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Little Drops: Cherished Children of Singapore’s Past
‘Little Drops is a timely story that is finally being told.’ - Braema Mathi, researcher, writer, and social activist from Singapore
Stories of hope, love, and compassion from a bygone era of Singapore’s history
Little Cherished Children of Singapore’s Past is a compilation of biographies based on historical fact. These never-before-told stories chronicle how fifteen adoptees born from the 1930s to the early 1970s in Singapore found a forever home when their own biological parents could not raise them. These stories recount the plight of families of that era, the strength of friendships and informal social networks, Singapore’s migrant heritage, how lives were thrown into turmoil during the Japanese Occupation, and the struggles individuals had borne during that period.
Unfolding in these stories are the recurrent subthemes of poverty, superstition, how girl children were valued amongst the Chinese, and the magnanimous spirit of families taking in these children. What is most striking and odd about many of these children is that they were sometimes not legally given away. And yet these children would almost always end up in safe, loving, and caring homes of another culture. But rather than struggle between two cultural worlds, these adoptees have almost always had a firm sense of longing and belonging to their families of adoption instead of their families of origin.
Stories of hope, love, and compassion from a bygone era of Singapore’s history
Little Cherished Children of Singapore’s Past is a compilation of biographies based on historical fact. These never-before-told stories chronicle how fifteen adoptees born from the 1930s to the early 1970s in Singapore found a forever home when their own biological parents could not raise them. These stories recount the plight of families of that era, the strength of friendships and informal social networks, Singapore’s migrant heritage, how lives were thrown into turmoil during the Japanese Occupation, and the struggles individuals had borne during that period.
Unfolding in these stories are the recurrent subthemes of poverty, superstition, how girl children were valued amongst the Chinese, and the magnanimous spirit of families taking in these children. What is most striking and odd about many of these children is that they were sometimes not legally given away. And yet these children would almost always end up in safe, loving, and caring homes of another culture. But rather than struggle between two cultural worlds, these adoptees have almost always had a firm sense of longing and belonging to their families of adoption instead of their families of origin.
215 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 12, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 24, 2024
This is a compilation of somewhat mostly guarded but highly empathetic biographies, crafted by an academic with two decades of immersion in the subject for a lay audience. The phenomenon of inter-ethnic transference was a part of Singapore society from the 1920s in colonial Singapore.
The children involved were mostly girls, usually from poorer families, sometimes complicated by other circumstances leading to giving up a child usually through some informal connection. With the 20 biographies, you are exposed to a range of social issues and practises.
Within a half decade of independence, state law and regulations required legal adoptions and this was kept to within ethnic groups. Singapore changes rapidly so this is an attempt to record a layer of the complex background of a country of immigrants as the crossroads of two oceans.
It was generous of the individuals to share some aspects of their background and Theresa’s experience and empathy must have made them feel comfortable enough to do so.
A print book from Epigram.
The children involved were mostly girls, usually from poorer families, sometimes complicated by other circumstances leading to giving up a child usually through some informal connection. With the 20 biographies, you are exposed to a range of social issues and practises.
Within a half decade of independence, state law and regulations required legal adoptions and this was kept to within ethnic groups. Singapore changes rapidly so this is an attempt to record a layer of the complex background of a country of immigrants as the crossroads of two oceans.
It was generous of the individuals to share some aspects of their background and Theresa’s experience and empathy must have made them feel comfortable enough to do so.
A print book from Epigram.
May 3, 2025
Really glad that this book is published. It records a phenomenon that will never ever happen again in our history. It records the lives of multi racial adoptions in a past era. Adoptions are a hard topic to write about as it is a difficult topic to talk about. The author did a very good job of fleshing out the topic and giving a voice to all these adoptees. Enjoyed reading thisLovely little book on the lives of these people.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews