The Hainanese

The Hainanese are people from Hainan who originated from Hainan Island - the smallest province of China at the Southern most tip. They were originally fishermen from Fujian and Guandong and later settled over there. The Hainanese, part of the Chinese dispora migrated to different South East Asian countries including late comers to Singapore worked in ships as sailors, opened their own coffee shops or restaurants, bakeries or bars and worked as cooks and chefs and others at local hotels. 

Hainanese in Singapore made up 7% of the Chinese population. The Hainanese came to Singapore much later than the Hokkiens and Teochews who are already well entrenched in trade and commerce. Originally they also have problems communicating with other dialect groups as their language seems unintelligible to the others but they began to carve out a name for themselves working for wealthy Europeans including as canteen operators for military bases. 

Hainanese are especially with food and beverage. Think chicken rice, Swee Kee (Middle Road), Yet Con (Purvis Street), Loy Kee (Whampoa), Wee Nam Kee (Toa Payoh), Tian Tian (Maxwell), Ya Kun (Eggs and Kaya Toasts),  Han's restaurants,  Mooi Chin restaurant, Chin Mei Chin Confectionery, mutton soups and the bartender who created the Singapore Sling Ngiam Tong Boon was Hainanese. The Hainanese should be credited with the "kopitiam" or coffee shop culture  here and boy do they make the best coffee! Middle Road, Purvis Street and Seah Street were Hainanese main streets in the old days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HtLCRXPBqA

Suukee suukee!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmS5ug_Lyk0 (Hainan Rap)

My own life's experience has proven that despite their smaller numbers, I have been surrounded by them. My first brush was when I was just a kid. The neighbours below were Hainanese. I could hear their banter in a strange language and their boys were my friends. In primary school, there is this guy Loy who is till today an old and close friend. My closest buddy in secondary school is one James Tan and then during national service and later reservist my buddy is Sunny Lim. I have since met and have many friends - Benson Foo, Richard Foo, Lui, Han - the "host with the most" and they are all Hainanese. There are also Wong, Wee, Yeo, Mah, Boo, Chiam, Chew, Chong, Too, Loo, Leo, Ngiam who are Hainanese suggesting that they are in every Chinese surnames! Some of my Hainanese friends called thesmelves Germans.

During the old days, registering your child's birth depended on how you parents pronounced the surname and who were the clerks that listened and translated into writing. You can end up having siblings with different surnames. For example Lim can be Lin, Ling, Lum, Lam, etc. Today. the Hainanese are everywhere and excel in all fields and industries - ministers, civil servants, doctors, lawyers, shipping, logistics, banks, manufacturing, IT, entrepreneurs, captains of industries. You name it and you will find them. I am even related to them.

Because all my experiences were good, I have fond memories of them. The Hainanese phrase "Suukee" is so important where Suu: house and Kee: side means family or very close or it is our own.

So I say "Suukee!" We are family!