Eurasian Roots

JULIA D'SILVA USED to get upset whenever people asked her what an Eurasian was, and if she was Singaporean. These days, she sees it as an opportunity to explain her ethnicity, but laments that many young Singaporeans are even less familiar with Eurasians than before.

The retired civil servant, who is also the chairperson of the heritage and culture sub-committee at the Eurasian Association, wants people to visit the soon-to-reopen Eurasian Heritage Gallery to get an insight into this ethnic group, which today numbers about 15,000 or about 0.4 per cent of the population.

While small in number, Eurasians - who have both European and Asian ancestries - have a long history in Singapore. The paternal European lineage was primarily Portuguese, Dutch and British, while the maternal Asian connection was largely native Malay, Indian and Chinese. Eurasian surnames, such as Van der Beek and Wilkes, are the first indication of their roots.