Jon's Reflections

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Reflections :

a) Initially, when I heard about the heritage trail I was in dismay. Singapore to me, at that point of time, was just a small country without much culture and even less heritage.  To spend one full afternoon going to “random” sites of Singapore supposed history was unbearable to me.  This was because I felt that Singapore History had little to do with me. The heritage trail changed my thinking completely, allowing me to better appreciate our forefathers who helped Singapore become what it is today, in the process teaching me that Singapore history is highly relevant to me.

Tan Kim Seng fountain was particularly instrumental to me in changing my perspective on Singapore history and culture heritage. The fountain was built was to celebrate the man’s contribution in constructing Singapore’s first public water works.  This made me come to the conclusion  that I have taken the many amenities that Singapore has for granted, not realizing how much effort was put in to build them. This made me understand that  we - as individuals- cannot separate ourselves from the history of Singapore as our comfortable life now is an accumulation of the contributions of people such as Tan Kim Seng.

All in all, the heritage trail has opened up my eyes to the relevance of Singapore History in my life. More importantly as a teacher to be, it made me realize that I need to prevent my future students from falling into the same trap I did. This is in particularly so in this age of globalisation where many will take things for granted.

b) Throughout the trail, I realized that the Singapore government has set out to preserve many of these important sites. Renovating the buildings as well as giving them landmark status are ways they did this. With these efforts, the  government  has indeed accomplish physically preserving our heritage .

However, it also made me ponder if physical preservation is really enough to keep our heritage intact.  While the government has indeed done it's part in the physical preservation aspect, Singaporeans have little regard towards these sites, having little or no emotional ties to these places.  With many of these sites also being tourist attractions, it makes me wonder if the preservation was really to highlight our unique heritage or just another way to keep the nation economically competitive, by making us much more than just another modern city.

More importantly ,many Singaporeans are ignorant of the cultural significance of these buildings  to our history. This is best illustrated in the vandalism case a few years back on the Cenotaph.  This complete disrespect to the site made me realize that physical preservation is indeed not enough and future generations need to be able to draw an emotional connection to ensure our heritage does not go extinct.

I feel that we as future history teachers are in the best position to do this as we will be educating many future generations. If we are not careful, these areas could become nothing more than hollowed out areas , which are little more than tourist attraction .. 

Grace's Reflection

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.

Cedric's Reflections

I was actually quite looking forward to embarking on this particular Heritage Trail as it was probably one area of Singapore that although I think many people frequent, not many realize that these monuments and memorials existed.

I shamefully have to admit that I myself am one of the few who did not know that some of the monuments were actually right in the middle of what we considered 'town'. An example would be how I had never known that the Esplanade Park was actually just behind the Esplanade Theatres On The Bay despite having gone there on a number of occasions. It was this realization that made me see just how little we might actually know of all these monuments and their significance.

Walking through the Heritage Trail made me notice how rich Singapore's history is in many ways and how lacking our knowledge is of the past. Prior to experiencing the trail for myself, I knew about the places such as the Old Supreme Court or the Civilian War Memorial but never really bothered to learn about its history. Yet there were places such as the Tan Kim Seng Fountain and the Dalhousie Obelisk that I had no idea existed in the first place! This has made me realize that even though the country has done well to commemorate these important people and events that are significant to in our history, not enough is being done to ensure that people understand its significance. Despite the knowledge that I have gained in school about our country's history, I now know that it is not enough to simply talk about them in class but rather, should take more vested interest in spreading the understanding of these memorials and monuments that provide a deeper insight into our past.

The efforts for the preservation of Singapore's historical sites are to be commended and the National Heritage Board (NHB) has done an amazing job of conservation many of the monuments. The modernization of the country has meant that some of these historical sites have had to undergo a makeover in recent years. The Arts House was a prime example, to me, of how a historical site can be commercialized and yet retain some parts of it, such as the Elephant Statue, that harks back to its historical roots.
However, I feel that some of the commercial reuse of historical sites, such as the Old Supreme Court, has caused it to lose meaning as it appears to be in the midst of becoming an art museum.

I feel that visiting the sites still invoke memories of our country's past and remains vital pieces of reminding people of the history of the nation. With that said, the effort of the government and the NHB cannot be the only thing done in preserving these monuments but rather, the onus also lies on us as citizens to remember and understand our history.

Cheryl's reflection

Throughout the heritage trail, I realised that all the stops are very significant to the Singapore's history and in my opinion, especially the political aspects of Singapore's growing up years. All of the monuments and buildings were present to witness many major milestones of Singapore's transformation. More than that, they are what Singapore and the pioneer batch remember the past with. Their importance lies in the memories that they are storing. Personally, it was a great experience despite the sun and all the walking because it forces me to think about how much Singapore had gone through over the years, from being a colonial country to the Japanese occupation and finally gaining independence.

I am thankful for the National Heritage Board for their efforts for preserving Singapore’s heritage. It allows interested parties the opportunities to imagine themselves of how life was in the past. I think the problems lies here, although these trails are readily available, does many people come on board this trail? To the older generation who they themselves had witness or know the stories, this trail serves as a reminder of what had happened. To the younger ones who knew this buildings and monuments only by name and not know the significance, this trail can become the storyteller that recounts the past to them. I think it is important that the younger generation be told of these for if not the purpose of these buildings and monuments will be lost. When that day comes, sooner or later, our children will tear them down for further redevelopments for tomthem, it does not have any meaning.

Therefore, I strongly believe that it should be a deliberate effort to keep our heritage alive and perhaps we could do more to ensure that happens. This is not restricted to just the National Heritage Board but every single Singaporean who treasures and appreciates how Singapore had since grown.

Eugenia's Reflection

                Although this may seem strange, I had actually looked forward to go on a heritage trail because I enjoyed exploring the many different (or perhaps, forgotten) places in Singapore. It is forgotten in a way because not many youths of today had been through the Japanese Occupation and other significant events in the past, thus, not knowing well enough about the history of different monuments, plaques or museums. Even if they have briefly learnt about the Japanese Occupation and other historical events, for instance, they may not know about the rationale for installing such historical markers at a specific location and the significance in doing so. I may be a history student but there are many things which I may not know in depth.

                This heritage trail is indeed an eye-opener for me and in retrospect, the different checkpoints gave me a deeper insight on Singapore’s history and more importantly, about its cultural heritage. Take, for instance, the Tan Kim Seng’s fountain. Frankly speaking, I have no idea who Tan Kim Seng was and what exactly his contributions were to Singapore prior to this heritage trail that our group embarked on. I only found out more about him and how significant his contributions were towards the building of the nation’s waterworks when I read about the brief inscription and doing research on him during my free time. In a way, his monetary contributions helped laid the foundation in setting up a proper network to supply freshwater to different parts of Singapore. It was his foresight in wanting to establish a proper public waterworks that ensured the nation’s survival and well-being. His legacy is still largely relevant today.

                Apart from that, there are also many interesting landmarks and monuments that piqued my curiosity and interest. It is certainly a good thing for Singapore to gazette buildings with a long history and construct monuments, museums or statues to commemorate certain events or important figures that contributed significantly to the nation. However, while it is important to establish such historical markers around in Singapore, there is a need for us to question and understand the rationale behind why certain places were being chosen to be gazetted as national monuments, why certain figures are deemed significant enough to be commemorated and perhaps, how they contributed to the nation building efforts in the past. In fact, the conservation efforts along the heritage trail in civic district can perhaps, be further improved on. There are many important historical sites that have been demolished or converted for “partial” commercialisation purposes. Commercialisation will perhaps defeat the efforts in preserving our historical heritage because the significance of it is somehow undermined. Nevertheless, it is still good to see that Singapore is doing something to preserve historical sites because they serve as a reminder of our past, our heritage and our traditions. In a way, we have not forgotten our past.

However, for us to commemorate our past, it should be and has to be a two-way effort by both Singaporeans and the government. The government can establish museums and other historical markers as a mean for commemoration but Singaporeans too, need to be proactive in understanding the rationale behind it and delve into it deeper. It is only through the collaborative efforts that will ensure the success in preserving and understanding our historical heritage. 

The Arts House (National Monument)

                Finally, we arrived at our last location, the Arts House! Yay! The afternoon heat was sweltering and increasingly unbearable. Thankfully, we took a quick respite in the fully air-conditioned Arts House and in the meantime, taking our time to explore the different rooms and the art exhibits along the Corridors of Time. It was especially fun to explore the Chamber and mimic what the members of parliament would do whenever they had parliamentary meetings. Heh heh heh… Sadly, we were not allowed to take photos in the Arts House and as such, we could not present to you the fun side of ours! Who says history students are dry and boring? We are hardworking students who learn and play at the same time! :P

                Here comes the fun facts! The Arts House, formerly known as the Old Parliament House, is located at the Empress Place. This building is probably the oldest surviving structure and government building in Singapore. The main building and the annex building were gazetted as national monuments on 14 February and 26 June 1992 respectively.

                Constructed between 1826 and 1827, the Parliament House was originally designed by G. D. Coleman as the home for a Scottish merchant, John Argyle Maxwell. Although it was meant to be a residential building, it was never used for that purpose probably because of the 1822 Raffles Town Plan which designated the area (where the building was located) for government buildings. As such, on 1 September 1829, Maxwell sold the building to George Gerald de H. Laurent and John Cockrell, serving as a new courthouse. The East India Company purchased the building in 1841 and a new courthouse extension was enlarged to accommodate more people, namely, the prisoners and Jurors. Because of the noises from the nearby boatyard and blacksmith shop, the courthouse moved out.

                The building served as a Supreme Court until 1939 where the (currently) old Supreme Court building was completed. (Check out the blog post on the old Supreme Court!) It then served as a government storehouse and as the office of the Department of Social Welfare before becoming semi-derelict. In 1953, the building was renovated and opened in 1954 by then governor, Sir John Nicoll, as a new Legislative Assembly House.

                It was known as the Parliament House on 5 June 1959 when the People’s Action Party (PAP) became the ruling power of a self-governing Singapore. It served as the parliament house until 1999 before a new parliament house building was constructed. Today, it is known as the Arts House – a place for both performing and visual arts. Definitely charming!

                Our group also discovered a bronze monument, the Elephant Statue, somewhere behind the Arts House. It took us quite a while to look for it as none of us knew that there was a statue erected behind the Arts House. The Elephant Statue was in fact, a gift to Singapore by Thailand’s King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) to commemorate his 1871 visit. It is indeed significant of this particular monument as it marks the first visit by a Thai monarch. The pedestal, where the Elephant Statue is mounted on, bears description in 4 different languages (Siamese, Jawi, Chinese and English) of how the king was thankful for the warm hospitality by the people of Singapore during his visit between 16 to 23 March 1871. It is certainly an eye-opener! Bet some of you might not know about the existence of this Elephant Statue too! If you do, that is great! J

Singapore Cricket Club

As we walked nearer to the entrance of the Singapore Cricket Club (SCC), we were greeted with the security guards’ scrutinising eyes. We had thought of trying to go into the club to explore but realised that it was only opened to members. It was not hard to tell that we were not members since none of us looked as if we were ready for any sports activities. Feeling the awkwardness, we quickly took a photo and left before the security guards saw us as suspicious characters.

Established in 1852, the SCC is the second oldest club in Singapore. The club has since gone through tremendous amount of changes and today the club consists not only the cricket game but of 13 sports sections such as squash, tennis and golf. The birth of the SCC began with the game of cricket which was very popular among the early European community. The first game was played in 1837 (18 years after Raffles arrived in Singapore) at the Padang, which is located near the SCC. The club had evolved from a 28 men strong elites Colonial Sports club into a multi-racial club catering to the sporting and social needs of the Singaporean community. But sadly as mentioned above, it is for members only.

In an archaeological dig of the SCC, high concentrations of coins were found which suggest that trading activity took place further inland from the river. Other findings include evidences of Singapore’s ancient quarters.  

During Second World War, the Japanese used the clubhouse for Military Administration Department and a Japanese officers’ tea room. It served as an important meeting place, with the Japanese calling it Syonan-ko Tonan Club.

We were amazed at how much this building had been through over the past years. Although changes were made to it, it stands unwaveringly firm in the heart of the city. After a few snaps at the building, we hurriedly left in search of the next destination.