Domain

Remarks

What are Chinese associations?

• Chinese associations are mutually formed organisations that have been set up by overseas Chinese to meet their needs in the following ways:

1. Mutual support: in the last century, many Chinese migrated overseas to foreign lands in South-East Asia, Europe, America & the Oceania; with nobody to communicate or trust, the Chinese banded together for support like jobs, food, shelter, care & protection
2. Employment liaison: the associations act as liaison devices between new Chinese arrivals & their employers; in addition, any matters concerning employment, workplace or treated can be tended to; in a way, the associations are labour unions but with little bargaining power
3. Clansmen: the associations are set up for different clans, each with own dialect & customs, like Hokkien associations for Hokkien people & likewise for Teochew, Cantonese & Hakka; a point to note is that Chinese of different dialects do not usually interact with one another due to differences in languages & customs
4. Links to homelands: the associations employ educated Chinese who perform the administration of matters regarding overseas Chinese & their homelands in mainland China; these matters include writing letters (many labourers are illiterate); sending, receiving & communicating homelands events; transferring money back to their families; even marriages can be arranged through agents that scout their homelands for prospective wives

What are the Chinese associations in Singapore?

• These include:

1. Hokkien Association
2. Nanyang Khek Community
3. Teochew Association
4. Cantonese Association

• The Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, SFCCA, is formed in 1985 as the umbrella body for 186 associations here
• Another important Chinese association is the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which targets businesses & merchants

Are the Chinese associations still relevant today?

• With better education, transportation, communications & international relations, the overseas Chinese have been to maintain these links by them, thus the associations face the following challenges:

1. Fewer active clansmen participating in the associations
2. Links with fellow clansmen are diminishing & sometimes outdated as people & places change over time
3. Change of values, increased acceptance & cultural integration of the overseas Chinese & their offspring have diminished the needs for mutual support of clansmen & liaison with mainland China as the young grow up foreign to their parents' homelands
4. As wealth & knowledge spreads, employment liaison by the associations is less often sought

• How the associations can evolve to meet new needs & stay relevant in the face of changes is crucial

What changes do the associations take?

• The organisational changes should be classified according to the overseas region
• In Singapore, Chinese people are encourage by the government to communicate to one another via Mandarin, thus diminishing the importance of dialects, so the following changes are apparent:

1. All clan associations have banded together to form the Combined Clan Association to foster understanding & ties with the various clans & combine resources to serve the integrated Chinese Singaporeans
2. The associations now aim to preserve the Chinese heritage, music & customs through education, activities & events
3. Issues of concern to the Chinese, whether mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or the overseas Chinese (like in Indonesia), are discussed in international & local conferences, forum & meetings
4. Along with globalisation, the attention is focused on global Chinese issues as well as exchanges with other cultures

What values do the present associations promote?

• The Combined Clan Association promotes the following values:

1. Piety
2. Family harmony
3. Everyone has unique niches & roles in society
4. Strive to be the best in your profession
5. Espirit de corps

• 新加坡宗鄉會館聯合會提倡: