FACTSHEET – SINGAPORE HERITAGEFEST 2015
SINGAPORE HERITAGEFEST 2015 Duration: 17 April – 18 May 2015 Various venues
Into its 12th year, National Heritage Board’s signature Singapore HeritageFest promises yet another edition of heritage fun! Spanning five weekends from 17 April to 18 May, Singapore HeritageFest 2015 will be the largest edition to date with many more community partners coming on board to contribute and participate. In the festival’s spirit of celebration and discovery, explore familiar places, rediscover the lesser known and forgotten stories behind their past, and come to appreciate them in a whole new way. From our humble beginnings on the banks of the Singapore River, to our heartlands and neighbourhoods that are unique in their own ways, join us as we celebrate not just what connects us as one, but also our diversity that make us truly Singaporean.
Weekly Programme Highlights: (Details of all the individual programmes can be found on www.heritagefest.sg)
Week 1
Great Town – A Tale of Three Campongs
Venue: URA Centre Duration: 17 April –17 May 2015 (Exhibition) 2 May 2015, 10.00am – 11.00am (Talk)
Great Town – A Tale of Three Campongs takes a timely look at Singapore’s most iconic heritage district in the south of the Singapore River. Typically described today as Singapore’s “Chinatown”, the district was better known as Big Town, or Tua Poh in Hokkien in the past, in contradistinction to Small Town (Sio Poh), which is in the north of the river. Originally set aside by Raffles as a place of settlement for Singapore’s early Chinese immigrant population, Campong China, even in its earliest incarnation, was never an exclusively Chinese enclave. The fact that Singapore’s oldest mosques and Hindu temple can be found side by side with Chinese places of worship and habitation in the very heart of so-called Chinatown bears testimony to Singapore’s long tradition of multi-culturalism and religious tolerance. With this in mind, the exhibition takes a look at the development of Chinatown, seen as a physical embodiment of the Singapore Story, through its rich architectural heritage and the many buildings of historical interest.
Page 1 of 12
Moderns in Our Midst: A Photographic Tribute to Singapore’s Modern Architectural Heritage
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Concourse Duration: 17 April –18 May 2015
Moderns in Our Midst showcases a unique group of buildings that are not usually appreciated as ‘heritage’, as they are ‘everyday’ structures that form the backdrop of Singaporeans’ daily lives – public housing, places of worship, schools, markets and workplaces. Taken over a span of ten years, these photographs by award-winning architectural photographer, the late Jeremy San Tzer Ning (1976 – 2013), represent a passionate, ambitious and wide-ranging undertaking to capture Singapore’s endangered early Modernist architecture as it stands in the first decade of the 21st century.
Monument Open House
Venue: Various locations Dates: 18 & 19 April 2015
Learn about the historical and architectural significance of Singapore’s historic landmarks during Monument Open House 2015. Visit our National Monuments or join one of the guided tours this weekend!
Music of the Armenians
Venue: Armenian Church Date: 19 April 2015 Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
An evening of vocal music featuring Gayane Vardanyan (mezzo soprano), and performance of masterpieces by Armenian, Russian and European composers.
Ole Ole Temasek – 50 Years of Singapore Malay Pop Music
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Salon Duration: 17 April –17 May 2015
Singapore played an important role in the development of music in the regional Malay music market. Throughout the last five decades, Singapore Malay music industry created a
Page 2 of 12
diversity of artistes spanning various genres.
Ole Ole Temasek – 50 Years of Singapore Malay Pop Music traces the various metamorphosis of Malay pop music – from the 60s Western pop influenced music called Pop Yeh Yeh to disco; to the big hair rock, to the renaissance of Nusantara World Music right to the bombastic Hip Hop of the new millennium. Ole Ole Temasek is a tribute to the legends, the artistes, the musicians, the movers and shakers of the Malay pop music of the last five decades (1965 – 2015).
The Eurasian Experience Tour
Venue: Eurasian Community House Dates: 18, 19, 25, 26 April & 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 May 2015 Time: 5.00pm – 6.30pm, maximum of 20 people per session, pre-registration required
A collaboration between the Eurasian Association and Quentin’s Eurasian Restaurant, the Eurasian Community House will have various stations where visitors can find out more about the Eurasian culture. This includes going on a guided tour, playing traditional games, jiving to a Eurasian folk dance and sampling Eurasian delicacy. Tours are available during the Singapore HeritageFest weekends from 5.00pm - 6.30pm and visitors are welcome to stay on for dinner at Quentin’s Eurasian Restaurant* to try the wide array of Eurasian cuisine. Register as a family. All are welcome!
*Eurasian meal at own cost
World Heritage Day Symposium: “Heritage in Singapore – Saving History to Build a Nation”
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Gallery Theatre Date: 18 April 2015 Time: 9.00am – 1.00pm
A half-day symposium on various aspects of Singapore’s heritage and activities, it will feature speakers from ICOMOS Singapore as well as from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), including well-known and established heritage advocates and scholars: Kevin YL Tan, Yeo Kang Shua, Tan Kar Lin, Ho Weng Hin, Lim Chen Sian, and Hui Yew- Foong. Topics covered will include: ‘Fighting For and About Heritage: State-Society Engagements’; and ‘Conservation of Chinese Temples in Singapore’ amongst others.
Page 3 of 12
Week 2
Gema Dikir dan Gendang (Echoes of Chants and Drums)
Venue: Malay Heritage Centre Date: 25 April 2015 Time: 2.00pm – 10.30pm
This Singapore HeritageFest, the Malay Heritage Centre will be paying tribute to one of the most popular and celebrated traditional Malay art form, Dikir Barat. Originating from Kelantan, Dikir Barat fuses elements of music, hand movements, creative wordplay and singing into a dynamic and energetic presentation. Moving away from the usual competitive Dikir Barat event, Gema Dikir dan Gendang will bring together enthusiasts in a friendly, non- competitive environment to share, learn and play with one another. Designed for the family, Gema Dikir dan Gendang will feature Dikir Barat performances, workshops, activity booths and a drumming circle that would be enjoyable even to the uninitiated.
Launch of Geylang Serai Foot and Food Trails
Venue: Khadijah Mosque Auditorium Event date: 25 April 2015 Event time: 11.00am GOH: Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef
The Geylang Serai Foot and Food Trails, organised by the Geylang Serai Integration & Nationalisation Champions (INC) Committee, offer a glimpse into the vibrant character of the area as seen through the current and historical buildings still standing. These trails, which highlight various places of worship, favourite food haunts of locals and stories of residents, showcase the harmonious, multi-religious and multi-cultural nature of the neighbourhood
Following the launch on 25 April, the trail will be available to public from May 2015, on the last Saturday of every month. For more information, please visit Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/gsheritagetrail
Page 4 of 12
Launch of NHB’s Jurong Heritage Trail & ‘My School is Cool: An Exhibition of Educational Institutions in Jurong’
Venue: Taman Jurong Community Centre and Our Museum @ Taman Jurong, 1 Yung Sheng Road, Singapore 618495 Launch date: 25 April 2015, Saturday Launch time: 1.30pm – 6.00pm
Exhibition duration: Till July 2015 Time: Monday – Friday: 3.00pm – 9.00pm, Saturday: 10.00am – 9.00pm, Sunday: 10.00am – 6.00pm. Closed on Public Holidays
On 25 April 2015, NHB will launch its 13th national heritage trail in Jurong while Our Museum @ Taman Jurong will launch its new exhibition titled ‘My School is Cool: An Exhibition of Educational Institutions in Jurong’.
The Jurong Heritage Trail will take visitors around sites of heritage significance in the area, including Jurong Hill (Bukit Peropok), Pandan Reservoir, and Jurong Lake. Visitors are invited to explore the story of Jurong when it was formerly peppered with gambier and rubber plantations, as well as the small industries of prawning and brick-making, and follow its transformation into Singapore’s first industrial estate. This heritage trail is launched in partnership with Taman Jurong Community Club.
‘My School is Cool: An Exhibition of Educational Institutions in Jurong’ explores the history of schools in Jurong, dating as early as the 1930s till the present day. In doing so, the exhibition charts the various communities and historical milestones in Jurong. This story also reflects the changing roles of Jurong's educational institutions, and how our schools adapted to meet the challenges we face as a nation.
In conjunction with these exciting launches, there will be an Open House that will see a host of fun art activities that invite children and their families to discover and learn about Jurong’s growth over the years.
Page 5 of 12
Night Out at Tiong Bahru
Venue: Tiong Bahru Date: 24 & 25 April 2015 Time: 6.00pm – 10.00pm
There is no shortage of heritage in Tiong Bahru, Singapore’s oldest residential estate. Its importance as a heritage icon was cemented by the launch of the Tiong Bahru Heritage Trail on 14 April 2013. The estate harbours tales of scandal, survival and hope. It is notorious for its earliest residents having housed mistresses in these flats. There were also other stories of despair such as how many grew tapioca along the roads during the Japanese Occupation in WW2, and tales of joy and hope – babies were born in the air raid shelter safe from the enemy shelling outside.
Today, Tiong Bahru is where the old and the ultra-modern co-exist. Its idyllic kampung charm breathes through a backdrop of Art Deco architecture, kopitiams, trendy cafés and specialty shops. Residents would tell you that a strong gotong royong (kampong spirit) still resonates through the estate.
SHF 2015’s Tiong Bahru programmes will take you on a journey of aesthetics, history and experience through the performing arts, a cake-making master class and a heritage walk. The Tiong Bahru Heritage Volunteers will lead walking tours of the estate and share little known anecdotes and history nuggets about the place. Reflective of the estate’s vibrant diversity, each item on the programme is affectionately curated to bring out the rich heritage of the place and its community. Venues include local businesses, the community garden and even a private residence.
School Heritage Corners Open House
Venues: Various locations listed below
North: Huamin Primary School 21 Yishun Avenue 11, Singapore 768857
Northland Secondary School 3 Yishun Street 22, Singapore 768578
Sembawang Secondary School 30 Sembawang Crescent, Singapore 757704
Page 6 of 12
North East: Mee Toh School 21 Edgedale Plains, Singapore 828867
East: Bedok Green Secondary School 360 Bedok North Avenue 3, Singapore 469722
Bedok North Secondary School 20 Jalan Damai, Singapore 419612
Red Swastika School 350 Bedok North Ave 3, Singapore 469719
Tanjong Katong Secondary School 130 Haig Road, Singapore 438796
Central: Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School 10 Bishan Street 13, Singapore 579795
Raffles Institution 1 Raffles Institution Lane, Singapore 57595 (Entry from Bishan St 21)
West: Juying Primary School 31 Jurong West Street 91, Singapore
Date: 25 April 2015 Time: 9.30 am to 12.30 pm Free admission
Celebrate Singapore’s education heritage as schools open the doors to their Heritage Corners – dedicated spaces in schools that act as repositories of their collective memories. Experience the diverse heritage of the schools through special student-guided tours of their Corners and see how their stories weave into the larger narrative of Singapore’s development.
NHB’s School Heritage Corners Programme was officially launched in 2014 and aims to enable schools to create their own Heritage Corners. The corners act as a showcase of each school’s unique history and heritage, alongside that of the communities they belong to and the nation as well.
Page 7 of 12
Week 3
Balestier Heritage & Food Trail
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (12 Tai Gin Road Singapore 327874) Date: 2 and 9 May 2015 (English Guided Tour) Time: 3.00pm – 6.00pm Pre-registration required
In conjunction with Singapore HeritageFest 2015, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is having the Balestier Heritage and Food Trail for the public to explore the different heritage sites, learn the stories behind historical buildings and hunt for famous food places in Balestier.
Registration is on a first-come-first-serve basis and each tour is limited to 30 participants.
Business Strategies and Otokichi-san: The First Japanese in Singapore
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Gallery Theatre Date: 1 May 2015 Time: 4.00pm – 6.00pm
In partnership with the 'Friends of Otokichi' Association in Japan, the talk will feature rare images and videos revolving around Otokichi-san – widely known as the first Japanese in Singapore and an iconic figure in the establishment of bilateral relations between the two nations. In tracing key milestones in Otokichi-san's journey which brought him from Japan to US, China and eventually Singapore, the talk will analyse the strategic decisions made by Otokichi-san as an extremely established businessman at each point of his life based on the overall socio-political climate.
New World of Singapore
Venue: Jalan Besar/Little India Date: 27 April – 3 May 2015 1 and 2 May, 6.00pm – 10.00pm (Night Programming)
New World Amusement Park reigned over Singapore’s nightlife scene when it was opened in 1923 by brothers Ong Peng Hock and Ong Boon Tat. It was more than just an amusement park – like the Great World and Gay World; it was intended to be an immersive, transportive experience for the general public. At its opening, Ong grandly declared New World to be Malaya’s “pioneer amusement park”.
Page 8 of 12
The upcoming exhibition on New World brings together a collection of photographs, video, oral interviews and new research to present the amusement park in its socio-historical context. New World’s legacy and wide-ranging social impact will also be explored in the exhibition.
Spend an evening reliving the old world glamour at the City Green, where New World stood for more than 50 years. Join in the dance and joget to the rhythms of the old world entertainment!
Night Under The Stars
Venue: Zhongshan Park (16 Ah Hood Road Singapore 329982) Date: 1 and 2 May 2015 Time: 7.30pm – 9.00pm
As part of the Singapore HeritageFest 2015 programmes, Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall is launching the Night Under The Stars programme with a “Xinyao Night” theme to be held in the Zhongshan Park. Come join us and sing along with our local singers through a series of Singapore local favourite songs!
The Foundation of Run Run Shaw’s Cinema Empire
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Concourse Gallery Duration: 1 May – 28 June 2015
The Foundation of Run Run Shaw's Cinema Empire pays tribute to the man and demonstrates how Run Run Shaw’s entrepreneurial vision has influenced the development of Chinese film industry in both Hong Kong and Singapore. Apart from showcasing the making of the Shaw Brothers legend in the 1950s-1970s, the exhibition also highlights the contributions of Shaw in the Malay film industry in Singapore during its Golden Age. The exhibition will share with our visitors a number of artefacts and reproductions including Shaw’s family photos, personal letters, posters and handbills. A selection of films produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio from the 1950s to the 1970s will also be screened to complement the exhibition.
Week 4
Getai Ethnica
Venue: People’s Park Complex, Chinatown
Page 9 of 12
Dates: 9 & 10 May 2015 Time: 7.00pm – 10.00pm
Getai Ethnica is a music festival that combines the heritage of Singapore, together with local music and culture to bring the community together as we celebrate our home grown talents. As an extension of the success of Getai Electronica, Getai Ethnica will bind getai madness with modern local acts that push the boundaries of ethnically influenced music with a modern twist at one of our favourite roof top spaces in Singapore. With Getai Ethnica, we boast a first step in a positive direction for local music and culture as we engage the fun-loving and contemporary music lovers in an appreciation of our heritage.
More than just Chinatown
Venue: Chinatown Dates: 8 & 9 May, 6.00pm – 10.00pm
In partnership with NAC and URA, Singapore HeritageFest 2015 recreates the streets out of a period drama in Chinatown, except that this is the Chinatown you never knew – the Chinatown made up of Kampong Melacca, Kampong Chulia and the Chinese Kampong. Be immersed in an evening of cultural diversity where music of the Arabs, Europeans, Chinese, Hindus, Malays and Indian Muslims fill the streets as one navigates through Ann Siang Hill Park to the different 'kampongs'. If you are lucky, you might even be able to catch a lion or a dragon dance weaving through the streets! Just like it had always been in the past!
Telok Ayer Street Light Up
Venue: Chinatown Dates: 8 – 10 May 2015 Time: 7.30pm – 11.59pm
For the first time, National Monuments along Telok Ayer Street – the street with the most number of National Monuments in Singapore – will be lit up by professional lighting designers.
Formerly a coastal road, Telok Ayer Street was a major landing point for immigrants in the 19th century. From 8 – 10 May 2015, some of the historic landmarks along this street will be lit up in remembrance of the hope of our forefathers who sought a new life in Singapore.
A National Monument that will be lit up is the Al-Abrar Mosque, which was established by Chulia immigrants in 1850. The illumination of the mosque, conceptualised by Italian lighting designer Marco Palandella, aims to present the essence of both the building and its
Page 10 of 12
historical context. One of the highlights is a projection of the sea, which serves as a reminder of the old shoreline in front of the street.
Week 5
French community in Singapore
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Gallery Theatre Dates: 17 May 2015 Time: 2.00pm – 3.30pm
In 1819, when Sir Stamford Raffles founded Singapore, he was accompanied by two French naturalists. Ever since, French missionaries, merchants, planters and other pioneers have contributed to its economic, educational and cultural development. Be inspired and entertained by the colourful stories of personalities, such as J. Casteleyns (who built the first hostelry, the Hotel de l’Europe, in 1857), Father Jean-Marie Beurel (who constructed the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd and St Joseph’s Institution) and Alfred Clouët (who started the well-known Ayam Brand canned sardines business). Amply illustrated with photographs, paintings, sketches, old documents and maps, the talk is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to discover the little-known history of the French in the Singapore we know today.
From the Belly of the Carp
Venue: Singapore River Duration/Time: 15 – 19 May 2015, 7.30pm – 12.00am 15 & 16 May 2015, 6.00pm – 10.00pm (Night Programming)
Singapore River used to be known as the Belly of the Carps by early traders because of its sweeping curve and the prosperous symbolism that comes with the golden carp. Encounter the older Singapore, with tradesmen and merchants who built their lives along the river, strike up a conversation with them, and indulge in this surreal encounter accompanied by rich cultural performances of the diverse communities who lived and worked along the river.
German community in Singapore
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, Gallery Theatre Dates: 17 May 2015 Time: 4.00pm – 5.30pm
The talk will trace the history of the German community in Singapore over the last 190 years, from the records of the first German in Singapore in the 1820, founding of the first German
Page 11 of 12
company in 1840, the opening of the Teutonia Club in 1856 (present day Goodwood Park Hotel) through the World Wars and right till today's 1,400 German companies in Singapore. This talk will be presented by Mr Dieter Gumpert, one of the longest staying German in Singapore (more than 50 years), whose affinity with Singapore started two generations ago when his grandfather first stepped ashore Singapore in the 1880s. Mr Gumpert will also be sharing his rare collection of images of Singapore through the years.
Jiving through the ages
Venue: Cathay Dates: 16 & 17 May 2015 Time: 7.00pm – 10.30pm
Local music shines once again this weekend outside the Cathay as stars from 60s till now gather to showcase their all-time hits! Friday night's concert will see the local English talents of 60s and 70s with their hits followed by the Malay pop music legends of that era. Saturday starts with the Chinese 10-piece band performances and ends with a music extravaganza featuring modern Tamil talents. Come with your friends and family to this eclectic weekend of local music talents, and chill out as Singaporeans once did outside Cathay while listening to the good classics of their time.
Page 12 of 12