Chingay 2017: Soundwaves Chingay, WeCare Singapore!

Hello!

On 21 January 2016, a Saturday, we went to the Chingay Parade NE show 2017, which was held at the F1 Pit Building. It was my first time watching Chingay, so while I was excited, I really did not know what to expect.

We gathered in school at around 4.30p.m., took our attendance and boarded a bus that took us to the venue. Much to our dismay, it was alternating between pouring and drizzling while we were on our way there. The prospect of sitting on wet seats in the rain did not heighten our enthusiasm, but we were adamant about having a good time together. So we chatted between ourselves as the volunteers handed us raincoats and ushered us to our sector.

The 1974 Tiger Float in Chingay 2017

Our school was seated in Sector A, so we were the first to watch the performances. The order did not matter though, for it was a parade and everyone got to enjoy the same performances, albeit at different timings, but similar experiences nonetheless. 

This year's Chingay theme was Soundwaves Chingay, WeCare Singapore. We would be able to expect performances from different ethnic groups, Chingay classics like the much anticipated Tiger Float and of course, fireworks! 

The Indian performance and Float:
multi-cultural Singapore

The opening segment was named Crescent Moon and Stars, where 600 performers from all races, age and background gathered together to dance, exemplifies and uplifts the 5 core values, Democracy, Justice, Peace, Prosperity and Equality, of our nation. The lively performances from the youths of Singapore, where we got to see dance and even bicycle tricks, really caught my attention. The NS performed with military precision, along with the iconic NS service man float that came along with it. Then there were the performances from the different races, along with floats of their respective ethnic group. There was also the legendary Tiger Float, which we were really excited to see. They also played folk songs and xingyao, many of which were familiar to us, so we sang along. For example, the Malay dancers played their Kompangs and danced along with the familiar folk tune, Rasa Sayang. In that moment, as we joined in the voices, we felt really bonded. 

Performance by the Japanese Association

There were also performances from other countries too! For example, Cambodia, South Korea and the Japan Association, where we got to see performances specific to their cultures. The performers of the Japanese Association wore tradition Japanese costumes and danced to the Japanese folk-like tune in the background, some while holding up drums, banners and flags, really showing their cultural spirit and who they are. It was a great experience to see different performances from cultural groups, not just from the major ones in Singapore. 

Towards the grand finale, the song 'Rainbow In Our Hearts' was showcased and many of us stood up to wave our light sticks and pom poms. I found the lyrics really meaningful, and there was one line that really stuck out: As one people we are, reaching for the brightest star. It really struck me as how similar it was to Chingay's purpose: To bring people as one. The song was something I feel Singapore should work towards; An accepting nation with no racial discrimination.

In my opinion, Chingay's purpose is to let the people of Singapore have a glimpse into the different culture, both of Singapore and the world. There are no barriers of race or language, therefore bringing everyone together. While Chingay started off celebrating the Lunar New Year and being a strictly Chinese celebration, the different ethnic groups have joined in the celebration over the years. Chingay wasn't just a 'Chinese parade' anymore. It was neither the Malays' festival, nor the Indians', but everyone came to perform and watch. Performances from countries outside Singapore really show how Singapore receives foreigners with open arms, not only to tolerate them, but really accept their cultures without prejudice. Singapore has truly integrated multi-culture into our society.

*With our love at the core, we know we can achieve so much more. 

A brighter Singapore, evermore. 

                                     *lyrics from 'Rainbow in Our Hearts'

Culture: The Forces That Shape It

Hello again!

We had our 2nd CID class this week, and we started our discussion with the word 'culture' and how 'forces' shape cultures.

What is culture? How do we define it? How are cultures shaped?

So we began class by defining culture using 4 words beginning with 'F': Food, Fashion, Festivals and Folks.

These are the most common and easiest ways of defining culture because most or all of them are just surface qualities that can be observed after a short period of time. Reading or watching videos can help assist in observations even without physically being there. However, cultures are not solely defined by these 4 aspects. It is more complex than that.

One has to look deeper into the local way of life in order to fully understand their cultures. Aspects like language, food, music, holiday customs, festivals are all but surface qualities, nothing but the tip of an iceberg. To fully understand, there are many 'deep cultures' in a nation. These 'deep cultures' are 'unspoken rules' on what to do and what not to do, or a set of expectations that people base their lives on, and to an outsider, is very hard to see without submerging him or herself in local life for a relatively long period of time. Some examples of 'deep cultures' are etiquette, social expectations, views on raising children, and attitude towards age (or hierarchy). These are cultural forces.

Singapore's own cultural forces include immigration, religious and ethnic composition. These aspects shaped our own culture and an example of that will be something like Singlish!

How do theses forces help understand China?

China's culture does not just consist of things that people see or hear. Rather, it is shaped by the ways that the people lead their lives and their beliefs that drive them. For example, the unspoken-but-often-emphasised hierarchy system demands respect from the younger generations to the older. There is no law that states that one must be respectful or take care of their parents, but in the same way, an unfilial child who does not take care of his aged parents is frowned upon. Subtle forces like that shape the Chinese culture.

Below is a photo I had chosen to represent Singapore's culture. It shows four shophouses.



Although they may be of different colours (different races, different beliefs, different languages et cetera), they can still stand side by side on the same street, not only to co-exist, but also to complement each other's colours and make them stand out. And in the end, everyone is equal; we are all human and are people who carry the cultures of Singapore.

Self-introduction

Hello! I'm Zhang Xiaohan, 14 in March, and I'm in 2J this year. I'm currently in Chorale.

I'm previously from Nan Hua Primary School. I love reading books and listening to music. There are no particular genres that I favour, both for music and for books, and it really depends on my mood that day, but if I had to pick a genre that I lean towards more consistently, I would say (pop-)ballads. But nothing I can think of for books since my favourites spans across vastly different genres.

I have two sisters, one older and one younger, so that makes me the middle child! My entire family does well in Chinese, except me, but I enjoy English and Science. I really don't get numbers, so my Math is horrible. I'm horribly forgetful, and I lose and forget things so often it's a daily occurrence. I've taken the personality quiz, and I'm apparently an INFP, so I'm an introvert! I am awkward at times, especially with new people, but with my friends, I'm rather loud.

I look forward to the many activities the school planned for us this year, including the upcoming NE show as well as the OELP trip, which I really want to go with my current CID group. I hope I can improve this year, and cope well with the many materials we will be learning. I hope to forge deeper friendships and bonds with my classmates and schoolmates as well.