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In Singapore, a search for a Chinese identity with a little less China
- A new exhibition emphasises the distinctive identity of Singapore’s ethnic Chinese community
- Some observers see in it a foreign policy message aimed at Beijing
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In Singapore, traditional coffee shops are known as kopitiam. The colloquial term is a combination of the word kopi, which means coffee in Malay, and tiam, which translates to shop in Hokkien.
This is just one example of how a melding of cultures gave rise to new words, food dishes, as well as a unique identity in a city state of 5.6 million, where ethnic Chinese make up more than three-quarters of its population.
The evolution of Chinese Singaporean culture and how it was shaped by multiculturalism is the subject of a new permanent interactive exhibition launched earlier this year by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre.
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The centre opened three years ago and was funded mainly by the government but also through donations from clan associations, businesses and individuals.
“The Chinese Singaporean identity is complex and is always changing,” said the curators. “After interacting with diverse influences over the years, the Chinese culture in Singapore has evolved in a way quite unlike other communities around the world.”
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