NTU History (HH3009)
THE EROSION OF CULTURE
The Loss of Boyan Heritage
In 1970s, the government rolled out many initiatives which were aligned with plans to modernize Singapore. One of these initiatives was the relocation of household living in Kampongs or squatters to public housing or HDB flats. The relocation resulted in many families shifting into unfamiliar area.
For the residents of the Pondok, the construction of the HBDs resulted in the movement away from friends, family and a support system which they could rely on. More importantly, the movement away from the Pondoks meant a movement away from culture, heritage and kinsmen. By the end of the decade, almost all the Pondoks were destroyed.
It only took a generation for the erosion of the Boyanese heritage to begin. The separation of the Boyanese into different housing estates, as well as the increase in inter-ethnic marriage between the Malays and the Boyanese, slowly amalgamated the two cultures together.
The CIMO categorisation by the government in post-Independence Singapore blurred the lines between the different ethnic factions of Malay world and classified individuals who had similar cultural backgrounds. This meant that individuals of Javanese, Boyanese, Bugis, the Minangkabaus and the Banjar were subsumed under the umbrella of Malay.
Under the CMIO system, all Singaporeans are categorized along patrilineal lines, assuming that each individual is embedded in a racial group which leaves little room for more complex identification. In the case of the Boyanese, simplistic categorisation of ethics into neat segments glossed over the nuanced difference between them and the Malays such as language and cultural difference.
The Bilingual Policy introduced by the government in 1966 further contributed to the alienation of the Boyanese from their culture. Boyanese children had to learn Malay in schools instead of Boyanese. The widespread use of Malay through Singapore also contributed to the practicality aspect of learning Malay as opposed to Boyanese. Soon, the Boyanese language was lost through the generations as the dominant language Malay become more widely spoken within the community.
Photo Courtesy of Pintrest
Concluding Remarks
THE IMPACT OF THE LOSS OF HERITAGE
The impact of the government policies and loss of the pondoks is palpable in the Boyanese community, most notably with the loss of its language. Apart from the older generation of Boyanese migrants, many second and third generation Boyanese-Singaporeans hardly speak or understand the language. Many do not specifically identify themselves as Boyanese but rather as Singaporean or Malay.
That being said, the retention of the sprit of Gotong Royong (community spirit) seems to stand the test of time as witnessed by members of the community during events (eg. During weddings, during Child Brith etc.)
There is a conscious effort to revive Boyanese heritage by the organization such as the Persatuan Bawean Singapurea (Boyanese Association of Singapore) through community outreach, the publishing of two heritage books and potentially the inception of Boyanese language classes. One of their biggest hurdles is engaging the youth of the community who have little interest in knowing more about their language or heritage.
Final Thoughts
Assimilation is inevitable in any migrant community as they sought to fit into their host community. Some communities either retain their culture and absorb elements of the dominant culture or become completely subsumed into it.
In the case of the Boyanese, the Pondoks provided a space where the migrants could continue to practice and retain their unique Boyanese culture and stay close to their fellow kinsmen without cloistering the from other migrant communities and their environment. As the Pondoks were destroyed and the Boyanese moved away, much of the Boyanese culture eroded and amalgamated with the Malay cultural practices. The Pondoks were, therefore, a vital space for the Boyanese migrants and culture in the 19th and 20th century but prospective generations to understand their heritage and ancestral origins.
VOICES FROM THE BOYANESE COMMUNITY
Testimonials and Interviews from the Community
The following section is a collection of the interviews that were conducted over the course of our research. Interviewees vary in age, occupations and background. What was hoped out for these interviews was to gain insight into what it means to be Boyanese in present-day Singapore and the differing attitudes between the different generations.
BOYANESE VOICESÂ #1
Second Generation Boyanese
The following interview is of members of the Persatuan Bawean Singapura (Singapore Boaynese Society), (left) Mr Aswami Bin Majid, current Vice-President of the organization and (right) Mr Haji Mohd. Seain Bin Madson, former secretary general ('79-'83), current member of the organization's Exco and advisor to the PBS. Their interview was particularly illuminating as it focused on their experiences as second generation Singaporean-Boyanese who are actively trying to promote and revive the culture.
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Click Here for Video of Full Interview
BOYANESE VOICES #2
Generational Gap
The following interview centers around Mohamad Hafiz (extreme left) and his family. Both his parents are of Boyanese decent. His grandmother (left) was from the island of Bawean and stayed in a Pondok in her youth. The different experiences between different generations in his family highlight the cultural gap that are present among members of the Boyanese community.
Click Here for Transcript of Hafiz's Interview
Click Here for Audio of Hafiz's Interview
Click Here for Video of Hafiz's Interview
Click Here for Transcript of Mdm Sundari's Interview (Hafiz's Grandmother)
Click Here for Audio of Mdm Sundari (Hafiz's Grandmother) Part 1
Click Here for Audio of Mdm Sundari (Hafiz's Grandmother) Part 2
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Third Generation Boyanese
BOYANESES VOICE #3
The following interviewee, (extreme right) Sofea Lyana, is of Boyanese of part Boyanese and part Malay heritage. She professes not to know much about what it means to be Boyanese. However, she is interested in learning more about the culture and heritage, given the opportunity. Similar to the sentiment shared by Hafiz, she too believes that there is a huge generational gap between that of the older generation and the youth of the Boyanese community.
Click Here for Transcript of Sofea's Interview
Click Here for Audio of Sofea's Interview Part 1
BOYANESE VOICES #4
Dr. Yusrina Binte Yusoff is an outstanding member Boyanese youth, attain stellar scholastic achievements and dedicates her time to saving lives as medical professional. She ,too, does not know much about her Boyanese heritage. Her interview adds and corresponds with the testimonials of other third generation Singaporean-Boyanese such as Hafiz and Sofea
Click Here For Interview Transcript (Email Interview)
Photo Courtesy of La -A-Obe