"COOK and SHARE a Pot of Curry" - to celebrate Curries as part of our way of life - and to share this celebration with those who are new to our shores!
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Pls kindly read the entire post!
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PLEASE DO NOT write any derogatory comments on any race. Please respect all other races. (Abusive remarks will be removed immediately). This is a Cook / Share Curry Event (not for anyone to post hateful remarks here).
PURPOSE of Event - to Cook Curry and Spread the love to all
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This Curry Event was created to promote the "message" of Curry Cooking and let all natives and newly arrived immigrants understand the message of tolerance and appreciation of our beautiful multi-racial culture.
Thus, I hope that every Singapore Citizen / or true-blue natives and even Friends of Singapore can COOK a pot of curry all over the island on this date (21st Aug 2011 - Sunday) and let the aromas of curries permeate and waft through the whole nation :)
*SHARE The Pots of Curries! (with your new friends and neighbours)
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Share the pots of curries with your neighbours , your friends and your newly arrived immigrant citizens. Let us spread the message of love, tolerance, understanding and acceptance. Get the newly arrived citizens to appreciate curry and also embrace the cultures of the various ethnic groups here :)
(If you are overseas and cannot cook - can support us in spirit by clicking 'Attending' too lah!)
Case in mention
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A mainland Chinese (new citizen family) asks a local Indian family not to eat curry or cook curry
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As reported in the news recently in the Today Newspaper, a report came about that a mainland Chinese family told a local Indian family not to eat curry and not to cook curry.
The appointed mediator - a certain Madam Giam facilitated the case in such a way that : the Indian family could cook curry only when the mainland Chinese family is not at home. (mediation agreement)
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110808-0000102/Number-of-neighbour-disputes-hit-high (this is the link)
and this is the clarification to the case:
http://app2.mlaw.gov.sg/Highlights/tabid/168/Default.aspx?ItemId=568
and 16th Aug 2011 (The Law Minister's clarification)
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20110816-294757/2.html
How we feel
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How could a appointed mediator facilitate the case in such a way that restricts the lifestyle and cooking norms of the Indian family? Or any other local family who practices a cultural lifestyle that we have all made our own? In this case, Curry has always been part of our culture since the 1800s. It can be anything else that you or I hold dear.
There is a native Malay proverb "Di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung" ("You should hold up the sky of the land where you live") - ie one should respect the country in which you choose to live in. ( ie blend/ assimilate/ understand/ tolerate / integrate into the community of your chosen choice)
What we wish for
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When the new immigrants arrive here, we wish for them to respect / embrace the cultural / lifestyle and linguistic norms of this nation. We wish for all new immigrants and citizens to understand and appreciate the various and diverse cultural aspects of the various ethnic-minority groups we have here.
This is Singapore and we are part of Malayan culture. Our hinterland previously was Malaysia and the Indonesian archipelago. Our ancestors came, met and mingled and through an adventurous and open mindset, created something unique and beautiful... (thus our local culture as such- curries/ spices/ a vast melting pot of people and mixed heritages)
* A message to all new citizens: We sincerely hope you integrate into our local culture and make attempts to assimilate and embrace/ appreciate the various multi-ethnic cultures we had built up so painstakingly over the decades. Because at the same time, we are definitely open to taking the best that you have to offer, and to create new and beautiful Singaporean things.
*We Singaporeans are basically nice and tolerant people. We will accept you as new citizens and hope you blend in and integrate with us well.
Upset with CMC
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We are mainly upset with the "Community Mediation Centre's" mediation action of actually facilitating such a mediation agreement. It is the inalienable right of the Indian family to cook curry at any time they wish to within the four walls of their home. (having said that, let us all- natives, new citizens or otherwise, embrace the multi-cultural aspects of our nation)
Every Singaporean should just cook a pot of curry and eat it (regardless of race / language / religion). We are Singaporeans and we LOVE our curries - be it chicken curry / fish curry / lamb curry / beef curry / beef rendang / lontong / mee siam/ laksa / Petai sambal belachan / ayam buah keluak etc
Thank You Very Much for supporting "Cook A Pot of Curry" Event!
- from the Admin Group
**A Foot Note: (Important - Please read)
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That said above, let us all calm down and just take it to a quiet level of cooking curry and let us *SHARE* these pots of lovely curries with our new citizens and get them to appreciate curries or any other Singaporean dishes :)
and please, PLEASE, do Not use expletives, vulgarities and no talk of violence please. It is to be a "Curry Appreciation" movement :) to cook curries on the 21st of Aug. That is all.
Further thoughts:
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You can see from the attendees that not all are what we would have expected at first thought to be 'native' Singaporeans (based on ethnicity and nationality).
Paraphrasing what S Rajaratnam said so many many years ago, being a 'Singaporean' is something that you have as a conviction - a frame of mind - an outlook in life - I am glad that we have so many Friends of Singapore, some who may be living with us on this small island, and some who are far away, supporting this event, with a spirit of solidarity and understanding.
In a multi-ethnic/cultural environment, we need to learn to understand each others culture, respect the differences, and also be open enough to know how to take the best of each others culture and make it part of our own - to enrich our individual and collective lives.
So, in this case, CURRY, it is not just an issue of our Indian fellow citizens, it is a beautiful symbol of what co-existence can create - of being Singaporean in spirit!
From someone who is away from Singapore but cooks curries when he can, to remind him of home....
