Celebrating the Year of the Tiger in Singapore

Zainal Arif Mantaha, High Commissioner of Singapore to South Africa pictured at BabaHouse@ZA

1 February 2022

Ushering in the Lunar New Year, guests of High Commissioner Zainal Arif Mantaha were fortunate to experience a slice of Singapore in the middle of Pretoria, South Africa. The Annex building of the Singapore High Commission was transformed into the Baba House in South Africa (BabaHouse@ZA) after it was given the façade of a Peranakan Heritage House.The rains in Pretoria, synonymous with the daily rain phenomenon of Singapore, held off long enough for the duration of the celebrations.

This is the Year of the Tiger and the evening began with a ‘Lohei’ salad Prosperity Toss. A salad in the shape of a tiger’s face was brought out and symbolic, auspicious phrases were exclaimed as each special ingredient was added. The salad was then tossed with chopsticks and guests were advised to toss the salad as high as possible to welcome greater prosperity and abundance. This they did this with great enthusiasm and glee ensuring a year of great fortune.

Mantaha explained that as there was not much of Singapore in South Africa, members of the High Commission, with imagination and creativity used available resources to create BabaHouse@ZA, decorated in typical Peranakan style.

The Babas, or the Peranakans, are a group of people of Chinese origin in Singapore that trace their ancestry to Chinese traders that had settled in the Malay Archipelago in the 15th century, and married local Malay women. They are sometimes also known as the Straits Chinese, as many were born in the British Straits Settlements and port cities of Singapore, Penang, and Malacca, where they flourished and enjoyed high social standing.

Singaporean style street food that included Nyonya Laksa and Beef Rendang was enjoyed and the world famous Singapore sling and Singapore Tiger beer were beverages on offer in keeping with the theme and contributed to a re-creation of downtown Singapore. The traditional Batik and Kebaya dress donned by the hosts and guests further lent to the festivities of the occasion.

In keeping with the Tiger theme for the evening, Sizie Modise gave a fascinating account of a Tiger conservation project, Tiger Canyon, located remotely in the Free State.

Mantaha said that he looks forward to BabaHouse@ZA being a venue to foster cultural and intellectual exchanges between Singapore and South Africa and to use it as a venue for the development of relations with all member countries of ASEAN as well as the Southern African neighbouring countries that he represents from South Africa.

Story and photos by K Bhana