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Singapore Tourist Guides — Culture  Singapore is a melting pot of four distinct cultures - Chinese, Malay, Indian and European. Although the Singaporean government has actively promoted a distinct Singaporean identity, and most residents think of themselves as Singaporean, rather than Chinese or Malay or Indian, the rich heritage of various cultural influences still remains evident in all facets of life. Although at first glance, Singapore's cityscape presents an urban uniformity, the traces of the racially segregated areas designated by Sir Stamford Raffles - Chinatown, Arab Street and Little India are still distinguishable by the cultural characteristic of their races. Singapore's colonial heritage is also evident in the architecture in many areas of the city. English is the common language that binds the various ethic groups together - while Mandarin, Malay and Tamil are also national languages. All children are taught English, and have to also master their mother tongue in schools. The main religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Hinduism and Christianity. The major festivals of each ethnic group are celebrated in its own traditional manner. Singapore can be termed as the food capital of the East - the city abounds swanky specialty restaurants, each mall has eating places, roadside stalls, and food courts dot every corner. Although Chinese, Malay, Indian and Indonesian cuisines dominate, international flavors like Italian, Turkish, Spanish, Japanese and French are available. Nonya cooking is a local blend of Chinese and Malay food. Indian cuisine is distinguished by its spicy flavor, while Chinese cooking is subtler and employs a lot of seafood. Malay cooking is distinguished by a usage of coconut milk. Chinese opera, a form of art made popular during the era of the Ming dynasty, is highly stylized and dramatic, and enjoyed by the older Singaporeans. Singapore's multifarious culture is best seen during its festivals, when street performances are at their peak. The Lion Dances during the Chinese New Year, the Indian dances during Deepavali are amongst the most popular. The mainstay of Singaporean culture, is of course shopping. Singapore abounds in malls and shopping plazas displaying the latest international brands of fashion, shoes, jewelry, household and electronic consumer items, watches, optical goods, cosmetics, sports wear, music CDs, tapes and records.
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