Why do most Eurasians in S'pore and Malaysia claim to be Portuguese or Dutch?

[True Believer]

The descendants of the Portuguese and Dutch colonists have lived in Southeast Asia for 300 to 500 years, and continually married the local population i.e. Malay, Indian or Chinese. A family that has been intermarrying within S'pore and Malaysia for 5 centuries will naturally have the same physical appearance with the people there. Is the passing down of European surnames like De Souza, Da Silva, Fernandez, Pereira, Gomes, Van Huizen, Westerhout, De Witt or Neubronner cause present day Eurasians to claim to be Portuguese or Dutch?

 

[addyt1919]

To me is like this Indians who convert to Muslim have Muslim name, Indians who convert to catholic have Portuguese names and those who convert to Christianity have Dutch names. Because India is a caste system so they have to say they descent from whatever so to make them more of a higher caste in India, basically they are just pure indians

 

[True Believer]

To me is like this Indians who convert to Muslim have Muslim name, Indians who convert to catholic have Portuguese names and those who convert to Christianity have Dutch names. Because India is a caste system so they have to say they descent from whatever so to make them more of a higher caste in India, basically they are just pure indians

During the British colonial era in India, many Indian Christians adopted Western surnames after conversion or marriage to a British man, claimed English as their mother tongue and lived Western lifestyles in terms of clothing and cuisine. As such, many families look entirely Indian, but identify as Anglo-Indian or Eurasian. During Colonial rule, Indians of mixed Indian and European descent often considered themselves superior to pure Indians, but below the British Colonists. Such attitudes persist until today.

 

[True Believer]

To me is like this Indians who convert to Muslim have Muslim name, Indians who convert to catholic have Portuguese names and those who convert to Christianity have Dutch names. Because India is a caste system so they have to say they descent from whatever so to make them more of a higher caste in India, basically they are just pure indians

In 1849, the Spanish colonial govt assigned Spanish surnames to all Filipinos for taxation and admin purposes. Therefore, a family name like Fernandez or Martinez indicates historical imposition rather than any Spanish heritage. More than 90% of Filipinos ended up with Spanish surnames, leading many of them to claim that they are descendants of Europeans, even though they were simply assigned by the colonial administrators. In fact, many present day Filipinos identify themselves as having Spanish blood even though only around 3% do have a European ancestor.

 

[KingFook Sr]

The descendants of the Portuguese and Dutch colonists have lived in Southeast Asia for 300 to 500 years, and continually married the local population i.e. Malay, Indian or Chinese. A family that has been intermarrying within S'pore and Malaysia for 5 centuries will naturally have the same physical appearance with the people there. Is the passing down of European surnames like De Souza, Da Silva, Fernandez, Pereira, Gomes, Van Huizen, Westerhout, De Witt or Neubronner cause present day Eurasians to claim to be Portuguese or Dutch?

Many has migrated to be Australians.

 

[True Believer]

Many has migrated to be Australians.

I heard that Eurasians migrated to Australia in the hope of securing a future for the next generation after the British withdrew from S'pore and Malaysia. These Eurasians who believed they were more European than Asian, wanted an English medium educational system for their children and a familiar Western environment similar to the British system they were used to in South East Asia.

 

[A Singaporean]

Just like coolie gene Sinkies with Angmoh names and think they are angmohs but speak Singlish.

 

[k1976]

To me is like this Indians who convert to Muslim have Muslim name, Indians who convert to catholic have Portuguese names and those who convert to Christianity have Dutch names. Because India is a caste system so they have to say they descent from whatever so to make them more of a higher caste in India, basically they are just pure indians

Cik Syed?

 

[syed putra]

Cik Syed?

What? I got nothing to do with Indians.

 

[syed putra]

Dutch were in Indonesia for a very long time. And they sailed all the way to Japan.
the Portuguese were in Malacca for 150 years. The Dutch came next and colonised not just Malacca, but entire indonesia. So we are looking at 300 years of Dutch rule in South East Asia. A very long time.