33rd Baba Nyonya International Convention

This convention is organised by The Peranakan Association Singapore (TPAS).
It is open to all who are interested in Peranakan culture.
Singapore has the privilege of organising the 33rd BABA NYONYA INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION IN 2021. It is being presented as a hybrid physical-cum-virtual event to promote the Peranakan culture to a global audience. In spite of the constantly changing challenges laid by the pandemic, the Peranakan Association of Singapore has lined up an exciting and thought-provoking event to be graced by the President of Singapore, HALIMAH YACOB, as its Guest-of-Honour.

Venue: Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre
Far East Organization Auditorium, Level 9
1 Straits Boulevard, Singapore 018906
(Subject to Safe Management Measures)
Date: Saturday, 20 November 2021
Time: 9.00 am to 1.00 pm

It will feature a one-hour play titled “The Matriarchs“ and
a three-hour symposium themed “Keeping the Culture Alive”.

Click below to find out more:

The Play

The Symposium

Programme

Ticketing

The Play
Reading at a rehearsal. (From left: Alvin Tan, GT Lye, Ivan Heng, Colin Chee)

The play will bring together, for the very first time and ONLY time, two of our most outstanding Peranakan actors.

Ivan Heng, the darling of Singapore contemporary theatre, will reprise his epochal English-speaking role as Emily (of Emerald Hill). Also performing will be GT Lye, the only iconic matriarch of wayang Peranakan in the region. GT will appear as the feisty Baba Malay-speaking Mrs Gan, Emily’s mother-in-law.

Mrs Gan’s character, scripted entirely by GT himself, has been specially created for the convention and adapted from Nyonya Stella Kon’s enduring play, “Emily of Emerald Hill”, with the celebrated playwright’s blessings.

This play extraordinaire is directed by the award-winning Alvin Tan of The Necessary Stage and produced by TPAS.

The Symposium

Anchored by the theme of Keeping the Culture Alive, the symposium will feature some of the best minds and practitioners from the world of Peranakan culture.

First and foremost, their aim is to take stock of the Peranakan culture that our forebears knew and practised. Then, to identify the green shoots that will help sustain our culture for generations to come.

Renowned historian and scholar Kwa Chong Guan will speak on “Change & the Cultural Resilience of the Peranakan Chinese” followed by three forums that will discuss the survivability of Peranakan culture and identity – with particular focus on the community’s tangible and intangible heritage of language, literature, rituals, style, food and wayang (theatre).

Moderators and panellists include, Kennie Ting, Professor Wang Gungwu, Professor Farish A Noor, Dr Vivienne Wee, Kwa Chong Guan, Asst Prof Nala Lee, GT Lye, Josephine Chia, Kenneth Chan, Pillay Krishnan, John Teo, Dominic Low, Raymond Wong, Christopher Tan and Alvin Teo.

PROGRAMME

33rd Baba Nyonya International Convention
Saturday, 20 November 2021 (9.00 AM to 1.00 PM)
Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre

Time / Programme07:30Registration of Guests
(Auditorium Foyer, Level 9, Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre)

08:45Guests & delegates to be seated (Auditorium, Entrances at Levels 9 & 10, SCCC)

08:50Arrival of Guest-of-Honour, the President of Singapore, Mdm Halimah Yacob

09:00Opening Address by TPAS President Colin Chee

09:05Baba Chan Eng Thai recites a panton for the Convention

09:08President Halimah Yacob inaugurates the Convention
Presentation of beaded gift by Nyonya Jackie Sam and framed panton by Baba Chan Eng Thai

09:15

Start of Play, The Matriarchs

Starring Baba GT Lye, wayang Peranakan actor and Baba Ivan Heng, actor & Founding
Artistic Director of Singapore Theatre Company W!LD RICE
Directed by Baba Alvin Tan, Founder & Artistic Director, The Necessary Stage

10:15Playwright, director and actors are invited on stage to receive bouquets

10:25President takes her leave