Lesson from Getai

Its the lunar seventh month of the Chinese calendar. In the first time of my life, I stop by to see what is a Getai is about. It’s a big event once a year where show host, comedians, magicians, opera performers and singers all come together to perform. The sounds sung are mainly local dialects and the jokes and conversation performers and host exchanges on stage occasional have the audience in fits of laughter.



The age and size of audience varies from district, from a small car park to a open field size with children accompany by parents to old folks seating together with their neighbors. What got me surprise was that I never thought of coming for one until recently with the launch of local produced movie 881 by Royston Tan. It’s a movie tribute to Chen Jin Lang, a Singapore Getai songwriting legend who past away in august 06.

What got me impress was that the setting up such a concert is old school event management. There no fancy company running the show. It’s all done by the local neighborhood community.
(normally the wet/dry market group) through their context, they hired a band, set up the stage and event space to even providing free flow buffet! Not the mention the Getai singer that basically run from 1 stage to another. (I seriously think event company are evolved from such operations)

It got me wondering is that, with the skills and voice the Getai singer have, why ain’t they famous and big. I have yet to watch 881. I believe the movie will allow me a better inside to understand. Its a pity that I din master my dialect well and is only able to under a word or a 
sentence when they speak. 

Its amaze me on the fact that people come together once a year to organize such a event and there little hip-ups. Though there’s lack of nice cushion chairs, high quality speakers or smartly dress waitress, I truly believe all the audience present enjoy themselves.

For me, it’s an opportunity to get in touch with my roots,  dialect language and joke cracks by older generation are no longer visible as we aged and disengaged in some cases. 

Songs sung are often full of means and thought provoking. I like to salute the Getai Singers for keeping the old cultive alive and fun. It’s something that very Singapore in term of religion and culture. I look forward to my open concert next year.