Join Baba Chan Eng Thai as he traces the rich history, evolution and symbolism behind the semayang or ancestral veneration: one of the most important intangible practices in Peranakan Chinese culture.

From its roots in China to its evolution under British colonial influences and today’s contemporary society, discover how this essential practice has adapted and responded to changes of past and present. At the same time, learn the rich symbolism behind the ingredients and arrangement of each dish, demonstrated using life-like replicas specially commissioned by the Baba House.

Take this rare opportunity to hear directly from a living practitioner of the semayang and see Baba House’s full replica display of the offerings before the house’s closure for essential conservation works in June.

About the speaker

Chan Eng Thai is from a Baba family of Singapore and is an active practitioner of Peranakan culture. He frequently shares his knowledge through giving talks on traditional Peranakan practices, conducting cooking demonstrations for the community and contributes written articles on the subject.

Eng Thai is also passionate about the arts in Peranakan culture. He writes pantuns (poems) in Baba Malay and acted in the production of “Ayer Di-Tetak Tal-leh Putus (“Blood is thicker than water”), staged in June 2019 at the Drama Box. He is also an avid Dondang Sayang singer and was featured in “Pantun Cherki-A Play on Words,” a video production by the Asian Civilisations Museum, where he sung a Dondang Sayang duet with G. T. Lye.

[Talk] Pathways of Respect