In the lead up to Racial Harmony Day (July 21), learn to appreciate the diverse cultures and communities that are woven into Singapore’s colourful social fabric.
TEXT: TOH EE MING
PHOTOS: ONE KIND HOUSE, INDIAN HERITAGE CENTRE, TEAM NILA, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE, ONEPEOPLE.SG, INTERFAITH YOUTH CIRCLE, KWAN IM THONG HOOD CHO TEMPLE
Singapore is built on the foundation of racial and cultural understanding, where its melting pot of cultures and acceptance of diversity make it so special. Racial Harmony Day (July 21) is an apt reminder to not take this for granted. While we have come a long way from the 1964 race riots that the occasion commemorates and aims to prevent from re-occurring, there’s still more we can do on an individual level to foster a deeper sense of mutuality and cultural awareness within the community. Start with these initiatives and activities you can take part in with your neighbours and loved ones, to celebrate our wonderful cultural plurality together.
LEARN ABOUT CULINARY HERITAGE THROUGH A COOKING CLASS
While we can easily ‘chope’ a table at our favourite restaurant, learning how to prepare the traditional dishes of different ethnic groups can help us better appreciate rich cultural heritages and nuances. Rally your crew for a farm-to-table experience at One Kind House, which is touted as a “21st century kampong” rooted in sustainability. Here, an octogenarian chef will teach you how to prepare Peranakan-inspired dishes such as Chilled Bittergourd Salad and Blue Pea Flower Rice using organic ingredients from the onsite garden. For a halal option, sign up for one of D’Open Kitchen’s cooking classes, where you can learn how to prepare everything from dim sum to mooncakes and other Asian dishes using only halal ingredients that you can select during a market tour.
DIVE INTO ARTS AND CULTURAL ACTIVITIES
Being well-versed in various artistic and cultural expressions gives you a better understanding of Singapore’s multicultural landscape. To that end, you can join a tour at the Indian Heritage Centre – which highlights the rites of passage, attire, language, religious affiliations and festivals of Indians in Singapore and South-east Asia – or learn about the history of Chinese dialects at the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre. Those who are musically inclined may enrol in a beginner-level Indian classical dance class at dance academy Shantha Ratii Initiatives, or join one of the People’s Association’s vibrant Malay Kompang (a traditional Malay hand drum) interest groups.
PAY IT FORWARD THROUGH SPORTS
Sports has the unique ability to bring people together through play, regardless of age, gender, race, ability or social status. Spearheaded by Sport Singapore, Team Nila is the national sport volunteerism movement that offers a raft of volunteering and training opportunities. Besides helping to ensure that sporting events run smoothly, Team Nila volunteers can serve as pool guardians at ActiveSG swimming complexes, or assist persons with disabilities during their training sessions.
START CONVERSATIONS AT HOME
Nurturing cultural awareness in your kids starts at home. Share with your child that it’s okay to be curious about other cultural practices and guide them to ask questions in a sensitive and appropriate way. For instance, teach young children to understand and respect differences among people, and highlight why certain stereotypical or hurtful language is divisive and inappropriate.
Keep your children occupied with thoughtful activities that showcase Singapore’s rich cultural heritage by downloading The National Museum of Singapore’s free printable activity kits, such as one that shows them how to create designs such as a mosque and ketupat through paper quilling. You can also expose them to concepts such as inclusion through literature — sign up for the National Library Board’s monthly book delivery subscription service, which was recently expanded to include mother tongue language books.
PARTICIPATE IN ONEPEOPLE.SG’S ACTIVITIES
Since its inception, non-profit organisation OnePeople.sg (OPSG) has played an instrumental role in promoting harmony among youths through a range of programmes. These include community dialogues exploring hot-button topics such as prejudice in a measured manner, a simulated United Nations conference where racial and religious issues are discussed, and experiential learning journeys to places of worship. It also holds workplace diversity programmes and training workshops.
SOUND OFF AT AN INTERFAITH YOUTH CIRCLE EVENT
In a secular society, discourse revolving around religion can sometimes be regarded as off-limits and provocative. Enter the Interfaith Youth Circle, a ground-up initiative started by a pair of secondary school friends to address Islamophobia and bridge the divide between communities of different faiths. Join their constructive dialogue sessions where representatives from different religions share their perspectives on promoting harmony and understanding. Such authentic conversations are important as participants can talk about potentially sensitive topics in a safe and moderated space.
VISIT HOUSES OF WORSHIP AT ETHNIC ENCLAVES
Delve into the complex cultural identities of various communities by observing their religious beliefs and customs at their respective houses of worship. Singapore’s ethnic enclaves — namely, Little India, Kampong Gelam and Chinatown — are home to some of the country’s most historically significant temples and mosques. At Little India, visit the 19th-century Hindu temple Sri Veerama-kaliamman Temple, which is distinguished by its intricate tower of sculptures and linked to early migrant workers from India. Then head to Kampong Gelam’s gold-domed Sultan Mosque, a focal point for the country’s Muslim community that dates back to 1824. Over at Chinatown, the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple is dedicated to the worship of the Goddess of Mercy, a key figure in both Buddhism and Taoism.
Like our stories? Subscribe to our Frontline Digital newsletters now! Simply download the HomeTeamNS Mobile App and update your communication preference to ‘Receive Digital Frontline Magazine’, through the App Settings.
