I love Thanksgiving but I decided to go with Hari Raya Puasa from a country that I love and having spent a lot of time there, I have come to know the cultural traditions well.
Singapore is a diverse society and it embraces many cultural traditions wholeheartedly. Multiculturalism is part and parcel of Singapore and during my stay there, I came to know the different cultural traditions well. I think I have written about some of them here but I’m going to go with Hari Raya Puasa because it is a lovely tradition and one worth noting.
Some of you may know it has Eid al-Fitr, a major religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide and it marks the end of Ramadan. Muslims make up about 15% of the population and Islam is the third-largest religion in the country. What are the other two? The ethnic Chinese community practice Buddhism and they make up about 31.1 % followed by Christianity which makes up 18.9 %. Here’s the thing about Singapore, all religions are accepted and practiced with no restrictions.
Coming back to Hari Raya Puasa, it is celebrated by Singaporeans and not just the Muslim population. People wear vibrant outfits, visit the mosque for prayers, and the best part is the food. The feasting usually involves a massive amount of traditonal Malay delicacies. People also open their homes to relatives, friends, and neighbors of all races and religions. It is time for celebration and the food fest is delicious and finger-licking good. My favorite is rendang. It is a spicy beef stew or it can also be made with chicken and it is served with rice cakes (ketupat), and sometimes satay, meat on skewers but that is not all. The dessert list is massive as well and just as good.
Singaporeans celebrate each other’s cultural traditions and the country comes together as a nation during these times. It is a lovely place that has made diversity a way of life and harmony among the different races is their mainstay and they work hard at keeping it that way.
Thumbs up Singapore! 👍
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