Hello everyone, welcome back to another episode of Ask TSL,
Today we will once again be answering questions related to race and religion,
of course to the best of our abilities.
Okay the first question is: Why do Malay families have so many children?
Before I answer, you y'all think this is an accurate observation?
In terms of the number of children, not a lot.
I think maybe its more of the generation.
Older generations have a lot, but I think it's regardless of race.
I used to have a Chinese neighbor, they have at least 10 kids.
Yeah!
But I feel like for our generation, regardless of race right,
- it's not a lot of kids. - It's quite tame actually.
Yeah.
It's like plus minus 3.
So based on my own experience, even myself,
I come from a family of 5 children.
- Mm. - Ah.
I have 4 other siblings.
Then even for my aunties and uncles, both my dad and mum's sides,
They at least have 6 siblings each?
Yeah so every time I go visiting and whatnot,
can see that there are a lot of family members around.
Okay, maybe to focus on the theory side of it,
Okay so Malays are mostly associated with being Muslim right?
There is a term called 'Rezeki'.
So 'Rezeki' is in Malay.
And then it essentially means like provisions, blessings or sustenance from God.
- We also believe that children fall under this category of Rezeki also. - Ah.
- It's a blessing? - Yes, having them around is a blessing.
Oh! Why do Chinese people like to eat steamboat/hotpot so often?
Oh my God, it is true.
I love!
- I also love! - Love!
- So I guess it's not just Chinese people! - No!
Okay I guess most of us would know that steamboat and hotpot right is
related to Chinese New Year?
As a family you just eat together around a pot.
- And then it's also a bonding thing. - It is a bonding thing!
- You will like try to cook with each other and help out with each other. - Yeah.
Is there an Indian or Eurasian variation of this sort of eat together kind of thing?
- Steamboat, hot pot... No... - So for example Malays we have this Nasi Ambeng type of thing.
So it's like a big platter.
- Got different things right? - Got different different things and it caters to X number of pax.
Then you just sit around the platter and eat together.
Oh!
This one very close to yours eh, its just yours is cooked ingredients, ours is raw ingredients.
Y'all are hardworking!
Imagine ours is very busy because ours got Rendang, Sambal Goreng, and then must cook on the spot.
- 2 hours eh the hotpot! - *Overlapping laughter*
Yeah!
Ooh! I like this question, okay!
It says, "I've heard arranged marriages are very common for Indians even until now. Why is this so?"
Okay so arranged marriages were very common back then,
because they liked to marry within the family.
So there is a way where for example,
my cousin, in a certain way that we are related, we can get married.
That's one way.
Or another way arranged marriages would be happening is based on status and all of it.
But recently I actually told my mum, I said:
At the rate I'm going, I've been very single. But um,
if you ever want to arrange marriage for me go ahead.
- Oh my! - And the you know what my mum said?
"Arrange marriage for you? No."
Thankfully, this generation from what I know
they don't really believe in arranged marriages.
Because they feel you have to like someone first.
But they are still into the concept of introducing people.
Do you get annoyed when people ask you where you are from?
Like for me I guess it's not something annoying?
Cause, actually-
My answer right to usually they ask me like "Oh, where are you from?"
Singapore?
- Haha nice! - No like honestly I don't know how to answer you.
Okay so my dad is Eurasian, my mum is Filippino.
I was born in Singapore.
Where am I supposed to be from?
But then after that the question goes into
- Where is your family from? - Where is your family from, y'know?
I realize that Muslims always have similar names in their names - like Mohammad, Siti, Nur etc. What's the reason?
Okay maybe before I dive straight into this,
A more generic explanation is how parents name their kids is like... there's meaning behind the name.
For example, my name is Hafeez,
The meaning is the Protector if I'm not wrong.
Wah!
I thought like maybe the Entertainer or something, because he's very funny. - Haha no!
Interesting fact, there's actually a book. Got a lot of different names!
Such that the parents can pick... They see the name and then got the meaning.
There's such a book for English names also.
- Oh is it? I didn't know! - Yeah!
Charmaine means melody or music.
Melody or music...
*EVERYBODY CLOSE YOUR EARS PLS*
Siti and Nur I'm not too certain,
but from what I know Mohammad-
because Mohammad is a very prominent figure in our religion,
- from Prophet Mohammad right? - Mm.
So people would like to name their children after prominent figures in the religion?
It's very similar to having a good meaning?
It's also just like a add more goodness to the name, kind of thing.
Interesting, I always thought it was like surnames.
So for Malays and Muslims, we only take the name of our immediate Dad.
- Mm. - So for example my father's name is Harris.
So it's like Muhammad Hafeez Bin Muhammad Harris.
Then my children will be Bin or Binte Muhammad Hafeez.
- Is it okay if we do not follow the Ang Bao market rates for a Chinese wedding? - Oh my God I need to know this also!
- This is important! - Recording ah?
To be honest right,
Coming from me, I feel like this is not about being Chinese or not already.
This is really about the person.
What they see a wedding as lor...
Wedding is a form of celebration to celebrate your love?
Or is it to like earn your money back and like you just have to hold a party because you have to
because of social norms.
What a lot of people do nowadays- or what I do is I will go Google the market rate.
How much is it per pax to hold a wedding?
- Because there's a list, for the different hotels, restaurants... - Really?
Then lunch or dinner.
- Oh, I didn't know that. - Yeah.
So I know a lot of people who like use that as a reference.
Because they also don't know what is considered enough.
Yeah, what about for...
So, they're usually Catholics or Christians right?
And we actually follow the same tradition.
Like it's out of the courtesy of our hearts, rather than the value.
We don't ask for any value.
Actually sometimes we don't even ask at all.
So it really just depends on the individual and whether you want to give.
Yeah.
Is it inappropriate to wear ethnic costumes of other races during their holidays?
No.
- 10/10 no. - I don't think so?
Yeah.
Obviously there is that fine line between disrespecting the culture and their outfits.
- As long as you're not disrespecting it right? - Correct!
In fact, I think it's a good thing.
I like it, because seeing not just my own race but even other races
liking the look of it and appreciating it, and therefore they want to wear it right?
It's very nice what.
I remember clearly one of my best childhood memories, especially in Primary school or Secondary school,
- Racial harmony day! Then we will like... - Yeah!
...exchange clothes. Then I will call my friends.
Then last time no handphone no nothing, so call the home phone.
*Imitating ringtone sound*
My Chinese friends will ask if I have extra Malay clothes,
or sometimes I will borrow my friends' Chinese or Indian traditional outfits. - Traditional outfits.
It is what makes us like Singapore.
- And like... -Singaporean.
- Really, it's a very wholesome moment to see that. - Yeah!
Haha! I was just explaining this the other day.
The question is: Why do Indian weddings occur over so many days?
So have you guys ever attended a Indian wedding before?
No...
So I'll do a general summary because it is very very long.
So basically there are different ceremonies for Indians.
We have the Bride's side, which is a bangle ceremony.
Then they will do the same thing for the guy.
But the guy doesn't wear bangles, it's just that his side of the family will bless him in their own ways.
Then in North Indian sides, they have the henna party as well.
So that goes for another day.
So for example in North Indian weddings it can go up to 7-9 days.
- Wah! - Yeah, and it's consecutively.
- So tiring. - Yeah it's very tiring!
So usually what they will do- like my friends, like I have North Indian friends,
they actually fly over to India to attend their friend's weddings.
And they will prepare like their outfits for like 7 days.
Yeah, it's for different, different events and you have to dress up.
And all of these right, all the Indian stuff that happens,
it has to happen within certain timings and certain days.
So it cannot happen in a day, because it depends on the date, it depends on the day, it depends on the time.
That's why it happens over so many days.
Tada!
Okay guys, now we're done with the questions.
I'll be getting you guys to react to a special music video that was created for Racial Harmony Day.
Oh my God!
It's all the artists that I know.
Haha, the haircut.
- They look a bit too old to be in a Primary school. - *Laughter*
- This is a Primary school? - Eh!
Isn't this a secondary school?
- Got long pants. - Fauzi!!
- Oh my God this brings back memories. - Yeah I know right!
- Oh! - His mouth okay or not?
The choreography though!
- I love it! - Yeah, yeah okay, it's not bad!
- Respect! - Respect, that's right! We trust!
I can sing this part! *Sings* It's all about respect~
- Wah they are making our bus look damn nice. - Wah!
Yeah the bus is damn aesthetic!
*FANGIRLING*
- Ah there you are! - She vibing! She vibing~
Oh my God is she going to start dancing?
- Break it down! - Wah!
- I'll be damn scared if I want to alight. - Yeah excuse me! My stop~
- But it look's very nice eh! - Where did she go?
Yeah! Very aesthetic eh.
It's like Lalaland vibes.
- Tampines represent sorry. - Yeah!
- Oh! Oh! - Aisyah Aziz.
Yeah.
- Oh my God her voice. - Her voice!
- Her voice! - Her voice!!
Wah!
Am I leaning forward? *Laughs*
Actually very cute eh the music video.
*Singing along*
- *Collective gasps* - That transition though!
Aww, that's nice~
Aiyo so nice, so wholesome!
Wah!
- Okay, okay. - I got goose bumps eh!
One thing I loved about the video is how it's an everyday life kind of thing.
- It's something that- you go on a bus, you'll see people of every race, every culture. - Dancing.
- Yeah that's right, somebody is going to break out in song! It's like High School Musical, we are all in this together~ - Let's break out and dance in song!
- Also it brings back a bit of nostalgia with like the school? - Mm.
Especially like the school.
- I think it''s cause we're old. - Yeah that's right.
I think it's the beat.
*Imitates beat*
*Singing*
It's like how everyday, different places we go to,
Its a very subconscious thing. We don't feel like oh okay I'm a certain race I can sit here, I can only eat certain kinds of food.
Like you can enjoy nasi padang or curries, and we can enjoy caifan and other stuff.
Yeah and I like how they include places that you know, you see then you know already.
- Yeah! - The bus, the school, the famous Tampines place!
- With the high ceiling. - With the high ceiling~
The thing about the culture is that it's always so blended in.
Which I think is beautiful about Singapore.
And the whole idea of having the races all getting along,
sharing things...
Growing up and all of it, did y'all celebrate other festivities in your schools?
I think back then in Secondary school I celebrated all of them.
- Right? - It was just all of them.
- There was no missing out on any public holiday. - Yes everyone's. Except for Christmas.
Yeah Christmas because that one is a holiday.
In my Primary school I remember they used to do this thing called Deeparaya.
So they would combine Deepavali and Hari Raya together.
At that point of time I think the days kind of overlapped.
- Or it was back to back. - Yeah it was very close to each other.
Yeah, or it would be in the middle so they usually celebrate both together.
And then they would have a concert.
So then the Indian girls would dance, and then the Malay dancers will dance.
And then everybody would come together and there would be a shared kind of dance.
And I think that's the beauty of everything you know?
- You celebrate everything together, and you just have fun together and appreciate one another. - Yeah.
I think like what the video says, it says:
So its like we shouldn't segregate ourselves
and eventually just...
We're all in this together, so there shouldn't be a space or opportunity to disrespect one another.
- In fact we should just be coherent (Cohesive). - Yeah!
Thank you for watching this episode of Ask TSL,
If you like, do check out the link for the full music video in the description box down below.
Don't forget to like share and subscribe, ring the notification bell and watch our other videos over there.
Bye!
*off tune singing*