Eid Mubarak, Selamat Hari Raya Celebration at White Lodge

Eid Mubarak, Selamat Hari Raya Celebration at White Lodge,
Wednesday, 15 July 2015.
Here at White Lodge many festivals are introduced and celebrated to create awareness of the
variety of cultures that represent Singapore. Inspired by our core value to “celebrate differences”,
this is the best time to come together for one of the most joyous Muslim occasions, Eid-ul-Fitr
or Selamat Aidilfitri or Selamat Hari Raya as it is known in South East Asia.
Marking the conclusion of the fasting month of Ramadan is Eid al-Fitr. This is related to the
communal aspects of the fast, which depicts many of the basic values of the Muslim community,
for example charity, empathy for the poor, steadfastness, patience, worship, etc. At the end of
Ramadan, is the big celebration of Eid.
At our schools, the children came dressed in their bright coloured traditional Malay costumes
and the teachers did a mini Hari Raya skit to show a typical Malay family preparing themselves
for the celebration in the early morning after prayers, seeking forgiveness from the elders.
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Just like the rest of the day is spent gathering with friends and relatives savouring ‘kuih’ or
cookies, the children had a chance to make their own ‘kuih’ and they were shown how ketupats
were weaved from coconut leaves. These ketupats are then filled up with rice and boiled for a
few hours to eat with curries or rendang, the delicious savoury food served during this joyous
occasion. While the elders focus on traditions and other festivities, the children join in playing
traditional games like the gasing, the spinning top, five stones and congkak.
At the end of the celebration, the children watched the teachers perform a joget, a traditional
Malay dance. They learned the graceful movements of the traditional Joget Melayu.
At the end of the day the children learned so much through all the fun activities in school.
To all our Muslim families and friends, Eid Mubarak !
Written by,
Emilia Supian
Principal
White lodge Upper East Coast Pte Ltd.
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