Raison d'etre

Having come across Nyonyapenang's blog, I left a comment saying it was nice to read a bibik's blog. She asked to read my blog. Well, I didn't have a blog about Baba identity, or about reminiscence (which is one theme of Nyonyapenang's), so I didn't reply. I was thinking: should I point her to my rarely-updated blog (which is not about anything in particular), create a new one, or just forget it?

Today I decided to give it a try... Tada! Presenting Babasingapura, my new online persona. It sort of has a catchy sound to it, doesn't it? Okay, so in terms of 'product differentiation', how will this blog be unique? What is its raison d'etre? At least it should be clear to me, to avoid schizophrenia : )

I'll dedicate this blog to identity, memory and Peranakan culture. I've a very poor memory of my childhood. Being absent-minded ('absent-minded professor', as the older generation used to say) doesn't help either. So it'll be good to recollect and reminisce and in some sense reclaim my past (or even reconstruct if necessary??)

The headline reads 'pekek-pekau'. Elders used to say, 'Jangan pekek-pekau!' I guess since 'merepek' has been taken by Nyonyapenang, I have to choose another word. So this phrase reflects the possibility that this blog will be 'much ado about nothing'.

So... siapa ni Babasingapura? Gua ni 'baba jati', three hundred percent Baba. My grandparents were all Peranakan. Born and grew up in Singapore, went to ACS like a true Baba. And, like a true Baba, tak boleh chakap China. Actually boleh, gua kena belajar China, tapi bila chakap, pelat skali. Chakap Melayu pun pelat lah. Sem'orang ketawa kan gua. Apa mo buat? English saja gua ada standard.

Basically it reflects the fact that in Singapore, the Peranakan culture is a dying culture. And the Peranakan identity is stuck in the (colonial) past. My everyday existence doesn't draw on my Baba identity. Usually, with peers and younger, it's never enough to say that I'm Peranakan. They can't link that word with anything clear or specific. I need to do a short spiel about what it means and doesn't mean (like it doesn't mean I definitely have Malay blood).