Celebrating our Peranakan Culture through Literature

Speech by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law, at Baba Nyonya Literary Festival, at National Library Building on 27 July 2024

1. Our first generation of leaders developed policies and initiatives to foster an inclusive society where all cultural groups have the space to practise, expand, grow and celebrate their culture.
2. Opportunities were also created to encourage people of different races, religions, and cultures to interact.
3. This built mutual understanding and respect between the different communities, as manifested in our cultures, writings and food. This is how we were able to find a common ground despite our differences.
   
   

   The Government is committed to working with partners to promote our shared cultures and heritage through Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0

4. We remain committed to multiculturalism today. We want to ensure that every community is provided with the necessary resources and opportunities to flourish. By actively promoting the diverse cultures and heritages that make up our society, we do more than just sustain or say that we have a multicultural society; in fact, we ensure that we live, experience and treasure it for generations to come.
5. The launch of the Heritage Activation Node at Katong-Joo Chiat earlier this April under Our SG Heritage Plan 2.0 is one example of our commitment to support communities.
6. The initiative provides opportunities for the community to take part in this and co-develop diverse and immersive projects to celebrate the area’s heritage.
7. Looking ahead, we are excited to be able to launch a series of similar Heritage Activation Nodes across various precincts. The communities can come together, talk about what is special about their neighbourhood and what they want to showcase, and implement projects showcasing their local heritage. Volunteers will also be trained to organise regular heritage programmes. This is one way we will embark on our effort to preserve, cherish and look after our heritage for our future generations.
   
   

   Preserving and Promoting our Shared Cultures and Heritage is a Collective Effort

8. Everyone can also play their part in preserving and passing on our cultural heritage to the next generation.
9. As Josephine Chia aptly puts it in her book Queen of the Sky, "We are not just generations apart but are chasms apart in language too." The gaps in language and culture between generations underscore the importance of our collective efforts in nurturing an intergenerational appreciation for our shared cultural heritage.
10. I am very happy to learn that TPAS has organised a variety of different platforms for this happen. The writing competition has become part of the festival. The competition is a good opportunity to engage the youths in understanding the Peranakan heritage.
11. As younger generations of Singaporeans come to understand and appreciate it, we can ensure the rich Peranakan culture remains alive and passed down from one generation to the next.
12. Our cultural practitioners also help keep our living heritage alive through their crafts. Mr Raymond Wong has contributed to the practice, promotion and active transmission of Peranakan beadwork and embroidery, and craft and practices related to the Peranakan Kebaya, for nearly 20 years. For his dedication to Peranakan culture, he received the Steward of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award earlier this year.
13. Our very own Peranakan Museum also collaborates with our community partners such as TPAS to promote public understanding of Peranakan culture and living heritage, with contributions of objects, interviews, and stories in its galleries.
14. The museum also provides opportunities for audiences to interact directly with diverse Peranakan communities, such as at the annual Armenian Street Party and the Community Voices programme series. These programmes help to grow Singaporeans’ appreciation of our shared heritage.
    
    

    Celebrating and Sustaining Our Shared Multicultural Heritage with TPAS

15. On this note, I want to acknowledge TPAS for their contributions in preserving and celebrating our Peranakan heritage.
16. Since its founding in 1900, TPAS has been championing the interests and cultural vibrancy of the Peranakan community. This commitment to nurturing local Peranakan culture remains steadfast in the years following Singapore’s independence. Amidst Singapore’s rapid economic transformation, TPAS curated a range of programmes to ensure that the essence of our shared heritage continued to be showcased and resonate with Singaporeans from all walks of life.
17. The Baba Nyonya Literary Festival today is one such example of the work done by TPAS. This festival has attracted literary enthusiasts, celebrating the intricate Peranakan narrative through the compelling medium of literature.
18. This year, we are privileged to host distinguished Peranakan authors such as Walter Woon and Josephine Chia. Their literary works have captivated readers and provided invaluable insights into Peranakan customs and heritage, contextualised in our local culture. They will be joining a panel discussion tomorrow on the literary landscape of the Peranakan community.
19. TPAS has also organised other panel discussions to examine the Peranakan culture in the areas of heritage and identity, food, and architecture. These areas speak to us in different ways, and I hope that we can use all of these different means to continue to promote and grow Peranakan culture.
20. Beyond the festival today, TPAS has also gone beyond promoting the Peranakan cultural heritage to collaborating with local partners to uphold our shared multicultural heritage. To give you one example, in March 2023, Singapore submitted the nomination for kebaya to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage together with our neighbours - Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. This was supported by Kawan Kebaya, or Friends of Kebaya, which TPAS is a member of.
21. Kawan Kebaya is a multicultural network of 51 stakeholders from the Malay, Peranakan, Eurasian and other communities in Singapore.
22. The efforts of Kawan Kebaya have helped encourage a deeper sense of awareness and appreciation of kebaya among Singaporeans, for instance, through the Love, Kebaya travelling exhibition, #WeHeartKebaya digital campaign and various other programmes.
23. The collective contributions of the Kawan Kebaya members reflect the strength of multiculturalism and a deep passion in upholding our common heritage.
    
    

    Conclusion

24. On this note, I would like to express my appreciation to TPAS for your contributions to strengthening and protecting our social fabric through preserving and promoting the thread that is our Peranakan cultural heritage.
25. I want to encourage more Singaporeans, particularly the youths, to come forward and partner us in promoting our shared cultures and heritage. When we come together, we get a deeper sense of who we are, and where we come from.
26. Thank you.