This chapter presents a biographical narrative of what it means to become Nyonya and how this identity is shaped. The Chinese Peranakan, or Baba Nyonya in Penang, are seen as bearers of a unique local heritage that emerged from long-term interactions between Chinese immigrants and local communities, especially Malays. However, in Penang, where Malays were historically a minority, colonial powers, particularly the British, significantly influenced the Baba Nyonya identity. During fieldwork, Baba Nyonya often described themselves as creating a new cultural synthesis by blending the best aspects of the various cultures in the port city. This process of selection and refinement underpins their narratives—captured in oral traditions—about their heritage. As women are viewed as the primary transmitters of culture, the chapter focuses on them. Their key role in the city’s history is defined by their continued presence in Penang, contrasting with the image of the mobile Chinese trader, whose mobility was enabled, in part, by the relative immobility of women.