Katong and Joo Chiat have been in need of champions to restore its Peranakan heritage. Over the past several years, one such individual, among several others, has taken it upon himself to try to do just that. Tony Tan, the owner and operator of Betel Box, a backpackers’ hostel in Joo Chiat, takes some time out to share his passion with Baba Colin Chee.
Why are you so committed to reviving the Peranakan Heritage in Joo Chiat and Katong?
When I was in my teens, I remembered little of Joo Chiat and Katong except for food and family. This changed significantly when I returned to Singapore after 10 years away and was looking for an authentic cultural venue to start a backpackers’ hostel. I suppose it’s like falling in love with a good friend who has been around in the shadows all this while. My most vivid memories are from 8 years ago, when I met traders who have been here for a long time, keen to chat and proud of what they do and then, meeting residents who have been living in the district for generations reminiscing of Katong past and present. These causal encounters led me on to a journey of discovery of the Peranakans in Joo Chiat and Katong which showed me that nostalgia and cultural pride are not lost in modern Singapore; this is why I have since become an advocate of heritage and also of Peranakan culture in Joo Chiat and Katong.
What elements in the neighbourhood do you see as key to this effort and that promise success?
The residents and the heritage shops, without a doubt. No other place or district in Singapore exudes so much pride in who they are and what they are about than those living in Joo Chiat and Katong. For example, most districts in Singapore do not even have a name to describe residents in their community; we have three – Katongites, Eastcoasters and recently Joo Chatters. The traditional traders are the unsung heroes; as well as traditional crafts, products and services superceded by modernity but recently revived by television programs seeking authenticity in our culture.
What have you done to date?
I have built a backpackers’ hostel in the heart of Joo Chiat which has served over 35,000 travellers and created a tour of the district that has shown over 3,000 tourists the gems of our community. We were recognised for our efforts by being voted by Hostelworld customers as the “No. 1 Hostel in Singapore 2008″ and we won the Singapore Tourism Board’s Singapore Experience Awards 2009 for Best Travel Experience.
Going forward, what would you like to see happen in order that this dream be further realised?
My dream is that the Singapore way of life and Peranakan culture must be introduced to any visitor to Singapore. The diversity of Malay, Straits Chinese, Eurasian, Arab and Indian cultures in Joo Chiat and Katong and its architecture are irreplaceables which need to be celebrated and encouraged. Commercial relevance must be matched by community pride for sustainability.
There is so much talk about making Joo Chiat a Peranakan Town. What can you say about this?
Just as Katong is no longer a constituency but a concept of gotong royong and leisure lifestyles, I see Joo Chiat Peranakan Town as a living testimony of our cultural pride and aspirations. I don’t believe in the Disney-fication of the Peranakan culture but rather a celebration and protection of the things we hold dear – our way of life, family, trades and community. I’m a third generation Chinese in Singapore but it gives me much joy when neighbours refer to me as “Baba” for that’s when I know I’m accepted as a member of this community.