SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysia will submit a joint nomination for the Chingay parade to be included in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, said Singapore’s National Heritage Board (NHB) on Tuesday (Nov 5).
The street parade, which is held in Singapore, Penang and Johor Bahru, reflects the shared heritage between Singapore and Malaysia, said NHB.
“This joint nomination commemorates the 60th bilateral anniversary between Singapore and Malaysia in 2025 and presents an opportunity for Singapore and Malaysia to promote cross-cultural exchanges and collaborations,” the board added.
During consultations with members of the public from 2021 to 2022, NHB found that Chingay was one of the top choices by Singaporeans for future UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage nominations. NHB said this was because of the parade’s “multicultural nature and familiarity to Singaporeans”.
Singapore’s hawker culture was inscribed on the list in 2020, and the kebaya – a traditional women’s dress – was nominated in 2023, with the result expected in December this year.
Singapore and Malaysia are aiming to submit the Chingay nomination in March 2025 and the result is expected to be announced at the end of 2026.
The list was developed by UNESCO in 2008 and comprises intangible cultural heritage elements from different countries.
It seeks to raise awareness of the importance of such practices and expressions, encourage dialogue that respects cultural diversity, as well as give due recognition to the practices and expressions of communities worldwide.
Performers participate in the annual Chinese Lunar New Year Chingay parade in Singapore on Feb 3, 2023. (File photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman) HISTORY OF CHINGAY The word Chingay, derived from the Hokkien dialect, means the art of costume and masquerade, according to the Chingay Parade Singapore website.
In Singapore, Chingay started in 1973 as a street parade to celebrate Chinese New Year. Founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had suggested staging the parade, with all its colours and gaiety, to compensate for a 1972 ban on firecrackers, a customary Chinese New Year practice to ward off evil spirits.
In Malaysia, the Chingay parade has been organised by the Johor Bahru Tiongshua Association and has been held annually at the Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple on the 21st day of the first month of Chinese New Year since 1870.
In Penang, the parade is organised as a multicultural and secular performance by the Penang Chingay Association in George Town, involving local and overseas performers and communities.
According to the NHB’s heritage resource portal, Roots.gov.sg, these festivals and processions were believed to have been introduced to Penang and later to Singapore by migrants from southern China in the early 1800s.
Today, Chingay is known for performers dressed in elaborate costumes representing diverse ethnicities, cultures and backgrounds, stunning floats, intricate props and structures, and cultural performances from across the globe.
“Chingay Parade, as practised in Singapore, reflects our multicultural and diverse society. I hope more Singaporeans will support and attend the Parade in the coming year, as 2025 also marks our 60th National Day,” said Singapore Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong.
Ms Chang Hwee Nee, the NHB chief, said the longevity of Chingay was a “testament to its adaptability as a living heritage, and the dedication and resourcefulness of its practitioners to pass down the knowledge and skills to the next generation”.
PRIOR NOMINATIONS In March 2022, Chingay was among 10 other elements for Singapore’s second UNESCO intangible cultural heritage potential nomination.
The list also included yusheng, orchid cultivation, getai, traditional medical practices and Thaipusam.
This joint nomination represents Singapore’s third attempt to secure a place on the UNESCO list.
It follows the successful recognition of hawker culture and the nomination of the kebaya, a joint effort that included Brunei, Malaysia and Thailand.