Embracing one another’s cultures will strengthen Singaporeans’ shared identity: President Tharman
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President Tharman Shanmugaratnam said a crossing of influences can be further nurtured in the various cultures here, which will result in a more confident sense of Singaporeans’ shared identity.
PHOTO: OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE
Follow topic:
- President Tharman highlights Singaporeans' love for blended cultures, citing dishes such as laksa's diverse influences.
- He praises individuals like Ms Wong Yong En, an Odissi dancer, and Ms Nadya Lim, a Nanyin vocalist for embracing different cultures.
- Mr Tharman encourages more cultural exploration to deepen Singapore's multiculturalism and to foster a stronger shared identity.
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SINGAPORE – Singaporeans love the combination of different influences in their food, and such overlap comes quite naturally in the city’s beloved dishes.
But this crossing of influences can be further nurtured in the various cultures here, which will result in a more confident sense of Singaporeans’ shared identity, said President Tharman Shanmugaratnam on Dec 31.
In his New Year message, President Tharman said the beauty of Singapore is that people here can all learn and enjoy one another’s cultures, and he highlighted how some here are already doing so.
In a three-minute video filmed at an urban greenhouse in Punggol East called Kebon Dapor, he noted how laksa is a dish which draws on several influences, such as Peranakan, Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines.
Singaporeans love the different combinations of influences that have resulted in its different varieties – such as classic Nonya laksa, Asam laksa, Siglap laksa with its more distinct fish flavour, and curry laksa with cockles.
Beyond food, he noted that some here have also found it rewarding to explore other cultures, such as Ms Wong Yong En, 26, a singer trained in Western classical music but who is also a practising Odissi dancer.
Odissi is an ancient form of dance that originated from Odisha, an eastern coastal state of India.
“She’s always enjoyed dancing, and a friend introduced her to the Indian Odissi form of dance, which she found attractive because of its intricate and rhythmic elegance of its footwork,” noted Mr Tharman.
In September 2024, Ms Wong was among a group of dancers from dance school Chowk Productions who performed an Odissi set-piece for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he was in Singapore for an official visit.
Another example is Ms Nadya Lim, 17, a vocalist in an ensemble that practises Nanyin – or traditional southern Chinese music – with the Siong Leng Musical Association here.
Years ago, Ms Lim had a chance encounter with Nanyin music and immediately found it appealing, with its mellow, calming and restrained tones, and began to train with the association, noted Mr Tharman.
As for Kebon Dapor, the kampung-themed edible garden was started by Mr Raja Mohammad Fairuz.
The 46-year-old architecture lecturer started the garden as he wanted to grow the herbs used in traditional Malay cooking, and to help more people learn about Malay cuisine and culture, noted Mr Tharman.
The President said such efforts, as well as that of many others, will add up over time to deepen Singapore’s multiculturalism in a natural way.
“As more Singaporeans experiment and even attempt to master each other’s cultures, we will develop a more confident sense of our shared identity,” he said. “We can do it.”
