In June, the sixth-generation Nyonya caught the attention of George Town World Heritage Incorporated (GTWHI). Now, on top of being the museum director of Pinang Peranakan Museum, Tong is one of 22 recipients of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.
FMT commemorates World Tourism Day today with this vibrant 61-year-old, who is being celebrated for her cultural advocacy.
With all her networks and connections, one might be surprised to learn Tong has only been in tourism for the past 15 years, having started at 45 years old.
She says she entered the industry out of interest and love for her roots.
“I’ve always been the one in my family who was interested in our culture and Baba Nyonya history,” she says. “In my youth, I would attend various Nyonya-themed photoshoots and events.”
But it was her penchant for storytelling and performing that led her to where she is today.
In the 1990s, she would dress in beautiful gowns and play the role of “fairy godmother” at children’s birthday parties, as part of her party-planning business.
“I’d perform puppet shows and while I told stories, my kids would be at the back manoeuvring the puppets,” she recalls fondly.
Her big break came in 2006 when she was cast in the television series “The Little Nyonya”.
“I had speaking lines and told them I didn’t need their costumes as I had my mum’s own kebaya,” she says, recalling that she even helped other cast members with their hair and costumes.
They shot scenes at the Pinang Peranakan Museum in George Town. With her classic sarung kebaya and perfectly pinned hair, Tong stood out from the rest and caught the eye of the museum owner.
She further impressed him with her extensive Baba Nyonya knowledge and shortly thereafter joined the museum – first as a tour guide, then, within three months, as its director.
Armed with her in-depth knowledge of Peranakan culture and her knack for networking, the museum sprang to life.
“VIPs would drop in and give very good reviews, which is how I got promoted,” she says, adding that she made the tours interactive with kuih-tasting sessions and demonstrations on how to make Peranakan beaded slippers, also known as kasut manik.
“Being the museum director helped me build relationships with the federal and state governments.”
Today, the Pinang Peranakan Museum is one of the top 10 museums in Malaysia and the eighth-best museum in Southeast Asia.
Tong has also built a name for herself, having hosted the likes of Prince William at the museum, curated exhibitions in Taiwan, and helped with storyboards for a BBC documentary.
Before the pandemic she travelled to five cities in China, participating in fashion shows and exhibitions to promote Peranakan culture.
She also performed traditional dances at the 2019 Asean China Belt and Road Cultural Exchange forum.
But what she loves best is being back home sharing Penang’s heritage treasures with tourists.
“Every evening, the last person in our museum will get a ride to wherever they want,” she says, whether it’s back to their hotel or to the Teluk Bahang night market.
She drives these lucky visitors for free and surprises them with a little tour in between. For example, “I’d drive along the Esplanade and highlight places like the Clan Jetty and other heritage sites they should discover,” she says cheerfully.
Without her storytelling experience, pride for her culture and hospitable nature, Lillian might not have become the professional tour guide she is today.
And despite her expert knowledge of her culture and hometown, she still manages to learn something new every day.
None of this, however, prepared her for the call from GTWHI about the Lifetime Achievement Award.
“I was just screaming,” she laughs. “I never expected it as Penang is filled with historians and veterans much more experienced than I am.
“I was just doing the things I love and enjoying it along the way.”