Grace's Reflection

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

a. How has your experience of the trail changed your perception of Singapore history and her cultural heritage?

In all honesty, I really didn’t know much about the sites we were supposed to visit. Before our little excursion, I looked through the list and realized that I had only visited 3 out of the 17 sites started in the Civic District Trail. In fact, I asked my Dad where certain locations were, he shrugged and referred me to Google Maps. (Yes, we are a full Singaporean family who was born and bred in Singapore since birth.) Embarking and completing the trail, therefore, was an especially eye-opening experience for me.

The sites (except for the Dalhousie Obelisk, perhaps) captured Singapore’s valuable historical structures and highlighted the key figures of Singapore’s history.

I found the Civilian War Memorial, or more fondly known as the chopsticks, particularly impressive. Just the stance of the tall white washed pillars extending up to the sky and the moat around it, casts such a majestic yet serene mood. It simply forces you to take a minute and think about the civilian lives lost during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore. It definitely serves as a very good reminder to all Singaporeans of the trials and sacrifices made by our forefathers during that period of our history.

b. How far is conservation and commercial reuse of historical sites in Singapore successful in preserving our historical heritage?

I do applaud the government's efforts in maintaining the external facades of the various historical sites. The fact that the Singapore government actually has a division called the Singapore Heritage board that is put in-charge to “tell the Singapore story” and the fact that most of the sites we visit were well preserved expresses the conservation efforts of the Singapore government. 

The governments refurnishing and converting of many "historical buidings" like the the Empress Place Building, for example,  to the Asian Civilization Museum, is an adaptive (commercial) reuse of the place. 

Many of the sites do reinforce this sense of “Singaporean-ness”, a sense of common identity belonging to Singapore, and to put Singapore forth as a civic and cultural hub. Definitely, the places which make to the list of "historical sites" to a certain extent reflect the history of Singapore to foreigners and locals alike. 

But I feel like there is a certain disconnect. The significance of many of the sites are difficult for me as a local to relate to and, personally, I think it is just a marketing spiel in hope to project Singapore as interesting and different.  

Personally, I feel that one of the key functions of preserving heritage is instilling a sense of emotional rootedness and belonging to the country. It is not just about declaring the places a national monument because it supports a political agenda, repaint the building, and expect people to magically see that, "Oh this is our home, I am a Singaporean, I want to fight and die for this country..." It just does not work that way. 

Neither is it about refurnishing the place and have some economic function map out for it. In fact, I feel that the successful commercial/adaptive reuse of the place has detracted from the true spirit of the place and distanced Singaporeans from it. For example, the historic district of Chinatown. Although it was, and still is, supposed to the be place where the local Chinese "connects to their roots/ethnicity", it has just morphed into a commercial tourist trap. It no longer caters to the need of the local population, but instead to the tourists, and to a certain extent the mainland Chinese migrant workers. 

In summary, I feel that despite conservation efforts and relatively successful commercial re-use of old historical sites, a I think more effort has to be done to preserve Singapore's historical heritage, connect the general public to their roots, and instil a sense of belonging to Singapore.