Here’s a guide to Singapore’s diverse melting pot of cultures and races.
It’s a vibrant brew that gives the country its unique character.
The Chinese in Singapore make up Singapore's largest ethnic group
The Chinese are the largest ethnic group in Singapore, making up almost
three-quarters of the country’s population. It’s not surprise then that
Chinese culture – from the language and food to entertainment and
festivals - features prominently in Singapore.
The Malays in Singapore are a part of a very close-knit community
The original settlers of Singapore, the Malays are the second largest
ethnic group here. As such their culture has influenced other
ethnicities that arrived here later.
The Indian culture adds much vibrance to Singapore's multi-ethnic society
The Indians are Singapore’s third largest ethnic group, and the
community here boasts one of the largest overseas Indian populations.
The Eurasians in Singapore epitomise the city's vibrant east meets west vibe
The small but influential Eurasian community in Singapore encapsulates
the east meets west vibe of the country. This ethnic group is made of
people who have mixed European and Asian lineage and have been present
in Singapore since the early 19th Century.
The Peranakan traditional dress for women known as the Nonya Kebaya features beautifully embroidered details
The Peranakans, are a fascinating blend of cultures from the region. The
term Peranakan refers to people descended from marriages between
Chinese or Indian men and local Malay or Indonesian women who can be
found throughout Southeast Asia. read more Peranakan Museum in Singapore: Straits-born Culture
Beaded slippers, sarong kebaya and ornate furniture. These are some of the objects closely associated with the Peranakans that you can view at the Peranakan Museum in Singapore. Peranakans trace their ancestry to the marriage of Chinese men who came to the Malaya archipelago in search of work and the local women. This mixed parentage resulted in a blend of cultures and their descendants are the Peranakan or Straits-born Chinese. At the three-storey Peranakan Museum, the culture, customs and traditions of Peranakans are presented through various galleries, each serving as a window into different aspects of the local, Peranakan culture.
S’porean man creates Peranakan Rhapsody music video, viral parody of Bohemian Rhapsody
A local Peranakan named Alvin Oon, has produced a parody of the song called Peranakan Rhapsody. Oon set up Peranakan Sayang as a platform for him to showcase the Peranakan culture, and this video was created for the same purpose. According to Oon, the idea for the parody had been sitting in his head for “quite some time” and the recent release of the Queen biopic pushed him to produce it. He also said that the toughest part of the parody were the vocals, for which he enlisted the help of his friends.