About the Programme
Is being “born of the land” enough to be called Peranakan? In today’s Singapore, where immigration is reshaping our social fabric, the word Peranakan takes on new meaning. Can Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, and Arab Singaporeans—born and bred here over generations—claim this identity too? Join us for a vibrant discussion on what it means to be Peranakan today. In our Show and Tell, we welcome members of the audience to bring an item of heritage be it a photograph, piece of textile, a musical instrument or kitchen tool with its story to share. We end with a singalong of favourite Peranakan songs. Presentation is organised by Chakap Baba-Nyonya group.About the Speakers
Our guest moderator is Dr Margaret Chan. Nyonya Margaret is famously known as writer, screen and stage actor in local productions. Most notably is her role of Emily of Emerald Hill. She holds a doctorate in theatre/performance studies from the University of London. She is an anthropologist, a former professor at SMU and wrote on Chinese spirit medium worship.Nyonya Cynthia Wee-Hoefer, 73, a former journalist and fashion editor now devoting her efforts in promoting her Chinese Peranakan culture. She co-founded Chakap Baba-Nyonya with Baba Richard Tan to gather like-minded individuals with a passion for propagating and preserving the Baba Nyonya culture by transcribing Peranakan plays for archiving; reading aloud scripts and stories in Baba Malay and keeping the language alive through their social interaction. The group has grown and is reaching out to the public with events like Being Peranakan and Chakap Masak at various institutions.
Baba Richard Tan’s main interest is a revival of all things Peranakan to pass on the culture and heritage to the next generation. He organises cultural festivals, writes new plays, produces new musical works, and curates Peranakan lifestyle fashion & handicraft events. He is the Artistic Director of GenerAsia and co-founder of Singapore’s only professional cultural arts and Peranakan theatre company ‘The Main Wayang Company’ in 2004. He has dedicated most of his time to this Peranakan theatre company, directing several plays.
Other distinguished participants include Baba Ronney Tan Koon Siang from The Peranakan Association of Singapore, Nyonya Merlin Pillay from The Peranakan Indian (Chitty Melaka) Association, Afra Alatas and Haady Mattar from Arab Network @ S and, Sandra Theseira and Percival Shepherdson from the Eurasian Association.