When: March 3, 3pm

Where: Dua by Skohns, 12A, Jalan Tun Mohd Fuad, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, 60000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur

 

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My friend Atiqah, a fellow Kuala Lumpur Book Appreciation Club member, is organising a book-themed party that you may just be interested in. Kebaya Tales, a series of books by Lee Su Kim, explores the Peranakan culture. The book is gorgeous, filled with photographs of Peranakan art and the lovely sarongs and kebayas they wear. It also contains short stories.

What better way to experience the book than through a party? Enjoy yummy food, join a beauty pageant, meet the author and mingle with bookworms – Kebaya Tales: Peranakan Party is a party for those who love words and culture.  

Atiqah shares her thoughts about the party in her own words:

So a lot of people would read a book and just leave it at that. Why organise a party?

I really love the book. It was given to me by a friend when she found out that I read more than fifty books last year. I was attracted to the cover – it was hot pink! The stories hit the spot with me. There were many beautiful, enchanting storylines and I wept a little, got angry, felt joy. It’s like a perfect spoonful of gula melaka cupcake. 

I organised two parties last year based on fiction books and a genre. Other than those two parties I assisted some friends and families to do book-themed parties. I helped a friend organise a Jungle Book party for a kid so it’s a natural thing. Whenever I like something I want to share it with people. By organising this kind of party I can spread the happiness to so many people. 

I want to celebrate more local authors and I want to add more activities in my parties! 

What challenges did you face in organising it?

Choosing a date that’s suitable for everyone. Choosing the venue too because Peranakan food is expensive. Trying to come up with unforgettable games. 

What do you have planned?

The author will do a reading. Readers can ask her questions. We would have a “Ratu Kebaya KLBAC” beauty contest. It’s not going to be a catwalk – the person has to do three things before she can be crowned as Ratu Kebaya.

When people think “nyonya”, they think “nyonya food”. Some people have gone to the museums. Other than food, furniture, costumes, what else is there to the culture? So, by having this party many people will find out what the culture is all about. When I google books on Peranakan I realise that there’s less than a hundred books on them. Put aside recipe books it’s less than 50.

What fascinates you about the Peranakan culture?

I remember the first time I went to the Baba Nyonya Heritage museum in Malacca. And I thought: we have this here? What a colourful sub-culture! There are actually two million babas and nyonyas in Malaysia. We always look outside Malaysia for fascinating cultures, but we don’t realise that we have such colourful cultures here.

Interested in joining the party? Join us here.