The baju kurung, loosely translated to mean “concealing dress” in Malay, is a traditional Malay costume that consists of a knee-length blouse, worn by women over a long skirt. For men, the costume consists of a shirt worn over a pair of pants and is interchangeably referred to as baju melayu.

The practice of making and wearing baju kurung is common among communities in the Malay Archipelago.

The baju kurung is mainly associated with the Malay/Muslim community of Singapore and worn on both formal and casual occasions. There is a subset of the baju kurung called the baju kebaya, which is associated with women from Chinese Peranakan and Indian Peranakan communities.

The traditional Malay costume is worn both for formal occasions such as weddings and as informal day-to-day attire. However, the baju kurung worn on formal occasions is usually made from silk or brocade, while the baju kurung worn on a daily basis is usually made from cotton or polyester. During Hari Raya Puasa, it is common to see Malay families wearing baju kurung in matching styles when visiting their relatives and friends.

In the past, baju kurung came in softer, muted colours with floral designs, but today, bright colours and patterns are favoured. Ready-made baju kurung are available for sale at major fashion stores and departmental stores while tailors offering customised designs and options can be found throughout Singapore. Many of these tailors have turned to the Internet and social media platforms to promote their products and services.

As baju kurung remain popular for formal and informal occasions, and there is a wide range of choice for them, the making and wearing of baju kurung looks to be sustainable.

It is part of Malay and Peranakan culture which is one of the main races in our current society. It is important because it is part of their heritage and culture, which is part of who they are. Furthermore, the baju kurung costume may help them feel a sense of belonging and home regarding their malay and peranakan culture.

response: It is significant to Singapore as it is unique in Singapore and is rarely found outside of the country, and very nice. The kaya and kopi is very unique and it gives singaporeans a sense of national identity and have a sense of belonging in Singapore.

The dish was created by Hainanese immigrants to the straits settlements in the 19th century while serving on British ships. The dish has not evolved as it is still bread kaya butter and coffee.

Kway chap is a dish of Teochew origin and was introduced to Singapore by early migrants from the Chaoshan region in China. The dish comprises broad sheets of rice noodles (kway 粿) served in a bowl of piping hot broth (chap 汁). It is usually enjoyed with an array of pork offal and other sides that are customisable to customers’ preferences.

Different variations of kway chap can also be found elsewhere in the region. Compared to the dark, soya sauce-based broth familiar to Singaporeans, rice noodles are served in a white broth made from water and rice milk in the Chaoshan region in south-eastern China, where the early Teochew immigrants to Singapore hailed from. In Thailand, the rice noodles are rolled up and served in a clear broth made from a mix of Thai spices and pepper. Instead of pork, duck offal and meat accompany the rice noodles in Penang, Malaysia. In these regional variations of kway chap, the sides are served with the rice noodles in a single bowl of broth.

The preparation of kway chap begins with making the broth and cleaning the pork ingredients. Typically, dark soya sauce, ginger, garlic and a selection of spices, such as five-spice powder and cinnamon sticks, are added to make the broth. Pork offal is soaked in vinegar and salt and blanched in hot water. This cleans the large and small intestines thoroughly and removes their smell. Fat and hair are removed from the pork rind before blanching. Once cleaned, the pork offal is braised in a large pot of broth. Each kway chap stall has their own blend of ingredients to give their broth a unique taste.

As the broth simmers, the dry sheets of rice noodles are cut into triangular pieces and boiled or steamed. The cooked rice noodles are then drenched and served in the same broth used to braise pork offal and other ingredients, topped with shallot oil or fried shallots. Customers can choose the different ingredients they like, ranging from braised pig offal, pig’s tongue, pork rind, pork belly, as well as eggs and firm soya bean curds; these sides are served separately from the rice noodles.

The term ‘henna’ is derived from the Arabic word الحناء (al-ḥinnā), used to describe the henna plant itself, and is also often used interchangeably with the term ‘mehndi’derived from the Sanskrit word ‘mehndika,’ or ‘marudaani’ in Tamil, or ‘inai’ in Malay.

In Singapore, henna is used primarily by the Indian and Malay communities, especially during weddings and festive events such as Deepavali and Hari Raya Puasa. It is believed to convey prosperity, good health, and well wishes to those who use it, as well as a form of beautification typically used by women.

Chicken rice is a ubiquitous dish found at almost all eateries in Singapore, from hawker stalls to high-end restaurants. It has been lauded as one of Singapore’s “national dishes”. Within the Chinese community in Singapore, there are both Cantonese and Hainanese versions of the chicken rice dish. Hainanese chicken rice has also been infused with Cantonese influences, such as the preparation method and the choice of chicken used for the dish. Local touches, such as the use of pandan leaves in cooking the rice, add to the rice’s fragrance. A chicken rice dish today usually consists of slices of bite-sized pieces of poached chicken served atop fragrant and flavourful rice, accompanied by a specially prepared chilli dip.

Chicken rice is common in eateries in Singapore and Malaysia, with regional variations available in Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia as well.

Both Hainanese and Cantonese versions of chicken rice are sold throughout Singapore, and are widely available in hawker centres, eateries and restaurants.

The Hainanese community is credited with introducing Hainanese chicken rice to Singapore. Immigrants from Hainan who had moved to South-east Asia in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries brought the recipe along with them and modified it over time with local influences. Hainanese chicken rice is believed to have evolved from the wenchang chicken (文昌鸡) dish of Hainan, China.

Some of the earliest Hainanese chicken rice businesses established in the 1930s and 1940s include Yet Con Hainanese chicken rice (逸群鸡饭), Chin Chin Eating House (津津餐室) and Swee Kee Chicken Rice (瑞记鸡饭).

The Cantonese community is associated with introduction of soya sauce chicken rice, which is often part of the Cantonese style of cooking the dish. Popular Cantonese chicken rice eateries Sin Kee Famous Cantonese chicken and Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce chicken rice (了凡香港油鸡饭), which has received a Michelin star for its soya sauce chicken rice.

Chicken rice is enjoyed by the wider community in Singapore. For example, there are halal versions of chicken rice in Singapore. It is also common for families and individuals to cook their variation of chicken rice within households.

Chicken rice comes in different varieties – poached, roasted, or soya sauce. The variation lies in how the poultry is cooked.

For the Hainanese version, the chicken is poached in boiling water until fully cooked, before being soaked in room-temperature water for about half an hour. It is then dripped dry, placed on a tray, and covered with a towel to retain the moisture and flavour of the meat. However, many cooks also use the Cantonese technique of plunging the chicken into iced water after cooking. This results in smoother chicken skin and enables the formation of a gelatinous layer underneath. Another Cantonese influence is the usage of tender, young chicken instead of the wenchang chicken – a breed of free-range chicken known to be bony and “muscular” – that was used in the original recipe from Hainan.

The roasted version of chicken rice is prepared differently. The whole chicken is first seasoned with black pepper and salt, then hung to dry before it is deep-fried.

Soya sauce chicken rice is said to be the Cantonese version of the dish. The chicken is cooked in a rich, dark sauce made up of spices like cinnamon and clove and sweetened with rock sugar.

Another important element in the dish is the rice, which is fried in chicken fat before being cooked in the chicken broth skimmed off during the poaching process, along with ginger, garlic, and pandan leaves.

Chicken rice is usually served with soya sauce or a specially prepared chilli sauce, cucumber slices, a bowl of soup made using the chicken stock, as well as side dishes such as braised dark soya hard-boiled eggs, beancurd, beansprouts, kailan (a leafy vegetable) or achar (pickled cucumber, carrots, and cabbage mixed with crushed peanuts and sesame seeds).

Our choice: Cheongsam

It is significant to Singapore as in Singapore, Chinese females have been involved in cheongsam over generations. As more female Chinese immigrants came to Singapore after 1900s, the cheongsam became an important identifier of ethnicity and social background. It was popular among working-class women, first with teachers, who saw the garment as a sign of their educational status and modernity.

As more women joined post-war Singapore’s workforce in the 1950s, the cheongsam became acceptable work attire for those employed in offices, commercial firms, and frontline services, and were even worn by women of non-Chinese backgrounds. Cheongsams were also popular among women working in the recreation and entertainment scene. In the 1960s, when television was introduced in Singapore, popular actresses such as Ge Lan and Lin Dai wore and glamourised the cheongsam.

The cheongsam has continued to evolve with it becoming shorter and more form-fitting over the years.

• type of snack commonly found in malay households

• can be sweet or savoury

• significant to SG as it is one of the many ways it demonstrates Singapore's multicultural society

  > is widely known and also appreciated by many singaporeans

• example of kueh evolving over time is kueh tart / pineapple tart

  > used to be filled using pineapple filling, but can also use Nutella.

Making and sharing of tea is significant to Singapore as it has been present in social culture and food heritage of many cultures across the world, with people adapting different methods with which tea can be brewed and consumed. In Singapore, different communities prepare and consume it in various ways, using it for a range of purposes from social settings to religious rituals. Especially when Singapore has diverse cultures and heritage it is overly significant so that we can respect and be harmonious to other cultures.

Tea dates to China in 3000 BCE where through cultural trade and exchanges, it led to a diverse range of tea brewing and drinking processes. Making and sharing of tea has influenced a variety of cultures and communities such as Teh Tarik in the malay community despite it originating from China. Now, tea can be found in many places such as hawker centres, coffeeshops, restaurants, temples, traditional teahouses and in the homes of many.

Chicken rice is a ubiquitous dish found at almost all eateries in Singapore, from hawker stalls to high-end restaurants. It has been lauded as one of Singapore’s “national dishes”.

The Hainanese community is credited with introducing Hainanese chicken rice to Singapore. Immigrants from Hainan who had moved to South-east Asia in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries brought the recipe along with them and modified it over time with local influences. Hainanese chicken rice is believed to have evolved from the wenchang chicken (文昌鸡) dish of Hainan, China.

Chicken rice is enjoyed by the wider community in Singapore. For example, there are halal versions of chicken rice in Singapore. It is also common for families and individuals to cook their variation of chicken rice within households.

The reputation of chicken rice has spread beyond the region. It has received recognition at overseas food fairs and in the international outlets opened by rice chains such as Wee Nam Kee Hainanese Chicken Rice (威南记鸡饭餐室). In 2016, Chef Chan Hon Meng of Liao Fan Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice and Noodle received a Michelin star for his chicken rice dish. Chicken rice is even found on the menu of selected Singapore Airlines flights, to provide passengers with “a taste of Singapore”.

Chicken rice is seen as being an important part of Singapore’s food heritage and continues to be a popular dish amongst Singaporeans.

Within the Chinese community in Singapore, there are both Cantonese and Hainanese versions of the chicken rice dish. Hainanese chicken rice has also been infused with Cantonese influences, such as the preparation method and the choice of chicken used for the dish. Local touches, such as the use of pandan leaves in cooking the rice, add to the rice’s fragrance. A chicken rice dish today usually consists of slices of bite-sized pieces of poached chicken served atop fragrant and flavourful rice, accompanied by a specially prepared chilli dip.

We think that it is significant in Singapore because we have a very diverse varieties of cultures, traditions and religions. Learning to appreciates other culture's practices is key to having a harmonious nation.

In particular, the culture regarding minyal attar. Aromatics and its many uses have been present in various cultures across the world. In Singapore, the use and application of aromatics is of particular significance amongst the Muslim community (which include Malay, Indian, and Arab Muslims), and one of which is the use of minyak attar (essential oils in Malay). In the Islamic procedure of religious ablution and presenting oneself in a clean state before God, applying minyak attar is a way of completing the cleansing process and perfuming oneself before entering a mosque for prayer. 

In the Islamic faith, the concept of hygiene and piety was linked to the wearing of perfume as agreeable scents are regarded as an important facet of spiritual energy and as a representation of divine qualities. These beliefs and the knowledge related to such practices may be formally transmitted through religious classes and informally within families and have contributed to the spread and use of perfumery within the Muslim community.

The making of minyak attar is an intricate process that requires astute knowledge of scents and the development of detailed formulas. This knowledge is typically passed down from a small pool of masters to apprentices

It is still common practice for the Muslim community in Singapore today to use aromatic compounds, such as minyak attar on a daily basis. According to Mr Johari, apart from its use by weekly mosque congregations, essential oils and minyak attar are increasingly perceived to be everyday products just like other commercial perfumes. The main challenge that the minyak attar industry faces is mainly one of economic viability as larger industrial perfumeries manufacturing aromatics at cheaper prices with economies of scale impact the continuation of the craft by individual perfumers like Mr Johari. Nonetheless, Mr Johari believes that this trade will continue to remain relevant with evolution of the craft and broader appeal to the wider community.