut manek makers mainly operated from their homes. They were popular around the Katong area. Today, the art of making kasut manek has been revived, with many young women learning the craft and practising it at home.
History
Kasut manek is part of the Peranakan heritage, making it a craft found only along the Straits of Malacca. It was customary for Nonyas, as the Peranakan women were called, to learn bead work before marriage. The bead work included making the kasut manek or beaded slippers. On her wedding day, a Nonya had to put on display her handiwork such as the kasut manek and a baju kebaya, an elaborately embroidered blouse. Kasut manek used to be worn by Peranakan women only and were especially popular in the 1930s. They were worn on outings and special occasions such as birthdays and weddings when they were more ornate. Certain patterns or colours of kasut manek were worn only for certain occasions such as blue, black or white for mourning. It was a matter of pride for the Nonyas to wear their own handiwork.
Job scope
The kasut manek creator had to first decide on whether she wanted her feet completely covered up by the slippers or not. When the feet was completely covered, the style was called muka tutup, meaning "covered face". When the toes could be seen, it was known as muka chakiak, named after the open style of Chinese "wooden clogs", or chakiak. The latter was a slipper made up of two strips sewn in a criss-cross manner across the feet. Then the nonya decided on the pattern. The patterns could be birds, fruits, flowers or anything considered feminine. The patterns were stitched with numerous tiny beads on to a needlepoint fabric called kain urat stretched out on a wooden frame called pidangan. The pattern was never traced on to the fabric but copied meticulously from a sample piece. The sample piece was usually made up in cross stitches with each stitch representing a bead. The nonya therefore had to copy the pattern carefully by looking at those stitches and sewing onto her kain urat fabric. The stitching process began with copying the middle of the pattern, then moving to the right before going to the left. The border was sewn after the main shapes had been completed. Finally, the background was filled in. The piece was removed from the framework and two layers of cloth pasted on to its reverse side. It was sent to the cobbler to be made into the slipper. Leather was usually preferred in making the slipper. It usually took one week to finish a pair of slippers. Bibiks (older Peranakan women) used to purchase their manek-manek or beads from a travelling hawker called china kelenton who used to go round selling clothes, threads, beads and other items.
Development
Although Peranakan women are no longer required to learn the art of making kasut manek, the craft has become a popular hobby today amongst women of various races in Singapore. The shoes are still sold here, in Penang and in Malacca for prices ranging from S$200 to S$800 depending on the size of the beads, its type and the quality of the handiwork. Beads are still available at Arab Street or from special suppliers which bring in beads from countries such as Japan or Hungary. However, it's the antique beads with a slight glitter called manek potong which are highly prize but are no longer sold. Shoes made of manek potong, harvested from older Peranakan shoes, fetch a high prize.
Author
Naidu Ratnala Thulaja
References
Beauty with Beads. (1984). Goodwood Journal, 2nd Qtr., 21-23.
(Call no.: RCLOS 052 GHCGJ)
Wee, L. (2000, December 6). Baba boom. Straits Times, Life!, pp. 1, 4.
The Peranakan Association. (2000). Who are the babas? Retrieved on January 8, 2003, from www.peranakan.org.sg/roots02.html
Further Readings
National Heritage Board. (n.d.). Archives & Artefacts Online, Singapore. Retrieved on January 27, 2003, from www.a2o.com.sg
The information in this article is valid as at 1999 and correct as far as we can ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
