Source 7: Adapted from a historian’s account of Chinese clan associations in colonial Singapore.

As more immigrants from different parts of China found their way to the thriving port, the number of clan associations increased. The associations were formed by people originating from the same province, or by people with the same surname. These original self-help groups were the lifelines of the many early Chinese immigrants who arrived here without friends and money. Largely ignored by the British colonial government, these sin keh (new immigrants) turned to their fellow clansmen for support and assistance. From helping to secure employment to providing basic accommodation, the clan associations managed temples and cemeteries and, later, schools for the children of the migrant community took root.

Source Origin: Chen, Lian Pang. (2015) 50 Years of the Chinese Community in Singapore. Singapore: World Scientific. P.30

Use Record: Nan Chiau High School, 2017