were you born and do you live in the Chinatown area?

I don’t live in or was born in Chinatown, but it was a coincidence that when I was a toddler, my mother would always take me to visit my grandmother every week. Whenever I stayed there for a few days, she would always take me to Chinatown every morning to explore and discover things that I had never seen or learned before.

what sparked your interest in heritage and culture?

My grandmother and my grandfather had friends and relatives who were part of cultural and heritage-related associations, so I was curious and eager to learn about it.

how did you become involved with the Kong Chow Wui Koon clan, and what do you enjoy about lion dancing?

My grandmother told me that her friend used to be in the unicycle troupe, and he would always perform during the Chingay parade back in the day. She also said that her friend performed lion dance there. One day, I went to explore what was inside the association, and that’s when I met my wushu instructor Lynn. She was very kind and friendly to me, and I told her that I wanted to join the association.

What I enjoy about lion dancing are the friends I made there, the food I ate, and the advice my instructor always gives me. Sometimes I meet them outside for lunch or adventures

did you begin training in martial arts after learning about the clan or before?

Yes, I learned the basics before I get to use the lion head for training.

where do you practise martial arts, and how did you meet your instructor?

⁠At the Clan Association, on the rooftop. When I was praying to the deities at level 4, an old man came to the premises to train wushu and lion dance as well and that man was none other than my lion dance instructor.

what about the intangible culture that you experience in the course of your activities – lion dancing and martial arts – you would like to share with people who are not familiar with Chinatown.

⁠I would say that Chinatown is worth visiting because there are many hidden things that no one has ever seen before. It is more of a traditional historic area since much of its culture and tradition are still alive there.

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