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Once, my father's eldest sister, of another with the children in the family. We must not
mother, who was the first wife of my grandfather, underestimate the learning capability of children,

came for a visit all the way from Hainan, China. especially when they are in the phase of learning
It was the first time we met each other. My to talk. In my case, I learnt Cantonese from my
grandfather had emigrated from China and his grandmother who insisted on speaking Cantonese
third wife, my grandmother, gave birth to my even though we would always reply to her in

father here in Malaysia. That explains why that Mandarin. Of course, I also watched a lot of TVB
occasion was the first time my father met his eldest dramas back in those days and it did help me to
sister despite the fact that both were already over polish up on my Cantonese.
50 years old. What I thought to be an awkward first

acquaintance with a distant relative turned into a Living here in Malaysia, the melting pot
heart-warming reunion when they started a hearty of diverse ethnicities, the Malaysian Chinese have
conversation. They were conversing back and been mixing different languages together and
forth enthusiastically using Hainanese, a language formed a unique way of speaking, which cannot

which was an instant connection and a sense of be found in the rest of the world. Words like
kinship found between my father and his eldest “suma” and “pannai” in spoken Cantonese
sister through the language that they spoke. The are borrowed from “semua” and “pandai” in
fact that these dialects are still spoken and spread Malay language. Some Malay words like “tapi”,

outside the place of origin portrays the struggles “mana”, and “baru” are also used in spoken
and accomplishments of our forefathers. Speaking Hokkien among Malaysians. It has become an
and inheriting the language seems to be one of the exclusive dialect used only by Malaysian Chinese.
means to honour the memory of our ancestors and I can still recall one occasion when I travelled to

also their sacrifices. Bali, Indonesia. My friends and I asked another
group of Chinese tourists to help us take a picture.
It may seem that the “voices” of Chinese They were speaking in Hokkien. They could have
dialects are diminishing among the new generation been from China, Taiwan, Singapore, or even

of Malaysian Chinese, but there is always a silver some parts of Indonesia where the people also
lining. Realising that there is a need to conserve our speak Hokkien. “Are you all from Penang?” I
culture, Chinese associations in different states of blurted out. I was very confident that I would get
children upfront to help them cope with the challenges ahead. Teaching toddlers to speak English and
Malaysia are actively conducting cultural events, an affirmative answer, and I did. We greeted each
sending kids to English learning centers are becoming prevalent among young Chinese parents. The rapid
which have also emphasised the significance other in Penang Hokkien and exchanged stories
growth of international schools has also provided platforms for our children to engage in other foreign
of speaking dialects. Chinese schools are also of our travels before parting our ways. Even if I am
languages and cultures. The practice of speaking Chinese dialects in modern families is dwindling, not
inculcating the important values of Chinese travelling or working in another foreign land, I will
to mention that some young parents cannot even speak their own dialect well. Globalisation has largely
traditions. Take our school as an example, we have always recognise the accent, the intonation, and
transformed the world into a more connected place; it seems like the voices of dialects among Malaysian
organised activities such as singing competitions the voices of the language. They are the voices that
Chinese are fading, slowly marching towards its inevitable doom.
and tongue-twisters that encourage the use of I am familiar with. They are the voices of comfort.

Chinese dialects. In hindsight, I would suggest They are the voices of home.
“How do you destroy a people? You take away their culture. And how is that done? You must
parents or grandparents to speak Chinese dialects
take their language, their history, their very identity.”
― Jennifer A. Nielsen, an American writer
Photo by Ch'ng Tze Ray
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