Singapore's National Identity- Past and Present

Singapore Poems This is a photo blog about how Singapore literature brings out the issues of politics and culture that are related to Singapore's national identity. We will be analyzing a series of poems by Singaporean poets and identifying motifs which represent the self-perceived national identity of Singaporeans. Furthermore, their relevance to the past and present Singapore society will also be analysed. SSA1207 E1 Astelle Chew, Celeste Teo, Chloe Wong, Jeremy Chan

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Elderly

There is a disparity when it comes to the past contributions and the current conditions of the aged and elderly. Unjustly isolated in a world of their own, they seem to have no place in the society they helped built, and are left discounted and disregarded, be it in their families or left in homes. This air of unfamiliarity is perhaps brought on the rapid pace and briskness of our current society, with the current generation being unwilling to slow down and reconcile with the past, the past that had ushered in the present. This is reflected in Koh Buck Song's Ah Por, as it laments about the fleeting existence of a grandmother. Left forgotten, she is only remembered as memories, of powder and of the scent of medicated hairpins. Study of a Millionairess: Still Life paints a more tragic picture: an old woman watching her progeny feasting on the prosperity granted to them, while she sits alone, sad and neglected. There is a sense of woeful alienation, as the paralysed old woman attempts to communicate to her family, but remains ignored and forgotten.

This really calls to question what our lives and society will become if we continue in this manner of progress - trudging relentlessly onward towards the future, without remembrance of the past. The pragmatic lifestyle that has been inculcated since birth are showing its true ugliness, with things and people considered "burdensome" and "unnecessary" being tossed out and forgotten, unaware that a similar fate might recur if this cycle continues. . 

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Wealth

The social divide between the rich and the common-folk has always existed, be it the past or the present. The gap between the haves and the have nots was especially jarring, due to the level of poverty that existed in post-colonial Singapore. Here, we see the differences in the perception of wealth in both the past the and present.

The Towkay by Lim Thean Soo describes a man that has made his mark, rising up from a coolie to his current state of opulence as a Towkay. His qualification of being wealthy and successful is derived from his lavishness in cuisine, his opulence in stature, and his satisfaction in his circumstances. Back then, the conception of wealth was more focused on the state of the individual -  how well one was fed, how comfortable one's surroundings were; rather than the current focus on the valuation of the material goods and estates one possessed. This was perhaps due to the general lack of minimum standard of living in the past, hence being comfortable and possessing a little more than others was perceived as affluence in post colonial Singapore. 

Present day focuses now on the things one possess. Alvin Pang's Upgrading seems to be a lampoon towards the rich and powerful in the country, through the eyes of the less privileged. Comparatively, the poor and the middle class can only imagine the playgrounds in which these upper echelons of society frolic in, and the boundless estates they possess. They dream of parquet floors and capacious bedrooms, of Jaguars and swimming pools, imagination running wild as they dream bigger and bigger. It trails on towards absurdity and impossibility towards the end, but it serves to juxtapose how distant and unfamiliar the lives of rich seem to them. 

The separation between the rich and the common-folk can still be found in modern day, in the division between their locales and their own personal national identity. While the masses would live in high rise flats or condominiums and call themselves the people of Singapore, the rich would identify themselves as global citizens, flitting from country to country during their leisure, living in isolated communities around the island, similar to the opulent of West Egg in The Great Gatsby. 

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Politics

Politics in Singapore has always been a sensitive topic in Singapore. The  general attitude towards politics and elections in the past has being nothing short of lackluster and full of disinterest. Despite political uprisings being the main reason for our independence from colonial powers and our separation from Malaysia, the local populace tended to steer their focus away from politics due to the vulnerability and dangers inherent in dabbling in the political realm.

The poem Trawlers, talks about the political climate in the yesteryear, showing great disdain for both the governing party and the voting populace. The political campaigns are likened to catapults, flinging slogans and false promises to the general public; which are but simply "mouthless fish" - opinion-less and mindless masses. Especially in the past, where seemingly absurd scenarios - such as the referendum for the Singapore-Malaysia merger without a "disagree" option - could come to pass. The people were used to keeping quiet when it came to discussions regarding politics and instead focused their energy towards personal betterment, due to the prevalent pragmatic culture, despite any patriotic intents. This is to such a point as seen in Singapore, You Are Not My Country.

"Do not invite me to the podium and tell me to address you properly. I am allergic to microphones and men in egosuits and pubicwigs. And I am not a political martyr, I am a patriot who has lost his country and virginity."

With the changing times, however, the atmosphere surrounding the Singapore politics has changed, and I think Alfian Sa'at would be proud of the current growing interest and voices in the political arena. Political rallies are now being attended in record numbers, and people are starting to pay close attention to the entities claiming to be representing their opinions and concerns, rather than simply rolling over for the incumbent patriarch. 

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Singapore Flag

Citizens of Singapore often consider the Singaporean culture to be inauthentic and ersatz. This is due to the fact that much of the culture had been artificially constructed via a top-down structure, for the sake of touristic interests. This is palpably reflected in Grace Chia’s poem, Starfruit. Chia illustrates the Singapore flag in comparison with the flag of the United States of America.

"our banner's not star-spangled enough"

“they have 50 of them; we have five”

These statements suggest that the elements of the Singapore flag was not original, but was emulated from other national flags. This design of the flag had to be artifically crafted by the authorities probably because of the lack of a national identity when Singapore first started out as a nation; as Singapore was a part of Malaya prior to her independence.  In addition, Daren Shiau further reflects this idea of an artificial national identity within his poem How to Fly The Singapore Flag. The poem talks about how

“the Straits Times bore an article with a simple tag –

it told us: How to Fly the Singapore Flag”

The above is evidence of the superficiality of the action of hanging the Singapore flag. The flags are not put up because of the Singaporean’s love for the nation or much they identify with it. Instead, it follows the instructions implemented by the authorities. Shiau adds how “we cannot decide how a flag is to be flown”, further emphasising a faux culture that is formulated in accordance to the government’s ideas of how they want the nation to be seen by outsiders. Therefore, the idea of national identity is questionable in regards to the flag.

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Food

Singaporeans, of past and present, pride themselves on their local delicacies. The Singapore cuisine is highly indicative of that racial diversity in Singapore, whereby the traditional food largely influenced by Chinese, Malay, Indian and Western styles of cooking.

  The poem Exiles Return by Leong Liew Geok emphasizes the identity that Singaporeans find in their local food. The poem alludes to the return of Singaporeans who have emigrated. These exiles have found new lives in foreign lands. Despite their successes “elsewhere”, “dispersed” families and “new streets” that have been built over the years while they were away, they return to a familiarity that is

“Chewing satay

Dripping kuah, they watch

Gula melaka leach

Chendol’s peaks;

Ask for rojak: hot-salt-sweet-sour

Aftertaste of past aches

Assorted on a plastic plate”

These are authentic fare found within Singapore’s ubiquitous hawker centres and food stalls. The elaborate descriptions of these humble local foods show that despite the drastic changes in the lives of the Singaporeans, their bonds with Singapore are not broken. They still enjoy the familiar foods of their home. The memories of these foods nonetheless are etched in their hearts. Hence, food remains as a national identity of Singapore.

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Singlish

In the past, Singaporeans did not have a common language. The wealthy and educated spoke in English under the influence of the British while the common Singaporean spoke their dialect or mother tongue. This gradually changed when English language was made a mandatory subject and implemented within the school system. Over the years, in a local setting, the amalgam of the Singapore vernacular with Standard English birthed what we know today as Singlish, or colloquial Singaporean English.

Singlish, or colloquial Singaporean English is a language most Singaporeans can identify with. Living in a land of different tongues, Singlish is the common language that is unique to Singaporeans. It consists of sentence structures irregular to Standard English, in which particles are omitted, with a mix of vocabulary from other languages such as Chinese, Hokkien, Malay and Tamil. The poem Forever Singlish by Leong Liew Geok encapsulates the Singlish identity, as she writes as a representative of a common Singaporean who communicates in Singlish. In the poem, she explains that speaking in Singlish communicates what needs to be said more easily than using Standard English, making it “chickenfeed”.  

  Despite this, Singlish is put down and disregarded by some because it is considered broken English. This is expressed within Leong’s poem when she says “people say our English kana-sai”. However, to other Singaporeans, it is our local way of speech and we should embrace its use. They do not see the need to speak in proper English because it is troublesome for longwinded, and certain meanings can be understood by others through the simplistic use of Singapore colloquial English.

 "Proper English? So lehcheh,

So correct, so actsy for what?" 

“We don’t care: we like to speak it leh”

“No class Singlish here to stay,

No big shot can have his way

With how people talk, what people say.”

  These lines connote the identity Singaporeans have towards Singlish. Hence, it is evident that although Singapore’s national language is not native and had been borrowed from her coloniser, the Singaporean identity can still be found via their way of speech. It can be observed that many Singaporean writers tap onto this colloquial language of Singapore to give their poetry or novels verisimilitude. By incorporating Singlish into the speech of their characters, it brings a more realistic picture of the vernacular of Singapore.

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The Merlion: Forever

The Merlion has been used as the mascot and national personification of Singapore ever since 1964, in another futile attempt by the government to foster a national identity that could not be defined by its past, but would rather have to be built as a vision for the future. The fish in its designs suggests the notion of Singapore as a port city during its days of Temasek, while the lion refers to a legend of how Malay king Sang Nila Utama saw a lion when he first stepped onto Singapore, which led to the naming of Singapura (lion city). Thus, the imagery of the Merlion was brought to life in the form of 5 statues around Singapore, national stamps, souvenirs, children’s books on legends and myths, which allowed it to gain the status as being one of Singapore’s most famous national icons.

In Alvin Pang’s Merlign,

“No need to go on with this pretense,

These riddles and voices. This is a heap

Of fashioned stone, too light to carry souls.”

The line “No need to go on with this pretense, these riddles and voices” may refer to the poet being sick of the over-commercialization and the exaggeration of the mystique and the ‘wonder’ of the origins of the Merlion. This was showcased in Sentosa’s now defunct ‘The Rise of the Merlion’ show, where excessive lighting and colored lasers were used in conjunction with ‘riddles’ and special ‘voices’ at night to make the Merlion appear to be more intriguing and more of a crowd pleaser. Also, the words “heap” and “light”  in the line “this a heap of fashioned stone, too light to carry  souls” show a contradiction. It signifies that while there were a ‘heap’ of hopes by the government in the creation of the Merlion to establish a common past and create a hope for the future, the emphasis on change made the development of a strong and unique Singaporean identity unrealistic, ‘too light’ to carry these ‘heap’ of hopes.

    Another poem which emphasizes our point is Grace Chia’s Starfruit. In the poem, the line “our banner’s not star-spangled enough—So to create the glitter we drew in the lion with the golden mane to create mystique, gave it a fishtail and that’s how the fake myth of the lionfish came about, caught in a key chain sold for a dollar”. This unusally long sentence displays a dull and dreary undertone. It suggests that the creation of the Merlion is a mere bid by the government to make up for our lack of rich and colorful history, unlike countries like the United States of America, which is done by just throwing in ‘glitter” and ‘mystique’. Furthermore, the words “caught in a key chain sold for a dollar” shows the ‘cheapening’ of our national icon, which contradicts the govenrment’s efforts in fashioning their beloved national icon.

There is continued commercialization of the Merlion presently, with the recent Merlion hotel in 2011, where it was transformed into a five-star suite, an art installation by Japanese artist Tatzu Nishi, where a privileged few could actually stay for a few nights. In 2012, as part of the iLight Marina Bay, a light art installation festival, a screen was placed near the Merlion to let visitors create various light projections onto the surface of the sculpture.

Thus, this again highlights the desperate yet futile attempt by the government to successfully create a national identity for Singapore, despite the Merlion being a major tourist attraction. The use of the Merlion as a national icon presently is similar to how it was used in the past. Maybe what the government needs to realise is like what Alfian Sa’at mentioned in Singapore You Are Not My Country, where “we must stand aside and let the lion crash through a madness of cymbals back to  that dark jungle heart”. Maybe the real national idenity that Singapore needs does not have to be constructed, but can be found deep wihthin the jungle of our own hearts.

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National Mascots

Left: Ah Meng, famous orang utan who was a star attraction at the Singapoore Zoological Gardens before he passed away

Right: Kai Kai and Jia Jia, pandas from China

Ah Meng was one of Singapore’s most beloved national icons, having been featured in over 30 travel films and ‘interviewed’ by more than 300 writers. Despite being so celebrated, it seemed as if the Singapore government was just using her as a commercial tool to strengthen Singapore’s lack of a true national identity. This idea is portrayed in Alfian Sa’at’s Singapore You Are Not My Country, which highlights his strong belief that a true Singaporean identity is severely lacking despite the government’s immense efforts to create one.

“Tell that to Ah Meng, who bore five hairy bastards for our nation”. This usage of the words “five hairy bastards” highlights the insignificance and triviality of Ah Meng’s contributions to creating a national identity for Singapore. The government has over glorified her to such an extent that instead of helping to strengthen Singapore’s identity, it reveals the desperation of the government in trying to construct a ‘Uniquely Singaporean’ distinctiveness that they have to resort to such superficial things to propagandize the Singaporean identity. This is further shown by the repetition of the words, “Tell that to” in the poem that contain a sceptical and sarcastic undertone.

Despite having grown as a country – economically, socially and politically over the years, it is still evident that Singapore still lacks a national identity as the government has neither repented nor attempted to change their methods of creating one for Singapore. With the passing of Ah Meng in 2008, Singapore has found a national icon ‘replacement’ with Kai Kai and Jia Jia, pandas imported from China. While it is so that the main reason for importing such animals was to improve diplomatic relations with China, their valiant efforts to make use of this opportunity and kill two birds with one stone is emphasized with the intense and repeated promotion of Kai Kai and Jia Jia. Newspaper releases with full page covers, advertisements on Orchard Road, selling of merchandise are just a few examples of the efforts made to make these two pandas the new national icons in order to attract more tourists and possibly, ‘strengthen’ Singapore’s national identity.

Thus, not much has changed. Singapore still lacks a national identity, and is still desperately trying to find/create one.

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National Places of Interest

  Left: Raffles Hotel

Right: Marina Bay Sands

Raffles Hotel has been an iconic national symbol of Singapore, where in the past it was a venue for the privileged few, namely the British elite, indicative of the divide and unequal society which colonialism engenders. With reference to Hedwig Aroozoo’s Rhyme in Time, we see the presence of the elitism surrounding the exclusiveness of the British:

“Mrs Mildred Barrington Smith

Wife of a V.I.P. in the C.S.O.,

President of the Tanglin Club,                    

Dinner at the Raffles Hotel”

The many ‘qualifications’ of Mrs Mildred reflects a microcosm of the British community in the past. Their higher education levels and ‘colonial masters’ status gave rise to them being the elite class in Singapore, with a significant wealth disparity between these ‘colonial masters’ and the locals. It is also evident that these British elites thought better of themselves, “and wondered why the natives were ungrateful – (They only pick their noses and chew betel)” 

These prestigious statures at distinguished locations fully reflect the elite lifestyle led by Mrs. Barrington-Smith. This was considered the typical lifestyle of the white men while the locals were in frugal, humble positions.

  Once Singapore gained independence and developed under the ruling of the People’s Action Party, the idea of meritocracy was promoted. This has led to one of the greatest obstacles to a common national identity as it has resulted in a strong sense of elitism among Singapore’s ruling class that generated a strong feeling of belonging among the elite. Today, the elite in Singapore consists our own citizens, made up of high flying individuals, from businessmen to doctors to lawyers to politicians. The disparity between the elite and the rest of the community is further exacerbated by the apparent success of Singapore’s economy, causing the ruling elite to consider itself to have a monopoly on expertise and wealth. The symbol that depicts this is Marina Bay Sands, famous for its casino and nightclub, Pangaea, playground to the wealthy elite. 

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Bureaucracy

Singapore is well-known as the efficient, politically-stable & uncorrupt city. The reason behind this is mostly due to the strict bureaucratic system put in place even though it is heavily criticized to be restrictive of freedom of speech and censorship. Simply put, we live in an iron cage according to Max Weber.

Singapore You Are Not My Country is an infamous confessional poem by Alfian Sa’at. The poem complains about Singapore’s rigidity and close-mindedness that fails to recognize the individual.

                                     “Your words are like walls on which truth is graffiti. 

                                                 This has become an island of walls.

              Asylum walls, factory walls, school walls, the walls of the midnight Istana”

Sa’at is trying to portray the idea that we are all trapped within the walls of propaganda, walls of what we are told. Those who try to tell the truth are being downplayed and sometimes prosecuted as graffiti vandals would.

 Sa’at is also very blatant with his choice of diction.

 “performance artists who need licences like drivers and doctors and dogs”

Sa’at purposefully used these professions as performance artists are not deemed as a “proper profession” in the Singapore community. The fact that they need licences goes to show how rigid and strict the system is where artists are not allowed to freely express themselves or perform.

How to Fly the Singapore Flag by Daren Shiau is another poem which is very reflective of how excessively regimented Singapore is. Even the simple task of flying the national flag is dotted with so many rules and regulations that the authoritative, legit “Straits Times bore an article” to teach us how to do it. Even the time frame, how it is to be washed is clearly explained. “We cannot decide how a flag is to be flown;” is echoic of how we are limited to express our opinions on how things should run in our own country.

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Competitive Environment

Singapore is a often seen as a competitive, every man for himself nation where everyone is in a rat race to get the best grades, the best job and the best pay. Singapore has been criticized for being too concerned with success which is closely linked to certificates, monetary gains and status.

 Arthur Yap’s Statement is reflective of the mindset of the modern Singaporean where it is a common mental outlook for work to be the top priority.

                           “Of course your work comes first”

                                “this work is really killing”

The use of intensifiers such as “really” and “of course” (which works as an intensifier), shows the extend of the pressure living in the rat race.

 Lee Tzu Pheng’s Bukit Timah, Singapore further shows how the competitive ambience has caused Singaporeans to be increasingly stuck in a downward spiral where everyone goes through the same system and spend their lives preoccupied with society’s demands.

 “This is the way the city is fed,

men, machines,

flushed out of their short dreams

and suburban holes

to churn down this waiting gullet.”

This is the way” tells us that there is indeed a certain way things are mapped out in Singapore for its citizens. However, they are often deprived of their dreams as they are all pushed to be part of this rat race in order to survive in the competitive environment.  But are only then left to be waiting for the perfect opportunity or job which comes by.

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Racial Harmony 

Singapore has come a long way in terms of fostering a sense of identity and harmony amidst its diverse citizens. There used to be unhappiness and skepticism among the different ethnic groups, which resulted in riots and frequent outbursts of arguments and violence. However, today Singapore is proudly deemed as a multi-racial, multi-religious cosmopolitan nation.

In Lee Tzu Pheng’s My Country and My People, Lee claimed “the ‘age’ was quelling riots in the street” this specific use of diction tells us that demonstrations were indeed prevalent in the 1960s.

In Edwin Thumboo’s Ulysses by the Merlion, the image of racial harmony has already surfaced.

“Despite unequal ways,

Together they mutate,

Explore edges of harmony,

Search for a centre;”

These lines tell us that Singapore has overcome the problem of diversity amongst its citizens and has begun to forge a single unique Singaporean identity by 1979. 

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Urbanisation

The physical community of Singapore has changed diversely over the years. From the closed-knitted, opened doors kampong days to the cold neighbours behind closed doors in HDBs.

Arthur Yap’s old house at ang siang hill shows how urbanization has resulted in one being indifferent towards the history and the culture left by these old buildings.

“your family past is superannuated grime

…

until re-development

which will greatly change

this house-that-was

dozens like it along the street

the next and the next as well”

The poem has firm conviction that redevelopment will result in progress which undervalue “family past” as dirt and obsolete in order to attain economic gains. The use of repetition in the last line of the stanza creates a heavy and boring mood to the poem. It emphasizes how the houses will change to be like the one next to it, giving a dull mood to the setting.

  Lee Tzu Pheng’s Bukit Timah, Singapore also showed how has urbanization occurred over the years. 

“One day there will be tall buildings

here, where the green trees reach

for the narrow canal.”

The imagery of tall buildings pushing the green trees towards the narrow canal is an allusion to how the modernization and urbanization have been pushing the old traditions aside in the name of economic productivity. Singapore has limited land and resources hence it is crucial that for Singapore to retain its prosperity, more space has to be made for economic purposes.