At each work trip, there would be a Closing Dinner to round off the week. Each time there would be a harmonious song and dance to represent the countries who are Singapore's neighbors and depict the region we live in.Everytime I see those dance costumes, an identity crisis hits bad.
Singapore has no identifiable national dress. We're very much similar to our closest neighbours in terms of food, culture and language. No matter how I think Singapore is different, I'm rendered speechless at events like that when people ask me "So what is Singapore's national dress?" I haven't a bloody clue. A sharp well fitted suit? I think they take sadistic pleasure in watching me struggle to come up with a reply.
The orchid motif of Singpaore is like what batik is to Indonesia and Malaysia. We still haven't settled on a National Dress. Those people who were in such a hurry to invent the Merlion and cramped that myth that made a young imp believe it was real, should have had more foresight to invent a National Dress too.
I get bad flashbacks of the laughable national dresses worn by our Miss Singapore Universe on the world stage. Google for photos. Those, are definitely NOT our national dresses. Even though they might be crafted by local designers, I reject them flatly.
A cheongsam with an orchid motif could be a possible candidate for our National Dress. But it wouldn't be representative of Singapore. Since Peranakan culture is all the freaking rage currently on the little red dot (as though we don't have other races/ethnicity or culture), I lamely answered- "Singapore is too rojak lah. That's why for 44 years, we still cannot decide on one design for our national dress. We need 4 at least! For now, we'd have to make do with a sarong kebaya. Please see SIA stewardesses' uniforms for reference." Fake laughter ensued.
And I cringed in a corner for a long while after.
7 comments:
haha, that last line made me laugh.
like tuti, me too haha
actually, i think it's ok that we have 4 national costumes. if that's what we are, a multiracial society, why not have 4? we can be distinctive in being multi-racial, rather than being distinctive in having a homogeneous cultural background. we are an immigrant country somewhat like the US. if u ask me what is the national dress of the US, i can't think of any as well. jeans? that's become too universal. cowboy? maybe.... but... still not representative of that society as a whole imho.
D
all I can say is, "Oh dear!" *nervous laugh*
As you should well know the difference between a state and a nation, I believe you don't really believe in every state having it easy to name one costume its national dress. This is especially hard for states with colonial histories.
Very often when I think about these questions, I keep hearing Lennon singing in my head. Imagine there's not countries. He is bloody right!
I guffaw at the APEC garbs which Wykidd Song designed..hmm Peranakan is the answer to our national costume? Erm..at least better than Ms Sing-World & Universe costumes ba - these can be trashed into Halloween's bins..
tuti + sinlady + jomel: i couldn't come up with something better.
d: definitely. except that no one bothers to parade 4 national dresses at these occasions. it's just one usually.
kikare: very much so. within this post, there's definitely a deeper thought abt this notion of a national dress of which is very much linked to imperialism (or the lack of it).
mochalatte: sigh. but at least those shirts for APEC are very presentable.
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