Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan brings cultural fair online for the first time

Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (SHHK) today celebrated the Year of Tiger with its annual Lunar New Year celebration programme, themed this year as the Spring Cultural Showcase. Held at the SHHK Cultural Academy, the hybrid event saw about 50 invited guests, including SHHK board of governors, council, honorary council and committee members, affiliated schools’ principals as well as Hokkien clan association leaders, in attendance on site. More than 200 SHHK members, affiliated schools’ teachers and staff, and clan representatives joined in the celebrations via Zoom.

Minister for National Development and Minister-in-charge of Social Services Integration, Mr Desmond Lee graced the event as the Guest-of-Honour.

In his speech, Mr Thomas Chua, President of SHHK, said, “The 182-year-old Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan not only upholds tradition, but also encourages innovation and progresses with the times. Today’s Spring Cultural Showcase leverages technology to continue with the tradition of Lunar New Year gathering and to promote Hokkien culture online. The Covid-19 pandemic has restricted face-to-face interactions, and therefore we must harness the power of technology to maintain connections with more than 5000 members, close to 1000 school staff as well as our partners.”

In a bid to showcase multi-faceted Hokkien and Chinese cultures, five cultural activities were conducted simultaneously at different locations and presented in 5 breakout rooms where online participants can join freely, emulating a “temple fair” experience. Two of the activities: Introduction to Nanyin by Siong Leng Musical Association and Red Packet Lantern Making – were conducted entirely in English to reach out to a wider audience, and to serve as a window into traditional Hokkien and Chinese culture and art forms.

The other 3 breakout room activities were conducted in a mix of Mandarin and Hokkien including Hokkien Songs and Traditional Slangs by Anna Lim Ru Ping, Parent-Child Hokkien Nursery Rhymes by SHHK Cultural Academy and Kungfu Dance by Singapore Chinese Dance Theatre.

The Spring Cultural Showcase is organised as part of SHHK’s annual LNY event aimed at connecting members, affiliated schools’ teachers and staff, and renewing shared ties amongst leaders of the Chinese communities.