Blog Post Three: Evaluating Intercultural Behaviour
The cosmopolitan nature of the Singaporean society leads us
to observing a multitude of intercultural exchanges and situations almost every
other day.
I observed one such scenario a few years ago when I visited a
friend at her HDB block to prepare for our upcoming examinations. When I
arrived, she apologised for not informing me earlier that there would be a
Malay wedding being held in the void deck that weekend. She told me that there
would be considerable noise coming from the void deck which might cause some
disturbance and hinder our study. We decided to instead head down to the
community library. When we passed by the void deck, we observed a heated
discussion going on between a Chinese family and the Malay family organising
the wedding. The former was expressing discontent over excessive noise as their
children could not take their afternoon naps or concentrate on schoolwork. The
Malay family informed the Chinese family that they had permission to hold the
wedding at the location and that the noise is a natural part of any cultural
event. The Chinese family was not fully aware of the usual customs and rituals of
a Malay wedding and insisted the noise level be brought down immediately. They
added that they did not raise a complaint in the previous two days as they did
not wish to be inconsiderate.
The importance of fostering effective intercultural
communication can be in two words – ‘avoiding conflict’. Therefore to prevent
conflicts such as the one above, it is essential to be aware of the differences among cultures. This will lead to better comprehension, fewer misunderstandings and greater mutual
respect. This is especially important in Singapore where the variety of cultural practices and traditions means that customs of one ethnic group may seem inconsiderate or even unacceptable to another.
In the above scenario, patience, open discussion and the willingness to seek greater clarification might have led to a happy compromise. Instead of adopting a confrontational approach, the Malay family could have apologised for the noise as well as assured the Chinese family that they will tone down the noise level and not continue their celebrations till late. This would allow the children to rest and study after that. The Malay family might have also reassured other residents who may be similarly disturbed by the noise, that the celebrations would end by a certain predetermined time. Awareness and understanding of cultures other than one's own can certainly lead to greater harmony and peaceful living in a multiracial society like Singapore.
In the above scenario, patience, open discussion and the willingness to seek greater clarification might have led to a happy compromise. Instead of adopting a confrontational approach, the Malay family could have apologised for the noise as well as assured the Chinese family that they will tone down the noise level and not continue their celebrations till late. This would allow the children to rest and study after that. The Malay family might have also reassured other residents who may be similarly disturbed by the noise, that the celebrations would end by a certain predetermined time. Awareness and understanding of cultures other than one's own can certainly lead to greater harmony and peaceful living in a multiracial society like Singapore.
In Singapore where the different ethnic groups still actively practise their customs and traditions, a great deal of sensitivity is required because what seems like perfectly normal practice to one group may seem inconsiderate or even unacceptable to another. However it is this diversity that enriches the Singapore experience. So in an instance like this, maybe patience and open discussion to work out a happy compromise may work. For example if the Chinese family had understood that there will be noise at weddings but asked the Malay family if it would be possible to stop by a certain time so the children could study after that, it might have helped. Similarly, if the Malay family continued with their wedding because, after all they had sought and secured permission, but understood that in public housing the noise does carry up and where there are children studying or old and/or sick people living upstairs, it would be good to reassure the residents that the celebrations would end by a certain time and stick to that agreement, it would reduce tension.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment Ma'am. I have edited my blog post according to your suggestions for intercultural conflict resolution.
DeleteHello Ankita. It is such an interesting read that I can relate to, especially because I stay on the 2nd story in my HDB flat. This means that sounds from any form of celebrations or events that occur at the void decks can be heard very clearly from my house. Usually as neighbours, we would try to bear the occasional loud sounds, but the issue may start to become complicated when the other party does not see the need to compromise, or the impact their event may have on other people.
ReplyDeleteWith that being said, I think that people sometimes misuse the term cultural harmony in order to benefit themselves. In the case of void deck events, there are times where the event organizers may want the event to be loud, for the example of celebrations and funerals. I have witnessed certain organizers demand their right to continue, by quoting 'cultural understanding' as the reason. This should not be the case, and thus I believe that certain level of official refereeing is still required in order for peace to be maintained. Of course, this is not to say that personal understanding of each other is less important. Ultimately, living in a HDB would force individuals to learn patience for one another.
Hi Samuel! Thanks for your comment:)
DeleteI completely agree with you that it is essential to have a combination of both official refereeing as well as greater personal understanding among residents of different cultures. It is only with patience and tolerance of the customs of cultures other than our own that we would be able to have a community where there is peace and harmony maintained at all times.