The Chindian Diaries aspires to collect and document stories from this mixed community in Malaysia and Singapore.
KL-BORN, Sydney-based social entrepreneur Kevin Bathman, 38, is on a mission to dig deeper into his ancestral lineage and define the Chindian community. The Chindian Diaries, his online arts and community project on Facebook, aims to document stories from individuals and families who identify themselves as Chindians, a moniker for those of mixed Chinese and Indian lineage. Kevin’s father, Bathman Mahalingam, is Chindian (of Tamil and Chinese parentage) while his mother – Shirley Choong – is Chinese.
“What started off as a storytelling workshop in Sydney last year led to this project. It forced me to delve into my family history and learn new things about my mother and grandparents.
“When I embarked on this project, I never realised I would be meeting other Chindians like myself, let alone helping to write their stories. Getting to my own story was the hardest, but the most rewarding part,” said Kevin in an e-mail interview recently.
Kevin hopes the project will serve as a resource for stories about being part of two distinct cultures. The project has opened up conversations with other Chindians and given a space for the community to express themselves. There are many postings in The Chindian Diaries Facebook page on romance, relationships, identity crisis, cultural clashes and acceptance.
The project is focused primarily on the Chindian community but they are also open to stories from other mixed marriages.
Kevin hopes the stories will form a greater and overarching cultural narrative.
“Chindians are a minority within a minority. It is an unofficial term as it is not widely recognised worldwide. The term ‘Chindian’ pays homage to the two cultures that have made us into who we are today. The stories vary from acceptance, family bonds, racial confusion to overcoming the odds,” he explained.
Malaysia and Singapore have the distinction of being home to huge Chinese and Indian populations in the 20th century due to mass migration. Naturally there would be intermarriages between these two communities. But unlike the Chinese-Malay intermarriages in the 15th and 16th century (under different social circumstances) which gave birth to the Peranakan culture in the Straits settlements of Penang, Malacca and Singapore, there is no discernible hybrid Chindian culture.
More often than not, families tend to veer towards either a more dominant Chinese or Indian culture. Some Chindian children were brought up in a western way, speaking English rather than a Chinese or Indian dialect.
“Looking over the interviews with Chindians, most of them do feel a sense of belonging to both cultures. Whichever culture they identify more with depends on their upbringing. With Chindian weddings, for example, most of them have the traditional Chinese tea ceremony and the Indian temple wedding to honour both heritages. I have yet to meet a Chindian that has disregarded one side of his/her culture,” said Kevin.
Although there is awareness and pride in their uniqueness as a group, it has been harder to define what being a Chindian is or the characteristics they share apart from their parents’ lineage.
Since its inception last year, The Chindian Diaries has attracted over 2,000 Likes on Facebook. It has also drawn Chindians from outside Malaysia and Singapore. Divya Balachandar Wong wrote: “So grateful for this project and love seeing pictures and reading people’s stories! My husband (from Hong Kong) and I (from Chennai, India) were married five years ago and we have two little Chindians of our own. I’m so happy to have this page to show my girls that there are other little girls and boys out there just like them!”
Sandepp Ray commented: “I love to look at these pictures. They are joyous, playful, tender and evocative. And sometimes very stylish! Can’t get enough of the large shades, svelte sarees, cool hairdos, bell-bottoms and pleated pants.”
Appreciation of cultures
As a second generation Chindian, Kevin grew up with his family’s Chinese and Indian cultures. At mealtimes, his mother would cook Indian curries and Chinese stir-fry. His father preferred spicy food, while his mother opted for “healthy” Chinese food such as soups and congee. This has resulted in Kevin having better appreciation of both cultures.
“I am blessed to be able to celebrate Deepavali, Chinese New Year and Christmas. When my grandparents were alive, they practised Indian or Chinese customs at each festival. The multiple celebrations is one of the highlights of being a Chindian,” said Kevin, the youngest of two siblings.
In terms of looks, some Chindians tend to look Malay while some may look more Chinese or Indian. In some parts of the world, Chindians are often mistaken for Spaniards, Mexicans, Latin Americans, and even Polynesians. In Kevin’s case, he considers his appearance as more of a Malay-Chinese mix with a dash of Indian looks.
“Most of my friends are surprised that I am well-versed in Indian culture. My favourite cuisine is Indian, and it fascinates them to see a tanned Chinese-looking guy enjoying a curry, and is able to cook Indian food. Likewise, my Chinese friends are surprised that I don’t speak any Cantonese or Mandarin,” said Kevin, adding that he and his older sister, Coreen, were brought up in a Western way and spoke mainly English at home.
But from Kevin’s own observations, most Chindians experience an identity crisis in their lives, as they straddle two distinctly different cultures. From young, the former student of KL’s St John’s Institution felt that he didn’t fit in with his friends.
“I felt neither Indian nor Chinese.”
In Year One, Kevin remembers being reprimanded by his primary school teacher when she asked for Indian boys to stand up. When I stood up, she told me sharply, “You are not Indian, sit down.
“Being so young, I didn’t know what I had done wrong, as I was both – Chinese and Indian. At that age, I didn’t have a comprehension of race,” he recalled.
Kevin hopes the project can help individuals learn more about the Chindian community.
“It is one of the solutions to end racism, as individuals are able to learn more about another culture. I am reminded of this quote by Mahatma Gandhi – ‘No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive’ – and I hope that encapsulates my project.”
> Go to www.facebook.com/TheChindianDiaries to read more stories from the community.
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Proud of their Chindian heritage
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