Chinatown was the place I grew up in; it was my home. Despite the small and dark cubicles we lived in, the oil lamps as lighting, or the open-bucket toilets, Chinatown was full of life and vigor. I would walk down the streets of Chinatown and join in the hustle and bustle of the wet-markets, the night bazaars or the roadside hawkers. My fellow Chinese comrades would be all around Chinatown. Any street I went, there would be familiar faces to greet me, to exchange words with me. I really miss those days, when it really didn’t matter what time it was because round the clock, Chinatown never lost its energy.
For many of us – the older generation, Chinatown had its own unique identity. This identity is not one the younger generation can easily understand. It is not just how there were a sea of various Chinese traditional items, or a great deal of Chinese delicacies. Although these provided a degree of cultural symbolism and provided a cultural background for identity, it did not represent what Chinatown meant to us.
Chinatown for us was home. It was our childhood; where we grew up in. It was where we developed a sense of belonging to the people around-The local Chinese community. We didn’t have to know one another to make a smile or a greeting. There was this sense of bonding in everyone. Everyone. And this was what made Chinatown our Chinatown-The Chinese culture and the bonding between the local Chinese community.
But now, things are very different. Chinatown has been transformed from a genuine home to the locals, to a tourist attraction site. The wet markets have disappeared. The roadside hawkers were moved up to centers such as the Chinatown Complex. Worse of all, the homes of the older generation have turned into business outlets.
Before we knew it, Chinatown has gone through urban renewal and modernization. Look at Chinatown now: budget hotels, shopping complexes, Thai spas. And what are the shops now selling? – Canon cameras, iPhone covers, cosmetic products, and even angry bird keychains. What’s more obvious are the souvenirs: T-shirts exclaiming “I Love Singapore”, figurines of the Merlion and magnets about Sentosa.
Do take your time and ask yourself: Do they have anything to do with our cultural identity? The answer is: No!
Then, what are these items doing here in Chinatown?
These items are here in Chinatown for a purpose. When I made my way down to Chinatown just a few days back, I saw flocks of tourists roaming the streets. Yes, flocks of tourists! That’s the answer! These items are here for the tourists.
Forget about the physical effects of urban renewal - Forget about the physical structures. Forget about the items for sale. Let’s focus on the social effects of urban renewal – So what if tourists dominate Chinatown?
Let’s go back to what made Chinatown our Chinatown – As I mentioned before, it is the magical bond between the people in Chinatown. As I was walking down the streets of Chinatown recently, it felt like I was visiting a foreign Chinatown in another country. No one waved to me. No one smiled to me. No one talked to me.
Of course, the Chinese Community no longer occupies Chinatown; I shouldn’t expect familiar faces, or random greetings again.
Then, what about identity?
I must agree that despite the various non-Chinese related items like the modern jeans or the artwork of Michael Jackson, it will be unfair to conclude that Chinatown is totally different now. On the bright side, Chinatown still sells numerous Chinese cultural: Chinese fans, Chinese lanterns, Chinese chopsticks and even Chinese instruments.
On a different perspective, many of you may think that these Chinese-related elements have successfully preserved the Chinese culture, and that the other non-Chinese items have only reduced our cultural essence.
However, do consider this: Can these Chinese elements preserve the true identity of Chinatown? These conservation acts have been very superficial and artificial. Without the sense of belonging and emotional attachment, Chinatown will never be Chinatown again.
The government has only tried to retain the physical outlook of Chinatown and to conserve certain aspects of it. For example, on the 11th April 2001, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) launched 10 parcels of conservation shop houses at Upper Cross Street/ Mosque Street for sale on 99-year leases and these shop houses are to be restored for commercial use.
As mentioned before, preserving the physical aspect of Chinatown will not be enough to retain the true identity of Chinatown. We need to focus on the need to preserve the emotional attachment to Chinatown; the social interactions in Chinatown.
There is still time; there is still hope, we must take more steps to preserve the identity of Chinatown before it is too late.
Of course again, it will be unfair to say that nothing has been done to preserve the identity of Chinatown. The Chinatown Heritage Centre is a very good example on how efforts to preserve the Chinatown identity have been taken.
Now, let’s focus more on how to bring back the local Chinese community that once dominated Chinatown – To bring back that same kind of bonding between them, and to bring back the emotional attachment of the local Chinese.
While it is unrealistic to chase the tourists away, we can find ways to increase the local Chinese population.
Take away the non-Chinese related items that can be found anywhere else in Singapore. We want the locals to visit Chinatown, and why should they if they can find the things they want in any other place? Furthermore, these things are sore thumbs that do not add value to our Chinese culture.
To increase the local population further, we should turn the vicinity of Chinatown into a residential estate. Places can be rented out for people to stay. This can develop bonding just like neighbors in HDB flats. With more locals living in the vicinity of Chinatown, we can expect more locals to visit Chinatown. Overtime, the locals would get to know one another and bring back the hustle and bustle of the once lively Chinatown.
Although the shifting of the roadside hawkers reduced the essence of Chinatown, it is understandable due to hygiene reasons. However, the night markets could be brought back. These would increase the level of activity in Chinatown in the night, bringing back fond memories of Chinatown in the 1950s, and the emotional attachment to the place.
We can also bring the different clans in Singapore such as the Hokkien or Teochew clan to gather in Chinatown. The different clans can interact and understand one another better. This also increases bonding and brings back the idea of a common community.
All in all, we must take more steps to preserve Chinatown’s cultural heritage. This is our Chinatown. Let’s stop Chinatown from turning into tourist hotspot that reeks of the acridness of artificiality. I’m sure we won’t want our future generations to visit Chinatown in the hopes of learning about our Chinese culture - only to be disappointed to see a plastic artwork dotted with tourists.
-Siying
Actual blog link: http://siyingsspt.blogspot.com/2011/07/font-face-font-family-arial-font-face.html
