Association plays a crucial role in community
MALACCA: Clan associations or huay kuan can be found in almost every overseas Chinese society.
They are called huay kuan or tong xiang hui and are formed on the basis of kinship, clan, dialect, home village, territory, or occupation.
Clan associations had its origins in China and were established overseas by migrant populations.
Malacca Hokkien Huay Kuan chairman Datuk Wira Gan Boon Leong in his address to welcome members and invited guests especially from
outstation and the parent body, said that clan association plays various roles in overseas Chinese society.
He said it serves as a contact medium between migrants and their hometown or region.
Gan said in the good old days, when natural disasters or political crisis happened in China, clan associations raised fund to send back to China.
"They also offered protection for their members while disputes between members could be brought to the clan association for settlement and problems with other dialect groups could be settled between representatives of the respective clan associations," he said.
Gan said today it is a different scenario as activities are organised for the betterment of its members.
"During the course of the year, clan associations organise festive and religious celebration with prayers in certain months.
"Through these activities, they reproduce their traditional cultural environment in host societies," he said.
Gan said festive events include major festivals such as the Lunar New Year, Qing Ming, dumpling festival, seventh month, mid autumn festival
and winter solstice bring about an opportunity to network with fellow countrymen, reinforce their cultural identity in a foreign land and gave them a sense of comfort and semblance of familiarity.
National Malaysian Hokkien Huay Kuan President Datuk Khoo Chai Kaa in his speech said that clan associations and temples usually have a very
close relationship as almost every clan association has a patron deity.
When resources are available, he said these clans built temples dedicated to the patron deity.
"The official founding dates of clan associations or patron temples is an important milestone in the group's history as it signals a level of
economic resources on a population base.
"This is because wealthy leaders who were often entrepreneurs initiated the founding of clan associations," said Khoo referring to Melaka Hokkien Huay Kuan 211th Anniversary.
He said survival of a clan association depends on its ability to serve the needs of its members.
State Education, Youth & Sports Committee Chairman Datuk Gan Tian Loo who was also present contributed RM10,000 to the huay kuan.
Datuk Lim Siew Wan, Datuk Soon Tian Szu, Datuk Lim Kok Ann, Gan Seng Chong (association secretary-general) and many die-hard members agreed collectively that clan association's fate in Chinese communities can be seen as a microcosm of the interaction between the notions of ethnicity and nationality that unfolds and evolves in each overseas Chinese community.
The huay kuan also honoured members who received state titles in conjunction with the Malacca Governor 74th Birthday celebration with congratulatory wooden signages carved in calligraphy messages while members who were outstanding in the various activities held throughout the year, received certificates of acknowledgement and appreciation.
-The STAR-
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