07-07-2025
Forum: Don't reduce rich traditions of ethnic music to simplified symbols
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A s Singapore prepares for its 60th National Day celebrations, it is perhaps timely to reflect on how music continues to shape its sense of national identity.
Singapore's national identity has never been a given. It has been carefully and deliberately nurtured across decades of nation-building, in a society characterised by linguistic, cultural and ethnic diversity.
Efforts to foster unity have often turned to the arts, especially music, as a vehicle to express shared belonging.
Amid this heterogeneous landscape, the notion of a 'Singapore Sound' has taken on symbolic importance. It is common to see musical instruments from the three major ethnic groups in Singapore placed side by side in orchestrated showcases, aimed at reflecting the Singaporean spirit of multiculturalism.
While these gestures are well-intentioned, there is a risk that such arrangements become formulaic, reducing rich cultural traditions to simplified symbols.
For instance, the Tamil folk melody Munnaeru Vaalibaa has been widely used to signify Indian representation in national performances. But when embedded into stylised medleys, its cultural and historical context can be overshadowed by its symbolic function.
The Singapore Sound is not a formula. It must encourage diverse artistic expressions that reflect the lived realities of Singaporeans across generations and cultures.
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G. Lakshmanan
