Peranakans are Half-Caste?
May 18, 2010 by mhisham · 13 Comments
I was alerted to the statement, “The word Peranakan refers to a half-caste in Malay …” made in our local website, the recently changed theme from Uniquely Singapore to Your Singapore – http://www.yoursingapore.com. It has raised the ire of the Peranakan community.
Now, Malay is my mother tongue, literally. My mother is Malay while my late father is Boyanese. I consider myself Boyanese. However, I am seen speaking Malay because that is how every Boyanese are brought up in Singapore. Be it in Malay or Boyanese, peranakan just means descendant or descent-of, not half-caste.
The word caste has negative connotations in it and I am really surprised that the folks behind YourSingapore did not practise due care & concern when putting it up on their site. On Wikipedia, it was described as “… While the origins of the term are derogatory, its usage has evolved to give it the more objective meaning described above. …” There are many other terms that can be used, descendant being one of the more commonly used & most neutral.
Our current Minister Mentor, Mr Lee Kuan Yew is Peranakan. The next time I see him, can I tell him, “Your Singapore says you are a half-caste!”
Will Your Singapore make the necessary editorial please?
Discovering My Roots
May 27, 2008 by Admin · 47 Comments
There is this resurgence in me, to rediscover my ancestral roots. I am a Boyanese (descent of the people of Bawean Island, Indonesia also known in the 15th century as Pulau Majedi). However, I am born & bred in Singapore. I cannot even understand the Boyanese language not to mention speak it. I know the elementary numbering sequence, but that is as useful as counting the number 1 to 10 in Mandarin.
