A Shout-out to the Gaginan
Residing in South China for about 1,700 years, the Teochew (Chaoshan in Mandarin) people are one of three ethnic groups who have lived in these lands for generations. Though they have long shared the region with the Cantonese and Hakka, they still maintain their own language and have inherited a unique culture.
According to modern Chinese geography, the Chaoshan region generally refers to the cities of Chaozhou, Shantou, Jieyang and Shanwei, located in the southeastern part of Guangdong province. People from this area refer to each other as gaginan (Teochew transliteration), or ‘my own people’ in English.
One of the foremost characteristics ascribed to the Teochew is an instinct for trade and business, no matter if it’s a neighborhood grocery store or a global corporation. Amongst a long list of well-known Teochew entrepreneurs, the most notable are Li Ka-shing, formerly the richest man in China, and Ma Huateng, founder of Tencent, the company that created the almighty WeChat and QQ.
Singaporean woman on how she found her way back to her Teochew roots
Her then-three-year-old daughter’s fixation on Teochew opera led Eileen Hair on a path to rediscovering her roots
For younger Chinese Singaporeans, joining a clan association is something not many would consider. Especially taking into account that many of us can barely hold a conversation in our dialect.
But for Eileen Hair, who is the section head of the event management course at ITE College Central, joining the Teochew clan association in 2018 was like fulfilling her calling. However, what prompted the 43-year-old’s quest for membership at Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan wasn’t because she was encouraged to do so by her grandparents, nor was it out of a need to network with other businessmen in the clan.
It was her then-three-year-old daughter’s unexpected interest in Teochew opera at the 2016 Teochew Festival that encouraged Hair to dig deeper into her roots.
Teochew Festival moves into virtual village with beauty pageant and over 100 hours of opera
The website features over 100 hours of Teochew opera, nursery rhymes, and excerpts from operas, performed by both local and foreign troupes. PHOTO: TEOCHEW.SG
This year's Teochew Festival will occupy an entire village, albeit an online one.
The village has 12 virtual zones showcasing and teaching elements of Teochew culture like opera, arts and crafts, language learning and tradition.
Organised by the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan and music and drama association Nam Hwa Opera, the virtual village opened on Friday (Nov 5) with Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat as the guest-of-honour.
