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Mary Teresa Pee Lay Hoon Bachelor of Arts (Dance) (QUT) Academy of the Arts, Centre for Innovation in the Arts Queensland University of Technology The Development of Chinese, Indian, and Malay Dance in Singapore to the 1970s Thesis submitted on 1oth March 1999 in full requirement for the award of AT22 Master of Arts (Research) KeyWords Dance Development: [An insight into and understanding of] the way ethnic dance grew in acceptance and popularity in Singapore, within the history and framework of the political, social, and economic climate of Singapore. Chinese. Malay. and Indian Dance: The traditional dance forms originating from China, Peninsular Malaya/Indonesia, and India, respectively. Abstract: This study analyses the development of dance of the three mam ethnic communities in Singapore, viz., Chinese, Indian and Malay, against the backdrop of Singapore's political, economic, and social history and environment, up to the mid-1970s. Statement of authorship The work contained in this thesis has not been previously submitted for a degree or diploma at any other institution of higher education. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made Signed: -------­ Date: ---------------- Table of Contents Acknowledgement Foreword I- II Chapter 1 -- Introduction ... leading to the study 1 - 10 1.1 Traditions ofDance in Singapore 1.2 Background to the Research Problem 1.3 Statement ofthe Research Problem 1.4 Purpose ofthe Study Chapter 2 -- Design of the Study ... the field research 11 - 19 2.1 Overview 2.2 Research Method 2.3 Validity of Qualitative Research 2.4 Conduct of Research 2.5 Analysing Data Chapter 3 -- History . a general overview 20- 26 3.1 Early Existence 3.2 Physical Evidence 3.3 Singapore circa Seventh to the Sixteenth Century 3.4 Early Western Power in South East Asia 3.5 British Straits Settlements 3.6 Japanese Occupation & Singapore's Independence Chapter 4 -- Socio - Economic ... forming community 27- 38 4.1 Economy 4.2 • Early Population and Migration 4.2.1 Minority Communities- Arab, Armenian, European and Jewish 4.2.2 Dominant Communities- Chinese, Indian and Malay 4.3 Early Education Chapter 5 -- Socio - Political Context ... influencing cultural development 39- 64 5.1 Introduction - Before the war 5.2 The Japanese Occupation- 'Force' culture 5.3 Returning to Colonial Rule- The awakening 5.4 Early Political Parties & Movement - The grounding 5.5 Self-government- Cultural blossoming 5.6 Economic Progress- Culture ingrained Chapter 6 -- Cultural Activities ... dance development 65- 113 6.1 Prologue 6.2 The Beginnings- Individual communities' involvement 6.2.1 Chinese 6.2.2 Indian 6.2.3 Malay 6.3 Dance Transition- The new nation 6.3.1 PAP Government Involvement 6.3.2 Independent Singapore 6.4 Further Development- Into the 1970s era 6.4.1 Cultural Endeavour 6.4.2 Cultural Identity 6.5 Conclusion Chapter 7-- General Conclusion 114-118 Appendix 1- XVI Reference 1 - 7 Bibliography 8- 30 Acknowledgement This study of the ethnic dance development m Singapore would not be possible without the help of so many people. In the years of studying in Australia, the gradual awareness of culture 'opened' my eyes and awakened in me the desire to study the multiculturalism of Singapore. For this, I thank Mrs Paula Drew of Adelaide and the Herd family of Brisbane. During the process of data collection, a few upper secondary students from Bukit View Secondary School, especially Herlina bte Ali, have helped in transcribing and translating the numerous Tamil and Malay interviews on audio tapes. My special thanks to them, and to their teachers, especially Ms Govindammal Kurusamy, for responding to my request for help in this area. Help was also rendered by the vanous organisations, government departments and statutory boards. A special note of thanks to Madam Peggy Fong, the former Librarian of the National Arts Council; Madam Tan Chor Koon, the librarian of the National Museum; and Mrs Ang-Low Kia Hiang and the staff of the National Archives Reference Services. Several pioneer and contemporary artistes were approached during the data collection but many declined to be interviewed. To the interviewees and artistes, who so generously shared their time and experience with me, my utmost gratitude. Much credit for the completion of this thesis is owed to my supervisors, Kristen Bell and David Hawke, for their commitment, patience and constructive criticisms and suggestions. I am also indebted to Mr. Peter Herd and Ms. Agnes Chew for their help and comments. Foreword In her book - Singapore - Turnbull (1989, xiii) has commented that "in building up loyalties to the new state, Singaporeans concentrated on the present and future, neglecting their history, which originated under European colonial rule, with many of its Asian traditions and values also stemming from alien cultures." This neglect that Turnbull writes of was one of the reasons for this study. This thesis attempts to redress this imbalance by analysing the development of ethnic dance in Singapore's historical context. Tamney, writing as a sociologist, states that "Singapore is especially interesting because in recent years the process of designing a Singaporean culture has become more self-conscious and thus open to study. (1996, x) Another reason for this study was that the process of cultural development is an important contemporary social and political issue that Singaporeans are becoming increasingly conscious of. This study looks at one aspect of Singaporean culture - dance, viz., the cultural dances of the three main ethnic communities in Singapore - Chinese, Indian and Malay. These communities did not make a distinction in the nature of their dances as to whether they were folk or ethnic. These two concepts were always subsumed into a unity that for the purpose of this study will be termed 'ethnic/cultural dance'. Siddique (1990, viii) has noted: "That Singapore is predicated on the principles of multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious distinctions is obvious even to the casual visitor." In order to understand dance in the Singaporean community requires some depth of understanding of Foreword Singapore's history and the paper gives due attention to that history, a history which as Turnbull reminds us, has been 'neglected' for so long. The political struggles of the 1950s and 1960s and the economic prosperity of the 1970s affected the social environment, i.e., the cultural activities within the community and thus, the development of dance. It therefore made the political, economic, and social environment inseparable from this study of Singaporean dance. In fact, they were the major influences in dance development during the years after the Second World War right into the era ofthe 1970s. In studying the development of dance within the cultural activities m Singapore, this thesis has focused much of its research on the area of Singapore's early history (in Chapter 3), to learn about the formation of Singapore and its various ethnic communities. After World War II, the political, economic and social issues were the main 'back drop' for any cultural activity such as dance. It is natural therefore, that they become an important part of the study. This study has dealt with the development of dance in the political, social and economic context of Singapore's history from the 1940's to the 1970's. However, this study has not dealt in detail with the changes within dance forms that were simultaneously occurring while the broaaer developments, discussed and analysed in this thesis, were taking place. This has been deliberate, as this area is a vast one that was beyond the limits of this study. In fact, it was apparent to this researcher, that therein lay a further field of research deserving of lengthy attention in its own right. II Chapter 1 Introduction ... leading to the study 1.1 Traditions of Dance in Singapore Singapore, as an independent country since 1965, has a relatively short history. Before it gained independence, it had been colonized by the British for about a century before World War I and occupied by the Japanese during World War II. After World War II, the British returned to rule Singapore until it gained self-government in 1959, and then independence in 1965. British rule had the greatest impact on the country's development, starting with Stamford Raffles, who proclaimed it a free port after he landed in Singapore in 1819. As a free port, many traders came from Central Asia and South-East Asia and this started the immigration pattern, which formed what sociologists term the 'poly-ethnic' 1 nature of society on this island. Singapore is known as a multi-racial society, formed by immigrants attracted to its growing economy. Economic prosperity has provided .. political stability. The geographical location of this small island has also been vital in the development of its economic, political and social environment. Since its foundation, Singapore has always been vibrant as it progressed from a trading port to a prosperous city-state. Currently, Singapore has a population compnsmg of third- or fourth­ generation descendants of the immigrants. Although Singapore is on the Malay Archipelago, surrounded by Malay-speaking people and has Malay as the National language, it is predominantly a Chinese city, with substantial minorities of Indians and Malays. These three races generally remain physically distinctive, and each of them has its own culture, customs, rituals and traditions. 2 1 Siddique, 1982,2-4, for the use of the term 'poly-ethnic'. 2 Siddique, 1982, 3-4, for the categorization of the different races in Singapore. Chapter 1 Introduction ... leading to the study Singaporean culture has its roots in China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia. Dance and other performing arts of these cultures followed the immigrants to Singapore.

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