Reflections:
a. What was your impression of Singapore history and cultural heritage before
going on the trail?
When I first set out on this trail and did my research on it, I honestly felt that this was going to be an utter waste of time with my perceived lack of culture and tradition within such a young nation like Singapore. My initial thoughts were that these trials were all set up merely to put up a facade to the locals on our heritage so as to falsely inculcate a sense of national identity within the many races based on a heritage that we never had.
b. How has your experience of the trail changed your perception of Singapore history and her cultural heritage?
However , I was gravely wrong , the trail had turned up so much traditions and culture blending within Singapore that I never knew we had. The main idea of the trail wasn't as I had initially thought to inculcate a national identity but more so to educate people of the history of this young nation and in doing so hope that they can see value in the uniqueness of this nation. Singapore maybe a young nation of 52 years on paper but its history goes back ages before and the one common theme among most of its history the blending of cultures in many of its traditions from building to even traditions. This unique blend has now formed what we call "uniquely Singapore".
c. Share some insights (if any) about Singapore’s past and the way it is represented (symbolically and physically) that you have gained from the trail.
One way in which this term "uniquely Singapore" really struck me was the Sim Kwong Ho shophouses. I was initially amused at how such a simple looking shophouse could become an heritage site with its plain concrete walls hiding small businesses that barely attracted me to enter any of them . However, as I looked deeper into the history of the building and the inspiration behind the motifs on the wall , it really blew me away as to the intricacy of the designs and the fusion of cultures to form such a building that would be passed off as any other if one does not pay attention to the details. The presence of the British Sikh soldiers on the pillars accompanied by motifs of Asian mythical animals like dragons and phoenix portray a perfect blend of East and West cultures that would be peculiar in any other country but yet seem to be so normal in Singapore. What makes this blend even more unique was its Chinese owners who hired western architects to design such a lay out of the building. This blend not only showcase Singapore unique blend but the willingness of the locals to not see each other as one divided by any racial lines but as one Singaporean united by harmony and by a culture unique to ours.
Esther:
a. What was your impression of Singapore history and cultural heritage before
going on the trail?
Before going on this trail, I expected little from the History and cultural heritage of Singapore given the young nation that we are. Furthermore, I had been to balestier quite a few times in my lifetime before so I wondered whether I could really discover anything new about Singapore's History from this trail. I also had the impression that our culture and heritage was mainly centred around the four races (Chinese, Malay, Indians and Eurasians) especially when this sort of narration was embedded in our history textbooks to educate us on the importance of racial harmony. So when we got Balestier as our heritage trail, I was quite curious what kind/type of History would I find in Balestier?
b. How has your experience of the trail changed your perception of Singapore history and her cultural heritage?
By putting on the lens of a Historian, I really learnt from this trail to not look at places in Singapore as it is. For example, If I had visited Balestier for a leisure agenda, I would have missed the scripture carvings on the Art Deco shophouses which reflected the colonial era of Singapore. (The designs of the building was imported by the British during the colonial era). I think for me, this trail made me realise that actually Singapore has her own rich History despite being a young nation of 52 years. History and heritage in Singapore also encompasses not only that of the 4 races, but so much more on how Singapore was an immigrant state since the early beginnings, how there are also other immigrants from countries like Myanmar who settled in Singapore as opposed to the popular belief of the Chinese and the Indians. This trail was really an eye opener to the History of Singapore through the lens of a Historian.
c. Share some insights (if any) about Singapore’s past and the way it is represented (symbolically and physically) that you have gained from the trail.
Something that stood out was how bits and pieces of the History of Singapore was actually presented in the physical form such as buildings and even walkways. I think the National Heritage Board should be applauded for the efforts in creating heritage trails around places in Singapore with rich heritage as it really brought convenience to the discovering of Singapore's History. Initially, I was saddened that even the education of our heritage had to call for the intervention of the state through such trails. (I thought it was better if such education was passed down by family members) However I soon realised the importance of such efforts as the sign boards and brief information of the places we see along the trail really spark a curiosity in me to want to discover the History more on myself.
Jie Ling:
a. What was your impression of Singapore's history and cultural heritage before going on this trail?
I suppose I saw Singapore as a country only just 52 years old, and through my narrow perception, I had thought of Singapore as a young country void of any particularly rich history. I also thought that Singapore's cultural heritage has been long forgotten by Singaporeans in today's fast-paced society.
b. How has your experience of the trail changed your perception of Singapore's history and her cultural heritage?
The trail was enlightening in the sense that it gave me newer and deeper insights into Singapore's history and cultural heritage. Through a simple trail in one of Singapore's neighbourhoods, I began to realise that many of these things around us do have their own history and their own story to tell - it is whether or not those stories are told and known to many that affects how others perceive them. It also made me realise how Singapore is culturally rich and diverse, but perhaps I had failed to see as such in the past for I was too narrow-sighted. In a sense, it made me understand how our surroundings are embedded with these hidden historical and cultural elements, and it will perhaps take some effort and time to slowly uncover them.
c. Share some insights (if any) about Singapore's past and the way it is represented (symbolically and physically) from the trail.
Many have often hailed Singapore to be the 'Miracle Story', 'the place where the East meets the West' or even 'a melting pot of cultures, races, and religions.' While the insights I have gleaned from this trail do not necessarily mean that I agree with the above statements, it does allow me to better understand some of the reasons as to why people have thought of Singapore as such. The Water Kiosk at Boon Teck Road is a symbolic and physical reminder of how our ancestors have lived in the past, when clean drinking water was scarce, and free water kiosks were even more so. It makes me wonder and think about how much Singapore has developed, and how much of this development we owe to our forefathers. We are certainly of a generation which has had lots of things handed to us on a plate, and most of us are unaware of the hard work and effort that went on in the past for us to enjoy what we have now.
Meanwhile, the architecture and designs of the Sim Kwong Ho Shophouses, and the existence of the Burmese Buddhist Temple, Goh Chor Tua Peh Kong Temple, Novena Church and Masjid Hajjah Rahimabi Kebun Limau all in the same area invoked in me a startling reminder of how Singapore is home to a diverse mix of cultures, races, and religions, and how all that is often hidden in our daily lives. Just like how we have hawker centres that cater to the different races and religions, we also have television channels and broadcasts on MRT trains in the different languages. We have come to accept these things as they are, but sometimes failed to see how it is a unique identity marker of Singapore as well. And amidst a volatile and hostile environment where terrorist attacks and extremist actions have become increasingly rampant, it is this unique sense of Singaporean identity and social fabric that Singaporeans are trying to hold together.
Don:
Don:
What was your impression of Singapore's History and cultural heritage before going on this trail?
Having grown up in the Singapore education system, my knowledge of Singapore’s history and culture is largely what is conveyed in the textbooks. The knowledge was largely focused on the national narrative that the education system put forth. As a result, I went into this trail with very little knowledge of about the landmarks that we were about to visit as this aspect of history was almost completely omitted from the content that I have studied.
How has your experience of the trail changed your perception of Singapore's history and her cultural heritage?
Singapore has an immensely rich heritage that must be further developed. Although we are a young country of only 52 years, our heritage stretches far beyond that. Places along the trail had influence of Chinese nationalism in the early 20th century and even colonial influences from the 19th century. In fact, influences of events that stretch before our independence can still be seen today. I have learnt that Singapore has a much richer history that our education system seems to portray. More often than not, such historical elements are more focused on the commoners rather than large visible entities such as Singapore politics and therefore was possibly omitted as they were seen as less important. However, I feel that such culture is immensely important as it brings us closer to our roots. I personally wished that I had known some of the information I learnt on this trip earlier as I felt that this helped me relate better to my forefathers and as a citizen of Singapore.
Share some insights (if any) about Singapore's past and the way it is represented (symbolically and physically) from the trail
What struck me the most during the trip was the different in terms of the state of preservation of various historical monuments. The most obvious difference was between the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and the Former Shaw’s Malay Film Studios. Both places had an immense influence in the history of Singapore in the areas of politics and culture respectively. However, the state of preservation of both places were starkly different. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall obviously had a large amount of funding, with artefacts preserved in glass containers and projectors screening visual media on the walls of the place to facilitate learning the content that the place wishes to bring across. In contrast, the Former Shaw’s Malay Film Studios was very obviously a forgotten place that has fallen into neglect, with its artefacts exposed to the elements which slowly erodes them. This brings up the question on how does the government selects what they wish to preserve. As a result, there are some aspects of our culture that have been intentionally left to be eroded, leaving the important aspects of Singapore as dictated by the government.
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