23 Things That Make Singapore Singapore

Singaporeans shared their top pop culture icons. Find out what made the list!

1. Wall's Ice Cream Uncle

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The Wall’s ice cream wrapped with bread or wafer biscuit is Singapore’s version of the ice cream sandwich. These Wall’s ice cream uncles (and aunties) operate via bikes or motorcycles strapped to a huge freezer holding ice-cream and they are constantly on the move to find spots to sell their ice-cream.

Submitted by Shahrin Abd Rahman

2. Point Point Rice

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Singapore has a love affair with food. From hawker centres to high-end restaurants, Singapore offers an incredible variety of choices at any time of the day. Point point rice (otherwise known as chap fan or mixed rice) is aptly named for the method of ordering which involves asking for a plate of rice and then pointing at the various dishes desired.

Submitted by Rishi Kesan

3. Chilli Sauce

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Our chilli sauce culture is as important as the food itself. The most famous are the chilli sauce packets that come with chicken rice. The sauce is typically made of fresh red chilli, garlic, ginger, white vinegar and/or lime.

Submitted by Rishi Kesan

4. Ice Gems

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Nostalgic food and toys are a big part of pop culture in Singapore. Iced Gems are little biscuits with bits of colourful icing on them and everyone in Singapore has fond childhood memories of eating them.

Submitted by Jonathan

5. Capsule Machines

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Gashapon — Capsule toy machines were once commonplace in Singapore but not so any more. These coin-operated machines dispense capsules that contain small plastic molded toys, which many people collect as trinkets or for display.

Submitted by Rishi Kesan

6. Kopitiam

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The coffeeshop (or ‘Kopitiam’ as Singaporeans call it) is a popular cultural icon. And amongst all Kopitiams, Tong Ah Coffeeshop is probably the most iconic one. The coffeeshop is located at a premium location right at the junction of Teck Lim and Keong Saik road, and has been serving traditional coffee and kaya toast since 1939. Unfortunately, the shop has been taken over by a upmarket restaurant and on 14 July 2014 (the date in the picture), it had moved to another location about 50 meters away from the original spot.

Submitted by Goh Jin Chuan

7. Performing uncle outside Ngee Ann City

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A common sight along Orchard Road, Mr Oh Ow Kee performs the “Woodball Woola Chains” outside Ngee Ann City. It is based off an ancient art practiced by Chinese monks which he discovered back in 2000. He claims that exercising with them regularly helps weight loss and he also sells these chains alongside his performances.

Submitted by Kenneth Tan

8. Xinyao

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Xinyao is a music movement popular in Singapore in the 1980s and refers to young Singaporeans creating their own songs (geyao). There has been a resurgence of interest and many music lovers recently joined in for a two hour concert as part of The Songs We Sang, a Xinyao documentary.

Submitted by Pok Yen Neo

9. Wayang

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Wayang commonly refers to Chinese street opera in Singapore. It is an open air theatre peformance that incorporates a wide range of art forms such as songs, mime, dance, acrobatics and even martial arts. Popular with the older generation, it is a less common sight now.

Submitted by Jinny Tan

10. Bamboo and pegs

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Part of the Singapore laundry culture, this is a common sight in the heartlands outside public housing / HDB flats where laundry is commonly air dried by draping them over bamboo poles fastened with clothes pegs.

Submitted by Rishi Kesan

11. Singlish

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Singlish is the colloquial Singapore English spoken in Singapore. Understood by every Singaporean, it is definitely one of the top things that define pop culture in Singapore.

Submitted by Caryl Lim

12. Selfies

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A Selfie is Internet lingo for a snap shot taken by yourself, where the person in the picture is also the photographer. Singaporeans have become obsessed with selfies, taking them at every opportunity – with friends, while eating, with selfie sticks and with epic backgrounds

Submitted by Djaka Dwiandi

13. From Boys To Men

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The rite of passage for every Singaporean male is the mandatory 2 year national service when they turn 18. Enlistees complete a 3-month Basic Military Training (BMT) which cumulates to a Passing Out Parade (POP) held to celebrate recruits completing their BMT. It was made into a movie - Ah Boys to Men in 2012.

Submitted by Caryl Lim

14. Tissue Auntie

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The humble packet of tissue paper is a Singapore icon. There are the tissue paper peddlers (uncles and aunties) who hawk packets of tissues at hawker centers and food courts to make a living. Three packets of tissue paper usually go for S$1 but prices have been going up.

Submitted by Ziwei Teo

15. Tissue Paper Chope

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In Singapore, there's a ritual of using tissue paper packets to stake claim and reserve (“chope”) your seat while you are buying food, a common sight at hawker centers or food courts during crowded lunch or dinner time.

Submitted by Ziwei Teo

16. Playgrounds

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Singaporeans spend much of their childhood in the 80s and 90s playing in sand-based playgrounds with local-styled design. One of the most iconic designs, the dragon playground has been picked by New York culture blog, Flavorwire.com as one of the 15 amazing playgrounds from around the world. Unfortunately, most of these playgrounds have been demolished and only four are left in Singapore.

Submitted by Chiew Yen Tan

17. Bird Watching

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Birding or Bird Watching is a popular pastime among the older generation in Singapore. Dozens of enthusiasts hang up ornate cages housing songbirds to admire them together.

Submitted by Brandon Lam

18. Kite Flying

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Kite flying was a hobby, passion and play for many Singaporeans in the early years and has enjoyed a recent revival among Singaporean families.

Submitted by Rajesh Rajendran

19. Running

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Wth the massive number of running events held every year – From The Color Run to the much anticipated Standard Chartered Marathon, running is definitely a part of popular culture in Singapore.

Submitted by David Ng

20. Dying Trades

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There are many dying trades that are an indelible part of Singapore Pop Culture — Street barbers, trishaw riders, shoe cobblers and old key makers. With rapid and industrialisation and a higher standard of living, many of these trades are vanishing. Nevertheless, there are a few who are struggling to keep their craft and trade alive in Singapore.

Submitted by Junee Lim

21. The Singapore Heartlands

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A visit to the heartlands is a wonderful eye-opener to everyday life in Singapore. In the older heartlands, you would see many senior citizens engaged in pop culture activities such as chess, taichi and bird keeping.

Submitted by Tun Tun

22. The Giant Tropical Swallowtail Moth

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The newest entry into a list of famous Singapore icons, the giant tropical swallowtail moth has been seen all over Singapore in recent months.

Submitted by Rishi Kesan

23. Construction

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Singapore’s culture is always work in progress as seen by the construction that goes on everywhere as the country continues to develop.

Submitted by Rishi Kesan

Presented by Ford. Supporters of Singapore Pop Culture.

Find out more by visiting the Singapore Pop Culture Exhibition at the Ford Showroom at 305 Alexandra Road, 30 August to 28 September 2014 from 12pm to 6pm.