Re: Singapore also suppress Hakka

[teoh@cs.utk.edu]

>From tomliew@talkevax.ucsd.edu Tue Dec 10 08:21:13 1996
From: Thomas Liew <tomliew@talkevax.ucsd.edu>
Subject: Re: Singapore also suppress Hakka 

[moderator: Nig ho Tom liew. Chhiang ki yit fun to fhakka@asiwind.com.
			Sin mun ngi !]

Tai Ka Ho:

Suppress is too strong and wrong word to use for Singapore.
Singapore is a multiracial country.  The country is populated
by Malays, Indians, Others, in addition to Chinese.  Even for
Chinese Hakka is not the dominant group and there are quite
a few other dialect group.  The government while discourages
use of dialects did not ban dialects. Very likely some of the
Hakka ministers in Singapore speaks Hakkas but there is no
point in speaking hakka to  attract votes as it runs contrary
to their collective  policy. Infact  it is also likely that 
they can speak the other dialects, particularly for the
older ministers.  

If you have been in Singapore at theat time, you would also
probably have seen news articles extolling the virtues of
the Hakkas and featuring prominent hakkas who had made 
great contribution to the  region.  If you have visited
the museum, you would also have known and seen that a special
effort was made to feature hakka culture, hakkka origin,
hakka artifacts, hakka costumes, hakka women, hakka architecture
including a big model of the round earth building, and
prominent hakkas, particularly those who had made great
contribution to the region.

Perhaps someone who has attended the conference and the 
other activities can provide us a better view of what
happened.  So faR  I have not seen a first hand report
of the  conference and what was the interesting
things that happened.  For example, Nam was to 
present some thing on HGN and another  HGNetter from UW 

also mentioned that he was attending.  How about other Singapore
based Hakkas HGNetters who was there?  Can you tell us
first hand some of the interesing  thing that transpired,
and what we have learned from the  conference.
What role HGN has in promoting Hakka Culture?


Best Regards,
Tom

> >From ALBERT-C@wpogate.slu.edu Wed Nov 27 14:15:22 1996
> From: Jen-Yih Chu  <ALBERT-C@wpogate.slu.edu>
> Subject:  Singapore also suppress Hakka
> 
> Tai-ka ho:
> The following is the letter I sent earlier to Jonathan:
> 
> Dear Johnathan:
> As you discuss once before, both the governments in Taiwan and
> China suppress Hakka.  Do you believe Singapore too? You know
> that more than I do. Can ex-primier Lee, K-Y still speak Hakka?
> Or should I said, will he speak Hakka publicly in TV or in the
> public meeting.
> In Taiwan, at least the politician will speak Hakka during the
> campaign. In order to get more vote, the candidates are willing
> to speak Hakka. Like the last few elections, President Lee
> Teng-hui, the Taiwan provincial chief (governer) Song Chu-yu,
> Taipei major Chen Shui-pian all learned to speak few Hakka in the
> Hakka areas. Do you or any one know, do candidates speak Hakka at
> all in Singapore for the sake of more votes?
> I just curious.   Thanks                         Jen-yih 
> 
> >From reading the letters of Kuang-liong and An-Pheng, indeed
> Singapore government looks down Hakka and other southern
> languages.  The description of education policy by An-Pheng is
> not much different from Taiwan probably 10 years ago.  Languages
> originally existed in Taiwan such Hoklo and Hakka were banned in
> school, TV and public places.  Not until Taiwan became more
> demoncrat, the right to use mother tongue prevailed.  In USA, TV
> programs in different languages are allowed. I believe this is
> the difference between demoncracy and authoritarianrism.
> Thanks                                      Jen-yih 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>