MULTI-CULTURAL SENSATIONS

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2009


One by one, the Indian candle lights and Chinese lanterns were lit. The amphitheatre was decorated with multicultural decorative items. As the full moon rose, the place also began to gently glow with activity.

The international students of Temasek Secondary School celebrated Multicultural Night on 4 Sep 2009 (Friday). The event celebrated the three festivals concurrently - Hari Raya Puasa, Mid-autumn festival and Deepavali. It was held to share with international students the festivals celebrated in multicultural Singapore.

Everyone’s senses were infused into a melting pot of different cultures. The senses of sight and hearing were tingled by an array of student performances. The ASEAN students sang a classic Malay song, an Indian student shared about the origin of Deepavali, and the Chinese students performed a play which spoofed the aftermath of Lady Chang E’s ascent to the moon.
“It was really awesome and fabulous! All the organisers and stage crew worked hard to give everyone such as amazing show! This is incredible! I am glad that the audience appreciated the show,” said an elated Chen Ge, a student from China.
The cheer of festivity could be felt throughout the amphitheatre.

Students and teachers of different cultures came together in a joint celebration. For example, the teachers joined the students to sing on stage. They also participated in a melon seed cracking competition. It was an interesting sight to see both teachers and students gritting their teeth, trying to crack as many melon seeds as possible in two minutes.

The fragrant aroma of festive goodies filled the air. Plates were laden with colourful snacks, such as ondeh-ondeh, halal mooncakes and muruku. Everyone had a chance to try some Malay, Chinese and Indian snacks. Susheel Ramadoss, a student from India, relates his experience, “The Multi-cultural Night celebration was a pearl in bringing out the beauty of these festivals. The drooling snacks of Deepavali and Hari Raya Puasa, and the ever sweet mooncakes of the Mid-autumn Festival were a treat for the taste buds.”

When senses are developed, minds broaden in scope. “The Multi-cultural Night has given me a better understanding about people from different cultures. It has also enlightened me to be open-minded towards people from different backgrounds, so as to achieve harmony in society,” said Sunny, a student from Indonesia.

With teamwork, students from different cultures came together to make the event a success. “It's nice to see youngsters appreciating the different cultures. The efforts are evident in their spirit to learn and demonstrate. The participation from everyone showed their willingness to work together as a unit. I enjoyed the food and the performance,” said Mr. G. Segar, Chairperson of the Parent Support Group.

“I think it is important for all students, especially our international students, to come together to celebrate the festivals of other races. It was heartening to know that the students had made a conscious effort to ensure that cultural elements of the different racial groups were represented - from the food to the programme. They did a wonderful job,” said Mr. Arivazhagan Manickam, Vice-Principal of Temasek Secondary School. In addition, he made a constructive challenge to spur the students for next year’s Multicultural Night. “For next year’s event, I would like to challenge the students to put up a performance which is entirely foreign to them. For example, the Chinese and Indian students can do the dikir barat. They may appreciate other cultures even better through such an experience.”