countries and Cultures

Religious Tolerance in Singapore

2009-04-29T22:17:00.001-07:00

Religious tolerance is very important part of life in Singapore. Since the colonial times up to the independence of the island, the governing instiotutions of Singapore has give prime importance to racial and religious harmony. In other words the harmony among different ethnic and religious groups have always been the top priority of the Singapore government.

The government in Singapore has to some extent successfully erased some religions and racial boundaries. Some religions, especially those practiced by Chinese ethnic groups, have even shared their places of worship with different other religions like Hinduism and Islam. Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple which is situated in the eastern coastal line is a prominent example of this religious tolerance. In this temple you an see alll three religions - Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam that are housed under the same roof. It is in fact a manifestation of religious harmony in Singapore.
The younger generation of people in Singapore have also contributed to this religious tolerance. Then blend the traditional wisdom of the previous generations with religious co-existence. This religious co-existence has been encouraged by the British colonials who made Singapore their colony. If you visit Bridge Street, which was a major road through the old Chinatown, you will see it is home to the Sri Mariamman Temple. This temple is a south Indian Hindu temple that was declared a national historical site in the 1980s. there you can also find the Masjid Jamae Mosque there. This masjid served Chulia Muslims from India's Coromandel Coast.

The religious tolerance is also taught at the schools of singapore. there are also students from different communities that are in the same class. Thus the children are taught religious tolerance from a tender age there. This leads to religious harmony in Singapore.

Indian Music Performances

2009-04-24T10:13:00.000-07:00

Singapore is one of the most prominent hubs of Indians outside the country. Almost 9% of the total population of Singapore is Indians. Indian Singaporeans form the third largest ethnic group in the Lion City. They have also retained a distinct social as well as cultural identity. They celebrate their festivals and religious functions with joy and gusto and on the occasion of such functions several cultural programs are also arranged. People take active part in these cultural performances and perform Indian music and dances. If you get an invitation to attend any such Indian cultural program in Singapore do not miss the opportunity. By attending this cultural program you can get a fair idea about the culture and traditions of Indian people living in Singapore.

During almost every Indian festival a musical night is organized in Singapore. Indians love singing and dancing during the festivals. Be it any religious function or marriage songs and dances are an integral part of almost every festive gathering. So during the Indian cultural functions you can get a chance to hear some of the most melodious Indian songs. If you are attending any religious function you can hear some beautiful bhajans or religious songs that can soothe your ears. If you are attending any marriage you will be able to hear some folk songs and a number of movie songs in Hindi. All these movie songs are features in different Bollywood movies. You can even shake your legs with some foot tapping numbers in occasions like these. You may also get to hear some soothing Indian instrumental music.

From time to time some musical maestros and singers from India perform in different big halls in Singapore. If you want to hear some quality Indian music you can also buy a tickets of these shows and enjoy the heavenly bliss called Indian music.

Chinese Culture in Singapore

2009-04-21T03:19:00.000-07:00

Singapore is considered among the most popular tourist destination in South East Asia. Though the country is small in size, the Lion City is home to a number of people who belong to different commmunities as well as ethnicities. For a small country with a short modern history Singapore has a rich ethnic background. A large section of the people who live in Singapore have come from different parts of Asia. These people have numerous ethnicities and religious practices. The chinese are the largest wethnic communities in Singapore. in Fact Singapore is regarded as the land upon which the Chinese are the largest ethnic group outside China. the Chinese population consists 78% of the population of Singapore. in other words almost three people among four singaporean is a Chinese.

The Chinese people have a long and vivid history in singapore. they belong to different communities. There are people of different chinese communities. These communities have found a hom e away from home in Singapore. these communities speak different chinese languages. The communities also have different culture and lifestyle. There are differrent ethnic quarter in Singapore. Chinatown is one of the ethnic communities in singapore that is dedicated to the Chinese communities. In this community you can see a number of shopping destinations and a glimpse of Chinese culture. you can enjoty authentic chinese cuisine. you can also shop for chinese goods and handicrafts in Chinatown as well. The Chinese dishes are also served at the small street food stalls. The sights and sound of chinatown will take you to China.

Chinese people practice Buddhism and some Chinese Singaporeans also practice Christianity. Taoism is also very popular among the Chinese people. They also have chinese temples and shrines. You are sure to find the Chinese community in Singapore a lot interesting.

Indian Culture in Singapore

2009-04-21T00:51:00.000-07:00

Singapore is one of the most popular tourist destination in southeast Asia. though small in size this city-state is home to people who belong to different communities and ethnicities. A large section of the people living in Singapore have come from different parts of Asia. These people have different ethnicities, culture as well as religious practices. You can find Chinese, Arab, Malaya as well as Indian people in Singapore. The Indians form a major part of the population in Singapore. They have maintained their own culture and religious practices. The Indian culture has found a strong root in the land of Singapore.

The Indians first came to Singapore when the history of modern Singapore began in the year 1819. At that time a large number of young Indian male came to Singapore as workers, soldiers and convicts. Later the families of these Indians also joined them and gradually they settled in Singapore. the Inndians have created their own niche in Singapore.

If you want to know the Indians in Singapore in a better way then you should pay a visit to Little India which is an ethnic quarter of Singapore. Little India is an ethnic quarter in Singapore that is dedicated to the indian people who live in Singapore. In this area you can catch a glimpse of India. Visiting this place you can get a good idea about the culture of India. You will also get a good idea about the way of life of Indians in Singapore in Little India. If you want to know about the the culture of Singapore then a trip to Little India is a must.

Indian Cultural Performances

2009-04-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Indians are the third largest ethnic group in Singapore. The country has earned a reputation for a having the one of the largest Indian population overseas. The Indians who live in Singapore have maintained their customs, traditions and cultures very well. In the festive season several cultural functions are arranged by the Indian communities where Indian classical dances, other forms of dances as well as Indian Music are also performed.

Indian classical dance is an integral part of Indian Culture. There are several Indian classical dance forms. These dance forms include Bharatnatyam, Kattak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipuri and Mohiniatyam. These dance forms are very beautiful. Originated in India these dance forms are several centuries old. These dance forms till date bear the essence of culture of traditions of India.

Having one of the largest overseas Indian population Singapore is also has plenty of cultural performances. In these cultural performances Indian classical dances are performed on a regular basis. If you get the chance to go to any of these Indian Cultural Functions do not miss that golden opportunity. You will get a chance to see some of the most beautiful dance performances in these functions. Many tourists who have been to these cultural functions have praised them very much. It is truly an unforgettable experience.

From time and again some well known dance exponents and dance troupes from India come to Singapore to do some shows. If you want to see some of the best Indian classical dance performances you can book a ticket of the show and enjoy the performance. If you have an interest for different dance forms and love watching some gracious dance performances then you must see any of these dance performances by the dance exponents.

Geylang Serai

2009-04-14T00:10:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for some unique things during your trip to Singapore then you should look for them at the ethnic quarters of the Lion City. The ethnic quarters of the Lion City are home to different ethnic groups living in Singapore. The markets of these quarters are often full of exciting unique items that not only represent the ethnic group but also the country as a whole you can have a lot of fun while shopping in the local markets at the ethnic quarters of Singapore. You can visit Geylang Serai, one of the well known ethnic quarters of Singapore. At this ethnic quarter you can get a wide array of handicraft items that has the traditional Malaya touch in them.

This ethnic enclave of the Malays has old world charm. Right in its middle is the Malay Village which is a showcase of traditional business and cultural activities. It is a throwback to the good old kampong days. Its shops display a wide array of items beginning from handicrafts, rugs and fabrics to furniture and antiques. You can also get into the modern Joo Chiat Complex and get fascinated by the widespread array of textiles, clothes and jewelries.

You can also drop by the wet market which is currently under renovation. Here you can indulge yourself in the smells of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. Around the market there are a number of shops where you can pick up CDs of both traditional and modern Malay music. You can listen to the beautiful Malaya "keroncong" music and collect them for memories of your holiday in Singapore. It is truly going to be an unforgettable experience for you. whether you are doing some serious shopping or want to know about the traditional culture in Singapore Geyland Serai is the best place to be for you.

Singlish

2009-04-10T00:53:00.000-07:00

Singapore English has its origins in the schools of colonial Singapore. In the nineteenth century very few children went to school at all, and even fewer were educated in English. The people who spoke English and sent their children to English medium schools were mainly the Europeans, the Eurasians (people of mixed racial ancestry), some of the small minorities, such as the Jews, some of the Indians and Ceylonese, and also a group of Chinese people usually called the Straits Chinese, who had ancestors of long residence in the region, and who spoke a variety of Malay usually called Baba Malay which was influenced by Hokkien Chinese and by Bazaar Malay.

The fact that all these children would have known Malay probably explains why most of the loan words in Singapore Colloquial English are from Malay. The largest group of teachers was Eurasians, and there were also many teachers from Ceylon and India. European teachers were never more than a quarter of the total teaching staff in a school, and they usually taught the senior classes. These Europeans may have been from Britain but were also from the USA, Belgium and France. The children in these schools would have been exposed to many varieties of English.

Singlish or Singapore English is the most commonly spoken language in Singapore. Though English is one of the most commonly spoken language in the world, you may still find it a little difficult to understand the English spoken in Singapore. The reason behind this is that you may find a number of terms, words and phrases from the locally spoken languages.

Almost everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with a lot of people speaking three or four. Most children grow up bilingual from childhood and learn additional languages as they grow up. As expected the presence of other languages has prejudiced the English in Singapore. The influence is especially obvious in the kind of English that is used informally, which is popularly called Singlish. Singlish is a symbol of identity for many Singaporeans.