Eurasian Association marks 100th year with book on its history

The Eurasian Association (EA) has launched a book to commemorate its 100th anniversary, which passed three years ago in 2019.

The book, Standing The Test Of Time, details the history of the association and how it has supported Singapore's Eurasian community socially, financially and as a guardian of its heritage.

The book was launched at an event at the Eurasian Community House in Ceylon Road in Joo Chiat on May 28.

EA patron and former foreign minister George Yeo was at the launch, where he said Singapore's Eurasian community was foundational to independent Singapore.

Mr Yeo, who represented the Eurasians in Cabinet from 1992 to 2011, added: "If we are not to be progressively subsumed under 'Others' (as a race), we must continuously improve ourselves and contribute to Singapore's well-being. And be seen doing so."

The EA has 6,700 members as at April this year. Singapore's 2020 population census found about 18,000 Eurasians living here.

Eurasians in Singapore have a mixed European and Asian lineage. Most of them can trace the European part of their ancestry to the Portuguese, Dutch or British, with the Asian component usually being Chinese, Malay or Indian.

The book, published by the Straits Times Press and written by journalists Melody Zaccheus and Janice Tai, begins by detailing the history of the community and the circumstances that lead to the EA's founding in 1919.

Mostly English-speaking and Western-educated, Eurasians here were in a relatively privileged position in early colonial Singapore, with relatively well-paying jobs in the Government, the book records.

The 1870s saw a turning point for the community as the opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt made it easier to bring Europeans over to fill these jobs.

This resulted in the formation of community-based groups meant to take care of members' financial, social and political interests - including the organisations that eventually became the EA.

The book also details the EA's role in providing for Eurasians during World War II, its call for Eurasians to stay with nascent Singapore during independence when many were considering leaving for other countries such as Australia, and its transition into an official ethnic self-help group in 1994.

EA president Sandra Theseira said she hopes the book will show Eurasians and the wider Singaporean community how the association has contributed to society over the last 100 years.

She said: "I am sure the EA will continue to stand strong in its unwavering focus in the years ahead to help not just our own community, but also to work with the other ethnic communities in Singapore to further our unique multicultural identity."