Little Vietnam - Overview
So far, in Joo Chiat,we have found a congregation of Vietnamese and authentic Vietnamese cuisine. (After returning home, we searched the internet and found several blog entries of Long Phung. Among them were several Singaporeans who had previously travelled to Vietnam and tasted the local dishes and they praised Long Phung for their authentic taste.) But is this sufficient evidence to begin calling Joo Chiat a Little Vietnam?
Many Vietnamese girls have been lured to Singapore over the years with job opportunities as karaoke hostesses and night walkers. The profusion of karaoke lounges and pubs found in the area of Joo Chiat have led to the girls flocking in the area. (Here’s an article that which may explain the congregation of pubs and karaoke lounges in the district http://www.yawningbread.org/arch_2006/yax-619.htm.) This has led to business opportunities for people like Long Phung’s lady boss, who realizing that there were a lot of Vietnamese in the area, decided to open an eatery selling Vietnamese cuisine. The introduction of authentic Vietnamese cuisine has in turn attracted Vietnamese students and professionals, who are living in Singapore, and patronize the eateries to have a taste of home. Not forgetting other curious people (like us), who having heard of the name, have popped down to have a taste too.
However, to simply declare Joo Chiat as a whole to be ‘Little Vietnam’ would appear to be a hasty generalization. An short interview from Razor TV shows us an insight why.
While Singaporeans are content to give ‘Little Vietnam’ its name by this influx of Vietnamese locals and eateries gathering in the area, Vietnamese still feel that these changes are superficial and are insufficient to justify the name. Firstly, people (especially a biased population that is mainly made up of one gender – karaoke hostesses and mail-order brides) and food does not necessarily translate into culture. Other things like religion, social belonging, architecture, these things all play a part in culture. While the Vietnamese have brought their people, language and food to Joo Chiat, it has yet to seep into the place and taken a life of its own. Given time, vietnamese culture may mature and become inextricably linked to the place, but not yet. As of now, the Vietnamese are still in the midst of etching out a place they can call their own here in Joo Chiat.
DATE: Thursday, March 22, 2012
TIME: ||9:07 AM ||