STS Cantonese: Saving our Cantonese Heritage

Written by: Tham Song Wei (26S7B)

Edited by: Ooi Khe Sheen (26S6F)

On 24 June 2026, Hwa Chong Interact club kicked off its Speak To Serve (STS) Cantonese initiative. The Cantonese dialect was brought to Singapore by immigrants from China’s Guangdong province, who made up a significant percentage of early settlers in Singapore. As a result, Singapore possesses a wealth of invaluable Cantonese cultural heritage. However, as youths gradually transition from dialects to Mandarin, this heritage has been eroded. Many youths can no longer communicate in Cantonese with their grandparents, forming an intergenerational rift. Thus, through STS Cantonese, organisers hope to preserve Singapore's Cantonese heritage and culture, along with fostering stronger intergenerational bonds by reviving the dialect among youths.

The programme consisted of a series of curated activities involving a group of 50 Hwa Chong students and seniors from Goodlife! Tampines and Moral Active Ageing Centre @ Kaki Bukit. Throughout the course of the event, student participants with differing Cantonese proficiencies were given the opportunity to improve their dialect skills through speaking and interacting with senior beneficiaries. At the start of the event, students first gave a self introduction in Cantonese to the seniors to break the ice. Although they made a few minor mistakes in their introductions, the seniors were very understanding, providing advice and encouragement while cheering them on. This heartwarming opening was followed by various bonding activities such as a mini dance workout where seniors and students paired up to dance, and instructional lessons in the Cantonese dialect. By talking and interacting with seniors, students had the chance to have deeper conversations in the dialect, strengthening their connection to Cantonese heritage and culture. 

Students learning Cantonese with seniors. Interact Club

Many participants found interacting with seniors to be an enriching experience. Johan Tan (26S62), Organising-in-Charge of STS Cantonese, believes that the event was “a good stepping stone towards encouraging youths to speak in dialect due to real, friendly and deep interaction with seniors in dialect.” Teo Hui En (26S60) echoes this sentiment, and also believes that STS Cantonese has changed the way she communicates in everyday life. “This programme has influenced me to speak in Cantonese more frequently with my peers, and because of this programme, I had more opportunities to practice speaking the dialect which has helped tremendously in building my confidence.” 

Looking ahead, STS Cantonese’s GPS (Grow, Play, Serve) event will be happening from 5 to 6 October, with a 2 day programme involving activities such as a School Tour, Tea Appreciation, Bingo, Mahjong, and an Appreciation Letter Session, a promising venture to revitalise Cantonese culture in Singapore.