My first review! Because there aren't any reviews and I had to share this incredible show. My eyes are blurry from binge watching the 34x40 min episodes. The show is in Mandarin with English subtitles, which were translated well.
The Little Nyonya is about a wealthy and traditional Peranakan family spanning three generations. The story starts in the 1930s with the impending 2nd Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) and takes place in Malacca and Singapore. The core family includes 1st wife/children, who scheme, gossip, and inflict unimaginable cruelty and abuse on 2nd wife/daughter, and all reside under the same roof. Their lives are intertwined with other upstanding families through business and marriage, a transaction to increase generational wealth and produce male heirs to extend the family lineage. The story revolves around the 2nd wife's daughter/granddaughter, who are kept in the lowest status, but are kind, forgiving, smart, capable, and strong-willed. They dare to reject the life they've been born into and are determined to change their fate. The story is told to the 5th generation, but the flash forwards aren't too frequent or annoying and it all comes together in end.
I loved the historical aspects from the Asian perspective. There were two schools of thought in Singapore in the 1930s: those who believed they could rely on the British because of their strategic importance vs. Those who could see British protection stretched and waning as WWII approached. During the Japanese occupation of Singapore (1942-1945), an Peranakan/Japanese couple experienced racism from both sides of the war. Singapore became a British crown colony post wars (1946) and the locals sought a balance of power under British rule. Wealth shifted with new industries and women emerged from the household to the business world.
Fascinating culture and mouth watering FOOD scenes. Peranakans are Chinese immigrants who settled in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia in the 1400-1600s. Peranakan culture evolved from the blend of cultures and interracial marriages. The period costumes and jewelry were exquisite. Baba/Nyonya are male/female descendants of the Straits Chinese. Women wear kebaya, an 3/4 sleeve upper garment made of light fabric, paired with a sarong and hand beaded sandals. Pankuns are oral expressions of poetry and verbal art that predates literacy. Culture is present in the everyday (filial piety, pray to your ancestors, no eating until the eldest person lifts their chopstick) and rites of passage (birth, marriage, death) with the theme of "Reminisce the Old" and never forgetting where you came from.
My favorite episode was the loveliest young ladies spending a day embroidering and cooking to pass the "grandmother test" to marry into one of the wealthiest families. Embroidery can convey impatience, stability, and even a hand injury. Dishes reflect mastery in pounding spice pastes, a distinct part of Peranakan heritage. There is a thoughtful reason behind everything. So different from today's life in the fast lane!
This show is the only drama series about the Peranakan culture and it is well done on its merit. I highly recommend the Peranakan and Asian Civilisation Museums in Singapore for those who love history.
