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Indonesia not involved in joint bid to grant kebaya UNESCO heritage status
A race for the kebaya is on the cards after Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand announced plans to jointly nominate its inclusion in UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage (ICH).
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An illustration of a painting in fashion designer Didiet Maulana’s 'Kisah Kebaya' depicts several regional variations of kebaya worn by Indonesian women over the past century. (Courtesy Kisah Kebaya/Didiet Maulana)
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race to claim the kebaya (traditional blouse) is likely on the cards after Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei and Thailand announced plans to jointly nominate the traditional dress for inclusion in the United Nations cultural organization UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), setting up a potential clash with a nationalistic Indonesian public.
The four Southeast Asian nations announced the joint initiative in a statement from Singapore’s National Heritage Board (NHB) on Wednesday. The idea was first proposed by Malaysia but was then expanded to include the other three following a string of meetings conducted throughout 2022.
“[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, and is an integral part of our heritage as a multicultural port city, with links across Southeast Asia and the world,” said NHB CEO Chang Hwee Nee in the statement.
An upper-body garment traditionally worn by women across Southeast Asia, the kebaya has become something of a fashion icon for the region. Several flag carriers from the region, notably Singapore Airlines and Garuda Indonesia, have adopted the kebaya as a uniform for their female flight attendants.
The multinational bid in effect serves as a counterproposal to Indonesia’s own Kebaya Goes to UNESCO campaign, for which it is the sole nominating country.
But while it is a common misconception that the UNESCO ICH status is equivalent to claiming exclusive rights to a cultural artifact or tradition, the seal of approval actually only serves to guarantee cultural preservation. Any tradition passed down over two generations, or equal to 50 years, can be nominated for inclusion on the list, regardless of geographic origin.
Read also: ‘Kisah Kebaya’: Labor of love on Indonesia’s sartorial iconBack in August, Kompas daily reported that talks of a kebaya joint nomination with Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei faced strong opposition from the Indonesian public, as well as several government officials.
