The Hainanese community formed the fifth-largest Chinese subgroup in Singapore - at 7% of the Chinese population - in the 2000 population census. The early Hainanese immigrants in Singapore found a niche for themselves in the service sector, working as cook boys, waiters and servants in the local hotels, restaurants, bakeries and bars and as houseboys for rich households. Many of them also became kopitiam ("coffee shop") stall holders or assistants. Today, the Hainanese community is invariably associated with Hainanese Chicken Rice, Western food and confectionary and even Peranakan cuisine.
Background
The older Hainanese refer to themselves as Kheng Chew Nang, meaning "people of Kheng Chew", the old name for Hainan Island in China. Most of the early Hainanese immigrants were late arrivals compared to the Hokkiens, Teochews, Cantonese and Hakkas. They came to Singapore in larger numbers only in the 1850s. The late emigration of the Hainanese was due to the late opening of Hainan Island to foreign trade and seafaring activities, which increased significantly after its port, Haikou, was opened to foreign trade in the late 1800s. Another reason was the conservativeness of the average Hainanese towards emigrating. This was especially pronounced in their attitude towards female emigrants, who were generally suspected to be prostitutes or "kept" women.
Once in Singapore, the Hainanese immigrants formed enclaves like the other dialect groups. These enclaves were mainly in the Middle Road-Beach Road area, the Bukit Timah-Tanglin Road area and the Changi-Nee Soon area.
Trades
As late migrants, the Hainanese were forced to find employment in less lucrative trades. By the time the Hainanese arrived, the Hokkiens and Teochews, for instance, were already well entrenched in agriculture, commerce and trade. Furthermore, the Hainanese were more of a minority dialect group and therefore lacked business contacts (kuanxi or "connections"), which Chinese businesses rely strongly upon for their operations. Compounding the problem was the fact that they had difficulty communicating with the other dialect groups because their language was unintelligible to the other Chinese communities. The early Hainanese arrivals were also extremely poor and illiterate, and they lacked the relevant skills for any trade or profession. On top of that, they saw themselves as sojourners, temporary residents of the colony, and so never sought to pick up new skills.
They ended up carving a niche for themselves in the service sector, working as cook boys, waiters or servants in the local hotels, restaurants, bakeries and bars and as cooks or domestic servants for wealthy European and Peranakan households. At one time, some also worked as canteen operators in the military bases located in the northern part of Singapore. Some of them became seamen and sailors and worked as cooks on board the ships. Later, many Hainanese became involved in the kopitiam or "coffee shop" business as stall holders or assistants. In fact, the Hainanese community has been credited with introducing the kopitiam culture to Singapore.
In Singapore, the Hainanese are invariably associated with the food and beverage industry, and this is where they have found the most regional fame. Ngiam Tong Boon, the bartender at Raffles Hotel who concocted the cocktail drink now widely known as "The Singapore Sling", was a Hainanese. At 51-53 Middle Road (now demolished), Wong Yi Guan adapted a rice dish served with chicken which was later made famous by his apprentice Mok Fu Swee through his restaurant, Swee Kee Chicken Rice. This dish has since been exported to the region as Hainanese Chicken Rice. It is generally acknowledged that the Hainanese brew the best coffee in the kopitiams of Southeast Asia. Some have turned their kopitiam business into successful franchises such as Ya Kun Toast, founded by a Hainanese named Loi Ah Koon in 1944. Hans, a local cafe chain specialising in Western food and confectionary, is also owned by a Hainanese.
Temples and Associations
The earliest temple set up by the Hainanese was the Tin Hou Kong, with the main deity being Matzu, the Goddess of the Sea. Originally situated at Malabar Street, this temple is now located at Beach Road together with the Singapore Hainan Hwee Kuan (formerly known as Kheng Chew Hui Kuan), a clan association for the Hainanese community. The clan association and temple building was first built in 1857 in three adjoining shophouses at No. 6 Malabar Street. It moved to its present location along Beach Road in 1878 and later underwent renovations in 1963. The temple has a wealth of valuable artefacts, including a rare bronze guard of honour, stone tablets and inscribed boards.
Besides this main association and temple complex, several smaller clan associations can be found nearby, mainly along Seah Street. They are differentiated by Hainanese surnames in combination with the origin district on Hainan Island.
Practices
For the reunion dinner held on the eve of the Lunar New Year, the Hainanese cook steamed chicken (or ji) and mutton (or yang) soup as ji and yang together sound like ji xiang, which means "fortune". In fact, chicken is central to any Hainanese celebration. Another popular reunion dinner dish is chives fried with glass noodles. Chives or gao sang means "prosperity for a long time" in the Hainanese dialect, and the long glass noodles symbolise longevity. Dried cuttlefish or ju hu is sometimes added to the dish. Ju hu sounds similar to you yu, which means "excess", so when added it means "excess of prosperity over a long period of time". Hainanese chicken rice balls and chin deh, a hollow ball made of glutinous flour covered with sesame seeds, are sometimes displayed at the table. The roundness symbolises the coming together or reunion of family members. Ancestors are invited to partake in the feast before the family begins dinner.
Author
Jeanne Louise Conceicao
References
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The information in this article is valid as at 2009 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
