“Teng bong,” Kevin says as he stepped into the set, greeting everyone with a smile. It is a greeting in the dying language of Kristang, which Kevin is actively revitalising and preserving in his mission with the initiative Kodrah Kristang (Awaken Kristang). His warmth and energy brings a certain joy to the room, amidst his bright flowery ensemble that is truly representative of his being.
“I’m wearing frangipani,” he explains, pointing to the pin in his hair. “It is a symbol of rebirth, and to me it means overcoming all of my challenges and still emerging stronger. Flowers have always been an important icon for me. It means threading the line between masculinity and femininity, something I have experienced since my youth.”
Under his leadership, Kodrah Kristang has made significant strides in its ambitious 30-year revitalisation initiative for the language in Singapore. They’ve crafted a structured Kristang curriculum, delivered through a 160-hour series of modules at venues like Cairnhill Community Club, and spearheaded Singapore’s inaugural Kristang Language Festival in 2017. In 2018, they created an English-Kristang board game and an online dictionary.
Through these efforts, Kevin has become a symbol to the Kristang community. Kristang itself is an ethnic group of Portuguese-Eurasian community, and as of now, is severey underrepresented in Singapoean culture. “Kristang is an endangered language in Singapore,” he says, “There are no official statistics on Kristang speakers. Most Singaporeans are barely aware Kristang even exists.” The Kabesa (or leader) of the Kristang in Singapore may not verbally express it, but one look will tell you how that fact troubles him. It is why he had started Kodrah Kristang with his community: to bring awareness to the Kristang, and to revive a dying subculture to its full glory.
It’s central to some of his work. It can be seen in the soulful dedication page of his debut novel Altered Straits, which was written in Kristang and then translated to English:
Pra yo sa kung strela
Dah mus bai buskah ngua bista di mar
For my voice and my star
Let us seek a glimpse of the sea
Speaking of Altered Straits – even though it was written almost a decade ago, it remains one of the most powerful science-fiction literary works from Singapore. NUS Professor of English and author of Heaven Has Eyes Philip Holden wrote of it, “A powerful monster of a novel. Intertwining myth and history, gender and sexuality, human and animal, Altered Straits adds its own unique voice to the growing tradition of speculative fiction in Singaporean writing.”
Voice – that’s why Kevin Martens Wong is on this list. It’s what he chooses to do with the unique voice he has. He has created platforms for social change, and remained steadfast in his identity and beliefs, even when the odds are stacked against him.
So in this, we celebrate Kevin’s voice, and also implore him to write a new novel. Lord knows we need one.
