Kebaya: All about Indonesia’s national attire for women
The traditional attire of a country reflects its history, culture, and values. Just as saree speaks volumes about the Indian culture, kebaya does so about the Indonesian culture. Interestingly, this country's national dress for females, the kebaya, derives its name from an Arabic word 'kaba' that means 'clothing'.
Kebaya at a glance
Well, kebaya is a jacket-like blouse made of silk, cotton, nylon or polyester. This apparel features long sleeves, a collarless neck, and an open front with the two halves tied together with a brooch. Moreover, it's frequently covered in vibrant flower motifs. Typically, a kebaya is a transparent or semi-transparent, hip-length women's blouse. It's usually paired with a sarong (skirt-like wrap dress worn around the waist). Women traditionally cover their torsos with a long piece of cloth called ‘stagen’ while wearing a kebaya. Also, a kerongsang (brooch) always accompanies a kebaya. Today, many other kebaya varieties are thought to have been inspired by these elements.
Kebayas are frequently embellished with cutwork, needlepoint lace, or stitched embroidery (both hand and machine-based). It is a fashionable yet functional Indonesian outfit that has grown in prominence over the last few decades. The popular types of kebaya, named after places of their origin or people who popularised them, are Kebaya Panjang, Kebaya Java, Kebaya Kartini, Kebaya Kutubaru, and so on.
The origin of kebaya
The origin of the kebaya has been the subject of too many guessworks. The earliest form of the kebaya is thought to have originated in the Majapahit Empire's court in Eastern Java during the 15th century. This dress was thought to be similar to a long, fitting, flared kebaya known as kebaya panjang. It was worn by Portuguese ladies landing on the South-western coast of Malaysia, across the Malacca Straits from Sumatra, in Northern Indonesia, during the 16th century. Some theories also suggest that kebaya originated in the Middle East, while others think it may have developed in China. However, the two key occurrences that are thought to have introduced the kebaya to Indonesia are the increasing influence of Islam and the entrance of Europeans to the Indonesian islands. No matter who actually gave this dress to the island archipelago, Indonesians rapidly customised it and imbibed it into their culture.
How did the kebaya become a national costume?
The story of the kebaya’s origin is quite interesting. But how did this dress become Indonesia’s national attire for its women? Well, legends would have us believe that during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, many Indonesian prisoners of war wore the kebaya instead of the prison dress. Reason? The prison dress was modelled on Western style which the war convicts didn’t like. Hence, to distinguish themselves from other convicts of different racial backgrounds, they started wearing kebayas. However, the turning point came when S K Trimurti, a notable Indonesian writer (who actively participated in the Indonesian independence movement), donned the kebaya on August 17, 1945, the day Indonesia's independence from the Dutch was declared by Sukarno, a prominent leader of the country's nationalist movement. He served as Indonesia's first president from 1945 to 1967. This is when the attire was elevated to the rank of the national dress for Indonesian women.