The Shrimp People is a 1991 novel by Eurasian Singaporean writer Rex Shelley. The book won National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) Book Award in 1992. [1]
The novel tells the story of Bertha Rodrigues, the youngest child of police inspector James Rodrigues and Mary Gomez, a housewife. Their family is Eurasian, descended from the Portuguese. Bertha is a gifted hockey player who becomes embroiled in the espionage activities of Indonesia: the Indonesians are determined to upset the political unity of Singapore and Malaya after the 1962 Singaporean national referendum. The book then moves to a surprising conclusion.
As of June 2021, the population of Singapore stands at 5.45 million. Of these 5.45 million people, 4 million are residents, consisting of 3.5 million citizens and 500,000 permanent residents (PRs). The remaining 1.45 million people living in Singapore are classed as non-residents, a group consisting mainly of foreign students and individuals on work passes.
Eurasian Singaporeans are Singaporeans of mixed European and Asian descent. Their Asian ancestry trace from Colonial India to other colonies while their European ancestry trace back to western Europe primarily, although Eurasian settlers to Singapore in the 19th century came largely from other European colonies. These included British Malaya and British Sarawak, part of the former British Raj India, of the former Portuguese India and Chittagong, the Dutch East Indies and French Indochina. When the European maritime powers colonised Asian countries, such as Colonial India, Ceylon, Malaya, Singapore, Indonesia and Indochina, from the 16th to 20th centuries, they brought into being a new group of commingled ethnicities known historically as Eurasians.
Devil curry also known as curry Debal in Kristang is a very spicy curry flavoured with candlenuts, galangal, mustard seed and vinegar from the Eurasian Kristang (Cristão) culinary tradition in Malacca, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Indo-Dutch diaspora. It was historically served one or two days after Christmas and on other special occasions.
Singaporean cuisine is derived from several ethnic groups in Singapore and has developed through centuries of political, economic, and social changes in the cosmopolitan city-state.
The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by Singaporeans. It is written chiefly in the country's four official languages: English, Malay, Standard Mandarin and Tamil.
Edmund William Barker was a Singaporean politician and lawyer who authored the Proclamation of Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he served in the Cabinet between 1964 and 1988. Barker also served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore between 1963 and 1964, and Leader of the House between 1968 and 1985.
Gopal Baratham was a Singaporean author and neurosurgeon. He was known for his frank style and his ability to write about topics that were often considered controversial in the conservative city-state.
The Catholic Church in Singapore is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome. In 2016, the Catholic Foundation of Singapore reported the Catholic population in Singapore to be over 373,000.
A multitude of languages are used in Singapore. It consists of several varieties of languages under the families of the Austronesian languages, Dravidian languages, Indo-European languages and Sino-Tibetan languages. According to the Constitution of Singapore, the national language of Singapore is Malay, which plays a symbolic role, as Malays are constitutionally recognised as the indigenous peoples of Singapore, and it is the government's duty to protect their language and heritage. The constitution also states that the four commonly used languages of Singapore are English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, with the lingua franca between Singaporeans of different races being English, the de facto main language. Singaporeans often speak Singlish among themselves. Singlish is an informal, colloquial form of English that is used in Singapore. Linguists define it as Singapore Colloquial English.
The culture of Singapore has changed greatly over the millennia. Its contemporary modern culture consists of a combination of Asian and European cultures, mainly by Malay, South Asian, East Asian and Eurasian influences. Singapore has been dubbed as a country where "East meets West", "Gateway to Asia" and a "Garden city".
Rex Anthony Shelley was a Singaporean author. A graduate of the University of Malaya in Malaysia and Cambridge trained in engineering and economics, Shelley managed his own business and also worked as member of the Public Service Commission (PSC) for over 30 years. For his service, he was conferred the Bintang Bakti Masyarakat by the Government of Singapore in 1978, and an additional Bar the next year.
Simon Tay Seong Chee is a Singaporean lawyer and legal academic who served as a Nominated Member of Parliament between 1997 and 2003.
Singaporeans, or the Singapore people, are an ethnic group that refers to citizens that identify as a nation with the sovereign island city-state of Singapore. Singapore is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual country. Singaporeans of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian descent have made up the vast majority of the population since the 19th century. The Singaporean diaspora is also far-reaching worldwide.
Indonesia and Singapore established diplomatic relations ) on 7 September 1967, a month after the formation of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 8 August 1967. Indonesia and Singapore are two of the five founding members of ASEAN. Both nations are also members of the Non-Aligned Movement and APEC.
People of the Pear Tree is a 1993 novel by Eurasian Singaporean writer Rex Shelley, which tells the story of a Eurasian family, the Pereras, during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore and Malaya. The book won a Highly Commended Award from the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) in 1994.
Island in the Centre is a 1995 novel by Eurasian Singaporean writer Rex Shelley, which tells the story of a Japanese, Nakajima Tomio, working in Malaya from the 1920s until the Japanese Occupation of Singapore and Malaya in the 1940s. The book won a Highly Commended Award from the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) in 1994.
A River of Roses is the fourth novel by Singaporean Eurasian writer Rex Shelley, first published in 1998 by Times Book International. The novel was awarded the Dymocks Singapore Literature Prize in 2000.
Khym Lam is a Singaporean-born Australian actress.
The Eurasian cuisine is a 'fusion' cuisine, mainly existing and found in the countries of Singapore and Malaysia.
Ayam buah keluak is a traditional Peranakan dish consisting of chicken (ayam), tamarind gravy and buah keluak nuts. It is normally served with rice. It is also one of the favorite dishes of Singapore's founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew and his son, Lee Hsien Loong.