(This is a monthly letter from Baba Colin Chee to members and friends of the Association.)
Mid-Term AGM in May
In February we were confident of having an AGM in April.
However, our accounts could not be finalised in time. Also, we were not certain our anniversary magazine, which carried the President’s post-2020 AGM message to members, could be published before the end of April.
All that have been resolved. Members should now have both the 2021 AGM pack and the magazine delivered by postal mail.
Our mid-term (virtual) AGM will be held on Sunday, 30 May 2021 at 2.30 pm. We hope to see you online.
33rd Baba Nyonya International Convention 2021
We are pleased to announce that President Halimah Yacob has graciously agreed to be the Guest-of-Honour at our convention on Saturday, 20 November 2021.
We have been advised by our venue sponsor, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, that its 533-seat auditorium can only sit 100 guests and delegates. We fervently hope that nearer to the date, with a successful vaccination roll-out, this safe distancing measure will be relaxed to accommodate more people in the auditorium.
For now, we have to plan our convention based on this very constrained physical limit of seating 100 people.
In order to reach out to more people, your General Committee on 22 April approved the proposal to livestream both the play, The Matriarchs, and the symposium.
This is to cover interested Singaporeans who may not be able to get paid ticketed seats on the day of the convention itself, and also to members of affiliated Peranakan Associations in the region and Australia.
More details will be shared once we finalise the physical and livestream paid ticketing arrangements.
Virtual Peranakan Dinner 2021
Over 500 members and guests had already paid up to attend our 120th Anniversary Peranakan Ball in July 2020.
When we were compelled to postpone the event to May this year, a few members cancelled and were fully refunded. But close to 500 hopefuls stayed on to support us.
We have since had to downsize the ball, regrettably, to a virtual event and reformat it into a dinner because of safe distancing measures and move the date again to Saturday, 25 September 2021.
We thought of cancelling it initially, but members’ support encouraged us to carry on.
To date, close to 200 members and guests have decided to stay with us for the virtual dinner. We are deeply grateful for their empathy and continued support.
At the time of writing, we have fully refunded members and guests who have understandably cancelled.
We thank them all for their patience, and also those who decided to donate part and even all of their refunds to the association.
However, some members have changed their minds and have indicated they wish to rejoin the dinner.
All are welcome and should contact Nyonya Gwen Ong at events@peranakan.org.sg.
We are committed to ensuring a virtual dinner experience that will be entertaining.
The Peranakan dinner will still be carefully curated by Nyonyas Violet Oon and Sylvia Tan and Baba Christopher Tan. Thank you very much, Violet, Sylvia and Chris!
Prepared by the chefs of Shangri-La Hotel, the fine cuisine will be delivered in special thermal food containers to our members and guests.
Each delivery to groups of at least six people and above, will be accompanied by complimentary drinks:
- Two bottles of exquisite sake generously sponsored by Baba Masaki Matsuzaki and Nyonya Adeline Yeo Matsuzaki.
The first bottle is a limited-release peony pink sake bubbly Otakijyo Momoiro Nigorizake by acclaimed 200-year-old Toyonotsuru Brewery from Chiba Prefecture. The other is the famed celebration sake Jyunmaishu SHUHAI by 125-year-old Chiyonosono Brewery from Kumamoto Prefecture. Adeline is a well-known Singapore finger-painting artist now based in Tokyo. Her paintings are being used as specialty labels by a growing number of sake breweries in Japan. - A bottle of vintage champagne thoughtfully sponsored by a well-known champagne connoisseur Nyonya member who wishes to remain anonymous.
Our guests will dine to a one-and-a-half to two-hour specially produced video.
It will showcase Baba Lai Chan’s sophisticated cheongsams and Baba Raymond Wong’s sensuous sarong kebayas, highlighted with delicately exuberant jewellery from Flower Diamond Boutique and Foundation Jewellers.
The specially created street-side fashion show will be produced by Takenover Pte Ltd, as is the video. There will also be interesting short interviews for the enjoyment of our guests.
We will also announce our best dressed Baba and Nyonya at the end of the evening’s programme. Delightful prizes await them.
Thank you for your time. Keep well and be safe!
Colin Chee
Keeping the Culture Alive
30 April 2021
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