Kumbaya, Chap Goh Meh...

I've loved the song Kumbaya ever since I heard the Seekers' cover version. Here's Judith Durham's wonderful voice backed by the other Seekers, in this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo9AH4vG2wA&hl=en-GB&gl=SG

Kumbaya has since become a popular Christian hymn, and it was sung by the choir in my church this morning (8am service).

Interestingly, an online search showed not only some dispute about its origin but also its recent usage as a politicised word -- used by US President Obama's critics to disparage his policies, and by him to defend them!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/20/us/20religion.html?_r=0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumbaya

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I also found the lyrics of last week's offertory very meaningful:

There is also this lovely poem by Oliver Seet, in the Methodist Message:

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Today is "Chap Goh Meh", the 15th day of -- and the last day to celebrate -- Chinese New Year. Family members partook of one more "Lo Hei" (tossing for success and luck) at a dinner. This YouTube video shows what's involved:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp8A1FfBtMo

And this restaurant's ad helps explain how the tradition of Lo Hei (also called "Yu Sheng") emerged in Singapore:

Finally, BMW squeezed in this ad today for this Chinese New Year, with a stylistic "Fu" (Hock) worked in:

The car featured is, appropriately, in auspicious red. But I think the word "passion" is inappropriate here. I'll blog about how this word has often been carelessly bandied about on another occasion.