Henry Ng Hong Kiang

Hong Nam World Handicraft Trading

Mask maker

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Flamboyant lions

Henry previously had a job in the aerospace industry
He is a Lion Dance Troupe manager
He is a self-taught craftsman, driven by his passion

Henry Ng Hong Kiang was born and raised in Singapore with a strong influence from Chinese culture. In particular, he is passionate about the traditional Lion Dance, so much so that he started making costumes for it as a hobby and gradually became engaged in the community. He has taken great pride in teaching himself the necessary skills without requiring any help from others: he is his own master. The Lion Dance is a traditional Chinese celebratory dance featuring a lion head and cape costume, usually performed during festive or auspicious occasions and believed to bring good fortune and wealth. Henry Ng is thought to be the only remaining full time lion dance costume craftsman in Singapore, having improvised his skills over more than 20 years in the trade.

Interview

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

Nicky Loh ©Michelangelo Foundation

How would you define what you do?: The lion head artists have different techniques that can be deployed to affects the appearance, expressions and movements of the lion head. A very important point I need to consider is that the comfort of the dancers when they carry the lion head to dance is carefully scrutinised .
What are your special skills?: My specialisation is to make the most light weight lion heads for the lion dancers to wear easily. I also make tailor made pieces to suit a customer’s preference: traditional colours represent the different fighters’ personality and stories in old Chinese history.
When and how did you actually start?: After leaving secondary school, I joined a Lion Dance Troupe. I did two years of national service and several years of full-time work in the aerospace industry, before I decided to set up my own Lion Dance Troupe. During that period, I got married, had my first child and I opened my own Lion Dance costume business.
Could your craft be considered in danger?: Yes. Not only the craft but the occupation. The art and its related techniques may go extinct. The competition of imported goods is fierce, mostly from China where much cheaper pieces can be bought, but they are not made in the traditional way.

Henry Ng Hong Kiang is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1995