Seasons of Darkness:Life for Minorities in Singapore
-
Hua Yu COOL!!
-
Singing an Anthem is not like singing a pop song we have to know what every word means......like a religious song.Till today many cant sing the "Majullah Singapura" without a single flaw including those people voted at every election to rule the island and my 14 year old nephew.Then there are true stories about people trying to avoid being present when the flag is being raised....maybe for those reasons PRCs are invited to show what patriotism is like in China.Originally posted by fymk:Onward (or forward) Singapore.
Majulah Singapore
Come fellow Singaporeans
Mari kita rakyat Singapura
Let's progress towards happiness together
Sama-sama menuju bahagia
May our noble aspirations bring success to Singapore
Cita-cita kita yang mulia
Berjaya Singapura
Come, lets unite as one
Marilah kita bersatu
In new spirit/vigour
Dengan semangat yang baru
let all proclaim
Semua kita berseru
Majulah Singapura
Majulah Singapura
I still remember how to sing it by heart. I am chinese who can speak basic malay because I grew up learning it (brought up overseas) then I had to learn mandarin. And I remember that I used to be isolated from other chinese kids because I couldn't speak a single shred of chinese at all and no hokkien. -
Try getting the Australians to sing their national anthem ........the ones I know can't go past the first paragraph and one I knew of ....sang me the waltzing mathilda.Originally posted by Short Ninja:Singing an Anthem is not like singing a pop song we have to know what every word means......like a religious song.Till today many cant sing the "Majullah Singapura" without a single flaw including those people voted at every election to rule the island and my 14 year old nephew.Then there are true stories about people trying to avoid being present when the flag is being raised....maybe for those reasons PRCs are invited to show what patriotism is like in China.
But they know what it means to be australian.
It is just that the anthem is too long.
I know Majulah Singapura and I know the meaning - it was to foster unity like our pledge was penned by S Ratjaratnam in the wake of the racial riots.
I don't think we should fault people who can't sing without a flaw as long as they understand and live by the principles of the Anthem and the pledge.
Some people try to dodge the flag singing because they got enuff of it when they were in primary and secondary school. Everyday of ur school day , you start with anthem and pledge , anthem and pledge to the point .....I think some get sick of it. It is the indoctrination method not because they are unpatriotic. -
Arbuthen...It is still like a religious song so the heart have to prove what it truly believe before the mouth can anyhow say wun!Originally posted by fymk:Try getting the Australians to sing their national anthem ........the ones I know can't go past the first paragraph and one I knew of ....sang me the waltzing mathilda.
But they know what it means to be australian.
It is just that the anthem is too long.
I know Majulah Singapura and I know the meaning - it was to foster unity like our pledge was penned by S Ratjaratnam in the wake of the racial riots.
I don't think we should fault people who can't sing without a flaw as long as they understand and live by the principles of the Anthem and the pledge.
-
I rarely see young faces at Peranakan Association gatherings these days.Originally posted by Short Ninja:4) Peranakan Chinese & Indonesian Chinese (merge these two together in a hope of reviving the baba culture but its not working)
Some of my friends are aware that they have Baba or Nyonya blood in them but that's all there is to it. We still have to tick the box that says 'Chinese' on application forms and learn Chinese in school. (It has to be said at this point that even across the Causeway learning Bahasa hasn't helped the popularity of Baba Malay much either). -
I believe for the Peranakans it is always the grandparents or elderly who are very proud of their heritage.I have peranakan blood too and I am fluent in the language because when my grandmother was alive we were not allowed to use English or even speak like a Malay out of respect for her so when these old folks are gone the Nonyaness or Babahood in the family also goes six feet under>Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I rarely see young faces at Peranakan Association gatherings these days.
Some of my friends are aware that they have Baba or Nyonya blood in them but that's all there is to it. We still have to tick the box that says 'Chinese' on application forms and learn Chinese in school. (It has to be said at this point that even across the Causeway learning Bahasa hasn't helped the popularity of Baba Malay much either). Keep in touch with the elderly and cultural events for a start and maybe your friends would join you later.......then I was also thinking wouldnt it be nice if the Babas had their own radio station or TV program
-
The Chinese who don't speak English! The generation who studied in Chinese schools, graduates from Nantah. there were not only the minority, but were social outcast in Singapore for a long time. Angmoh companies would not employ them, in civil service the nantah graduates worked under english educated with Grade 9 certificates, the old Cambridge 'O' level. In gatherings the english educated would continue to gong ang moh and not bothered about these among them who might not understand english.Originally posted by Short Ninja:There is nothing worrying here in fact this is a very good thread and we are intellect enough to handle such topic.Always good to know & respect what others are feeling or thinking.
Although I am no longer a SIngaporean but I want to tell you how I felt when I was one.I felt like a minority.I am a Chinese in all my legal documents but inside I am rojak...you could call it a racial identity problem because of my family background.Now I am living in Japan...all my legal documents says that I am a Japanese but in reality I am still a minority in Nippon.Someone mentioned about the number of TV programs or not being allowed to march as a group without the presence of a Chinese during NS days but for me I feel the sudden impact when people speak to me in a distinct way (their indirect but deliberate way of telling me that I am nothing more than a minority).
Here are a list of People in Singapore whom I consider minorities.
1) Malays (most ridiculed and misunderstood on the island)
2) Indians / Including Sikhs,Gujaratis,Sindhis.....etc(neutral race who is most assimilated into the society....... I like to call them true modern Singaporeans but..)
3)Eurasians (culturally confused bunch who dont know much about their true origins...Jews think of Isreal as their homeland but Eurasians could only dream of Australia & New Zealand)
4) Peranakan Chinese & Indonesian Chinese (merge these two together in a hope of reviving the baba culture but its not working)
5)Sinhalese (often mistaken as Indians but what to do? Born like that! Also a neutral hardworking race
6)Other Asian like Thais,Burmese,Banglas,Filipinos............etc (Trying to make a decent living and thankful to be singing the "Majullah Singapura")
7)Ang Moh (Not thankful to be singing the Anthem but having the best of both worlds)
Chiak Kantang Chinese (educated overseas_ forgotten,dont want to remember or do not know how to speak chinese usually talk about other countries but shy when talking about Singapore)
9)Racially mixed Chinese (you know I know -lah)
10)The "Invasion of the body snatchers" PRCs (these people are here not to assimilate but to convert you! and they are not even catholics>
)
If I had missed out anyone please feel free to add and of course you could also flame me if you like
This group of minority suffered for much longer period of time than any other minorities. to them it is not the seasons of darkness, it has been a whole life of darkness, almost. -
You mean those Chinese Helicopters?Originally posted by sgdiehard:The Chinese who don't speak English! The generation who studied in Chinese schools, graduates from Nantah. there were not only the minority, but were social outcast in Singapore for a long time. Angmoh companies would not employ them, in civil service the nantah graduates worked under english educated with Grade 9 certificates, the old Cambridge 'O' level. In gatherings the english educated would continue to gong ang moh and not bothered about these among them who might not understand english.
This group of minority suffered for much longer period of time than any other minorities. to them it is not the seasons of darkness, it has been a whole life of darkness, almost. It was a blessing in disguise for them because since they found it hard to get civil servant jobs and others ,they ended up making more money doing other things.Good point that you brought it up. -
there are also fewer young faces at the Hokkien Association, the Hainan Association.Originally posted by Kuali Baba:I rarely see young faces at Peranakan Association gatherings these days.
Some of my friends are aware that they have Baba or Nyonya blood in them but that's all there is to it. We still have to tick the box that says 'Chinese' on application forms and learn Chinese in school. (It has to be said at this point that even across the Causeway learning Bahasa hasn't helped the popularity of Baba Malay much either).
How many of the 77% of the Chinese in Singapore know what it means to have Chinese blood in them, why they tick 'Chinese' on application forms, why the angmohs call them Chinese, instead of Malay?
it is surprising that we have little affinity with the PRC Chinese? The Hong Kong Chinese, the Taiwanese Chinese and many Malaysian Chinese are not, because they know the difference, they know their own Chinese culture and they are proud they are not like the PRC Chinese. who would mistake a HK Chinese for a PRC Chinese (ah chan) ?
My friend working in the bank used to tell me, if you know how a true US$ note looks like, you will never be afraid to be cheated with a fake one. If you know what is the Chinese blood in us, we will never be afraid to be mistaken as PRC Chinese.
It is not just the eurasians who are losing their culture, not just the Peranakan, ...majority of the Chinese population have lost their culture, learning Chinese in schools to day hasn't helped them either.
Is it darkness for the caucasians, the eurasians, ....in singapore? no, it is darkness for everybody. Sinosation? what is that? I only know americanization, angmohization. -
I'm quite curious about what constitutes Peranakan in the official sense?
Does being Borneo Chinese with some Sabahan/Bruneian native blood in your veins make you Peranakan in the official sense?
I've always seen myself as Peranakan in that light.. can anyone help to clarify? -
Originally posted by Short Ninja:You mean those Chinese Helicopters? It was a blessing in disguise for them because since they found it hard to get civil servant jobs and others ,they ended up making more money doing other things.Good point that you brought it up.
glad you recognise the Chinese Helicopters. Not many people use this term these days. It is true that many of nantah graduates went overseas for further studies because there were no jobs for them in Singapore. Many ended doing own business and have made some money. Later the government wanted donation from them so they tried to combine the alumi from the old nantah with the NTU. Long stories for these helicopters, many of my uncles were like that....may be now they become Chinese Apache Helicopters. -
Originally posted by LazerLordz:
A ''Peranakan'' is a Malay word for ''one who is born locally''.
I'm quite curious about what constitutes Peranakan in the official sense?
Does being Borneo Chinese with some Sabahan/Bruneian native blood in your veins make you Peranakan in the official sense?
I've always seen myself as Peranakan in that light.. can anyone help to clarify?
This term will actually refer to the descendants of those Chinese that migrated from China to Peninsular Malaya, Singapore and Indonesia. With many of them mainly settling in the Straits Settlement of Penang, Malacca and Singapore; and were soon assimilated into the easy village and town life of equatorial Malaya and Singapore.
Some of these Chinese men, who left home for many years will soon marry local Malay girls without converting to Islam - as Islam was not as pervasive and had no political support during the 19th Century, as the Malays in Malaya and Singapore were still politically unmotivated nor awaken.
These Chinese men picked up Malay culture and language, while keeping to their Chinese customs and religious practices.
A cross mix of cultures, languages, customs, and beliefs created a new communal group that helped to bridge the gap between two rich communities through the Malay language that is spoken with an intersperse of Chinese colloquial words.
The Peranakan ''Song and dance'' was well known as the ''Dondang Sayang'' and the 'poetic' exchange between male and female in the typical 'Perananakan Patois' resemble closely to the poetic verses exchanged between Chinese couples.
The ''Peranakans'' community also exist in Indonesia, and is known better as ''Baba Indonesia''.
Unfortunately, the ''Peranakans'' in Indonesia were assimilated into Mainstream Indonesian Life with the banning of Chinese names, Chinese Cultures, Chinese Education, and Chinese Language - when in 1967, President Suharto began to systematically dismantle the Chinese identity from Indonesian life. -
We had to make do with 'Ways Of The Matriarch'...but I don't even know if there's going to be a new season.Originally posted by Short Ninja:Keep in touch with the elderly and cultural events for a start and maybe your friends would join you later.......then I was also thinking wouldnt it be nice if the Babas had their own radio station or TV program
Post-1900 our histories rarely intertwine, and then there's the distance, so there's no reason to be moved by their affairs. With this out of the way we can go about fostering some common identity with other ethnicities here (I have no idea how to do so right now and don't want to talk about it).Originally posted by sgdiehard:How many of the 77% of the Chinese in Singapore know what it means to have Chinese blood in them, why they tick 'Chinese' on application forms, why the angmohs call them Chinese, instead of Malay?
it is surprising that we have little affinity with the PRC Chinese? The Hong Kong Chinese, the Taiwanese Chinese and many Malaysian Chinese are not, because they know the difference, they know their own Chinese culture and they are proud they are not like the PRC Chinese. who would mistake a HK Chinese for a PRC Chinese (ah chan) ?
There is also a need to point out that some of our customs differ from China's Chinese, but that was hardly done when I was in school. For instance, I wonder how many kids know that tossing of fish salad began as a commercial idea, or that New Year greetings don't always have to be in Mandarin. I learnt only through the TV programme mentioned earlier.
An awareness of the differences, as opposed to being led to believe our practices are all the same, may IMO help to spark the interest in our backgrounds.
I'd say you are definitely one, and hope Atobe's post settles the rest.Originally posted by LazerLordz:I'm quite curious about what constitutes Peranakan in the official sense?
Does being Borneo Chinese with some Sabahan/Bruneian native blood in your veins make you Peranakan in the official sense?
I've always seen myself as Peranakan in that light.. can anyone help to clarify? -
Originally posted by Kuali Baba:
A consolation show will be in July 2007 at the Esplanade with:
We had to make do with 'Ways Of The Matriarch'...but I don't even know if there's going to be a new season.
''Dim Sum Dollies : History of Singapore''
The Dollies breathe new rib-tickling life into Samsui Women, Ah Ma Chehs, Malay Kampong Beauties, Money-lending Dhobis and Opium Den -- then morph into terrifying Peranakan Matriarchs and Hainanese Chefs whipping up killer pork chops! -
Thanks for the tidbits of info..
And hey, Dim Sum Dollies are not bad. Good for a laugh and a rib-tickle or two -
Jose Rizal,Ferdinand Marcos & Abdul Rahman Wahid (Gus Dur)can all be cosidered as 'BABA'
-
Abdullah Badawi too.Originally posted by Short Ninja:Jose Rizal,Ferdinand Marcos & Abdul Rahman Wahid (Gus Dur)can all be cosidered as 'BABA' -
Descendant of immigrants who were born in Malaya and Indonesia are called Peranakan.Originally posted by LazerLordz:I'm quite curious about what constitutes Peranakan in the official sense?
Does being Borneo Chinese with some Sabahan/Bruneian native blood in your veins make you Peranakan in the official sense?
I've always seen myself as Peranakan in that light.. can anyone help to clarify?
By definition the Peranakan community encompasses all local-born Indians,Eurasians and Chinese ,including those born in communities outside the former straits settlement such as the Indonesian Chinese from Medan (Sumatra) and Cirebon(Java).Thus,a Baba is a Peranakan but not all Peranakan as Babas.
-
That one Ar..Not a descendant of the kapitan Cina but Captain of a Kopitiam.Originally posted by LazerLordz:Abdullah Badawi too. -
it is interesting to know that the term "Baba" was not of Malay origin but from Indian traders.Originally posted by Atobe:A ''Peranakan'' is a Malay word for ''one who is born locally''.
This term will actually refer to the descendants of those Chinese that migrated from China to Peninsular Malaya, Singapore and Indonesia. With many of them mainly settling in the Straits Settlement of Penang, Malacca and Singapore; and were soon assimilated into the easy village and town life of equatorial Malaya and Singapore.
Some of these Chinese men, who left home for many years will soon marry local Malay girls without converting to Islam - as Islam was not as pervasive and had no political support during the 19th Century, as the Malays in Malaya and Singapore were still politically unmotivated nor awaken.
These Chinese men picked up Malay culture and language, while keeping to their Chinese customs and religious practices.
A cross mix of cultures, languages, customs, and beliefs created a new communal group that helped to bridge the gap between two rich communities through the Malay language that is spoken with an intersperse of Chinese colloquial words.
The Peranakan ''Song and dance'' was well known as the ''Dondang Sayang'' and the 'poetic' exchange between male and female in the typical 'Perananakan Patois' resemble closely to the poetic verses exchanged between Chinese couples.
The ''Peranakans'' community also exist in Indonesia, and is known better as ''Baba Indonesia''.
Unfortunately, the ''Peranakans'' in Indonesia were assimilated into Mainstream Indonesian Life with the banning of Chinese names, Chinese Cultures, Chinese Education, and Chinese Language - when in 1967, President Suharto began to systematically dismantle the Chinese identity from Indonesian life.
saw this message from one forum.
Chinese marry Malay before world war 2 know as Peranakan .
Chinese marry Malay after world war 2 know as Malay . -
It will be interesting to know how much of the 'Chinese' is left in the Peranakan today, or how 'Malay' are they now.Originally posted by Arapahoe:it is interesting to know that the term "Baba" was not of Malay origin but from Indian traders.
saw this message from one forum.
Chinese marry Malay before world war 2 know as Peranakan .
Chinese marry Malay after world war 2 know as Malay .
There is one good thing I know from my Peranakan friend, they don't think of migrating to US or Australia even they do not like the way things are happening in Singapore or Malaysia, probably that is the 'Malay' in them. -
I think Peranakan is use to describe deccendents of intermarriage between Chinese with any Asian countries. A rather loose name, because of the multiude of ethnic groups involved, i realized it is difficult to coin an official sense.Originally posted by LazerLordz:I'm quite curious about what constitutes Peranakan in the official sense?
Does being Borneo Chinese with some Sabahan/Bruneian native blood in your veins make you Peranakan in the official sense?
I've always seen myself as Peranakan in that light.. can anyone help to clarify?
I saw this web site and they describe as
We Peranakans are a unique and vibrant people rich in an ancient culture combined with old Chinese, Malay and European influences. Our Chinese ancestors may have migrated 300 years ago to this part of the world. They may have gone and settled in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia or even the Phillipines, but where ever they went, they established and propogated the Peranakan Chinese Race.
Or u could treat the decendent of Hang Li Po as the official Peranakan. -
the quote was from MY. They are out there......is just that they were unfornately look down upon in most region because married to chinese, and during WWII the Japanese execute them together with the chinese.Originally posted by sgdiehard:It will be interesting to know how much of the 'Chinese' is left in the Peranakan today, or how 'Malay' are they now.
There is one good thing I know from my Peranakan friend, they don't think of migrating to US or Australia even they do not like the way things are happening in Singapore or Malaysia, probably that is the 'Malay' in them.
So they are the minority. Also their wealth were confiscated given that they were the early merchant and business man.
in 90 i had ate in a Strait Chinese Resturant in Washington D.C. -
Originally posted by Arapahoe:
The word ''Baba'' is a word used by different nationalities or ethnicities in their languages, and each will have different meaning.
it is interesting to know that the term "Baba" was not of Malay origin but from Indian traders.
saw this message from one forum.
Chinese marry Malay before world war 2 know as Peranakan .
Chinese marry Malay after world war 2 know as Malay .
Googling the word ''Baba'' to find its origin will reveal quite a surprising outcome, and much will depend on which site the word will land on.
In the context of this Southeast Asian Region, it will seem to be that the word ''Baba'' is referring to the males in the 'Peranakan' community, and the females are known as ''Nonyas''.
The word ''Peranakan'' in the Indian language refers to ''speakers of a foreign tongue''
Before WW2, the Malay Community was not as political as it is today, and seem to be more political after the revival of Islam that is seen to have occurred during the Oil Crisis of the 1970s - (after the 6-day Israeli War), when the Middle-east Arab Nations found their pride boosted with the political clout in their near monopoly in crude oil production.
It was during this period of self-discovery amongst the Middle-east Arab-Muslims, that the Malay communities in Southeast Asia awoke to identify their seemingly ''underclassed'' position with that of the Arabs through their mutual faith in Islam.
Since this discovery of a common thread, and finding their position to be strengthened with a ''Rich Cousin'' holding an 'Ace Card' in the crude oil, the Malay Community began their ''Islamic Revival'' - becoming more Islamic than the Arabs.
It was about this period - in the late 1970s and 1980s - that the Malay communities in this region began to introduce and inject Arabic cultures, diet, dressing, and values into their own local habits.
The ''Baba Peranakan'' culture - even in its diluted adopted forms of each culture - can be said to provide an accurate snapshot of the original Malay culture in the old days before this Islamic fervor drove the Malay community from their original form. (This statement will be controversial to some. )
Amongst the diminishing older generation of ''Peranakan'' communities in Singapore, traditions remained the same. While those in their late 50s are somewhat modernised.
Recent trips to Malacca and Penang, seems to reveal the same trend of cultural deterioration, in which modern life has taken a toll on the preferred mode of dressing amongst the ''Peranakan" women.
Fortunately, the ''Peranankan'' interest in good cooking and tradional fares have never diminished; and fortunately - (or unfortunately, for some) - there is a revival in ''Peranakanism'' and in a strenghtening of 'Peranakan' bonds. -
Years ago someone from Penang wrote a thick book on "Straits Chinese"and that was how I came to understand and confirm my Baba roots.Peranakan is just a malay terminology which should include descendants of non-chinese immigrants.However it is most popularly associated with the straits born Chinese.The "Peranakan" version of Thailand is Luk Jin and Mestizos for the Philippines.When I was in JC I went to an Indian classmate home in Toa Payoh,to my surprise his malaccan grandmother spoke fluent Baba Malay and not a word of Tamil.When she told me she was 100% Peranakan I wentOriginally posted by Arapahoe:I think Peranakan is use to describe deccendents of intermarriage between Chinese with any Asian countries. A rather loose name, because of the multiude of ethnic groups involved, i realized it is difficult to coin an official sense.
I saw this web site and they describe as
We Peranakans are a unique and vibrant people rich in an ancient culture combined with old Chinese, Malay and European influences. Our Chinese ancestors may have migrated 300 years ago to this part of the world. They may have gone and settled in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia or even the Phillipines, but where ever they went, they established and propogated the Peranakan Chinese Race.
Or u could treat the decendent of Hang Li Po as the official Peranakan.
but she did say Peranakan and not Baba so now I understand what she meant.My grandpa was a Luk Jin who married a Malay woman (grandma)also from Pattani .My grandmother on my mother side was from Malacca and she married my grandfather who was from an Indonesian Chinese family in Kalimantan.I have a Thai Surname but family members included are the Wee,Tan,Goh & Yap.......thank God there are no Lee> 