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Any major exhibition is the work of many Hands: Gift of a Generation is a book About the Singapore Memory Project hands. While the collection of memories has born from the multi-sensory exhibition been an ongoing process since 2011 when the of the same name by the Singapore The Singapore Memory Project (SMP) is a Singapore Memory Project was first launched, Memory Project (SMP) held between national movement that aims to capture and the actual work for the exhibition started at the August and October 2013 at the document precious moments and personal end of 2012. , Head of Exhibitions Tan Huism National Library. memories related to Singapore; recollections and Curation at the National Library, was not merely from individual Singaporeans, assisted by a team of people during the nine but also organisations, associations, Comprising 45 individual profiles, each months it took to put together the “Hands: companies and groups. accompanied by a striking photograph, Gift of a Generation” exhibition. Huism began this book is a valuable collection of her curatorial career at the National Museum of The SMP currently involves partners (academic, stories that reflects the transformation Singapore and later continued her work at the research and library institutions, heritage of Singapore through the years. Asian Civilisations Museum. agencies, public agencies, private entities and community organisations) and Memory Corps These anecdotes encapsulate a diverse – volunteers who serve various roles, such as Sean Lee is a teller of short stories through cross section of everyday Singaporeans, his photographs. He was a winner of the helping individuals with difficulties documenting 2011 ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu and a each connected through their unique their memories; connecting the SMP to people member of the Reflexions Masterclass experiences and perspectives of with memories of key Singapore events, (2011 –2013). His work has been exhibited Singapore. Reflecting this diversity, personalities and places; and enrolling more at the Prix Decouverte, Les Rencontres d’Arles the book contains 10 translated profiles volunteers to join the SMP cause. (2009), Galeria TagoMago, Barcelona (2011), in each of Singapore’s mother-tongue New York Photo Festival, New York (2011), languages of Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Empire Project, Istanbul (2011) and TantoTempo Gallery, Kobe (2012), among others. PHOTOGRAPHY ISBN 978-981-45-1656-3 ,!7IJ8B4-fbgfgd! Front cover : Hands of former firefighter, Abdul Rahman bin Osman Back cover : Hands of dancer and choreographer, Santha Bhaskar HANDS Published by: National Library Board, Singapore Printed by: Craft Print International Ltd Photography by: Sean Lee Designed by: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) HANDS All rights reserved. © National Library Board, Singapore, 2014. The views of writers and contributors do not reflect the views of the Publisher. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior written permission from the Publisher and copyright owner(s). Whilst reasonable care is taken by the Publisher to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, the Publisher accepts no legal liabilities whatsoever for the contents of this publication. ISBN: 978-981-45-1656-3 National Library Board, Singapore 100 Victoria Street #14-01 National Library Building Singapore 188064 Tel: +65 6332 3255 email: [email protected] www.nlb.gov.sg HANDS : gift of a generation / [compiled by] National Library Board, Singapore – Singapore : Published for National Library Board Singapore by Marshall Cavendish Editions, 2014. pages cm ISBN : 978-981-45-1656-3 1. Singapore–History–Anecdotes I. Singapore. National Library Board, compiler, publisher DS598.S7 959.57002 — dc23 OCN868863768 CONTENTS Preface • 6 Introduction • 9 Profiles • 11 简介 • 103 Profil-profil • 125 tho;f;iff; Fwpg;G • 147 Abdul Rahman bin Osman • 12 James Tan Peng Huat • 42 Oer See Kiang • 73 陈美娣 • 104 Abdul Rahman bin Osman • 126 Nfg;ld; gy;Njt; rpq; • 148 Agnes Chow • 15 Jasmine Lim • 45 Othman bin Tubah • 74 吴厚基 • 106 Chua King Yap • 128 `rd; Fj;J}]; • 150 Alex Tan Tiong Hee • 16 Jita Singh • 46 Ramachandra Murugaia • 77 Hedwig Anuar nee Aroozoo • 108 Jita Singh • 130 [pjh rpq;; • 152 Ang Mui Choo • 19 Jumiah Yunus • 49 Roland Vivian Simon • 78 林默 • 110 Jumiah Yunus • 132 Nydh jk;igah • 154 Captain Baldev Singh • 20 Khoo Kah Chin • 50 Roslina Baba • 81 林昆明 • 112 Lim Beak • 134 jpUkjp KfkJ rpuh[; • 156 Chan May Lee • 23 Koh Keow Chai • 53 Rufino Soliano • 82 Roslina Baba • 114 Mohamed Hanapi bin Mohamed • 136 Xu; rP fpahq • 158 Chin Sit Yeong • 24 Kok Kham Seng • 54 Santha Bhaskar • 85 萧汉权 • 116 Puan Mohamed Siraj • 138 ,uhkr;re;jpu KUifah • 160 Chua King Yap • 27 Kok Ying Oi • 57 Dr Shanta Christina Emmanuel • 86 陈有忠 • 118 Othman bin Tubah • 140 rhe;jh gh];fu; • 162 Eddie Tessensohn • 28 Leaena Tambyah • 58 Sew Hung Kun • 89 Thomas Thomas • 120 Roslina Baba • 142 lhf;lu; rhe;jh fpwp];Bdh ,khDNty; • 164 Francis Tan • 30 Lim Beak • 61 Sua Yap Teng • 90 黄珍珠 • 122 Syed Abdul Kadir • 144 jhk]; jhk];; • 166 Goh Heo Kee • 33 Lim Koon Meng • 62 Syed Abdul Kadir • 93 Han Jok Kwang • 34 Low Kim Heng • 65 Tan Mian Kiau • 94 Hasan Kutus s/o Meerasahib • 37 Mohamed Hanapi bin Mohamed • 66 Tan Yeow Tiong • 97 Hedwig Anuar nee Aroozoo • 38 Mrs Mohamed Siraj • 69 Thomas Thomas • 98 Ho Hwee Long • 41 Ng Weng Sang • 70 Wong Chin Choo • 101 4 HANDS 5 PREFACE At the launch of the exhibition “Hands: Gift of a Generation”, I met Regrettably, I never had the pleasure of working with Mrs Anuar as I the photographer Sean Lee who had shot the hands of all the subjects joined the National Library after she had retired. But my colleagues featured. He told me it was one of the most meaningful assignments he constantly regale me with stories of how strong and committed she was to had ever undertaken as each of the subjects had such fascinating stories the library, the most inspiring of which was how she marshalled a human to recount. Sean had a particularly deep impression of Mrs Hedwig chain in order to physically move the books from its older premises at the Anuar as he was struck by how gracious and patient she was during the National Museum to the new facility at Stamford Road in 1960. entire photo shoot. Each pair of hands featured in this project is an expression of the The day after the launch, I stared at the picture of the hands of strength and determination of its owner in shaping a better future for Mrs Anuar, the former Director of the National Library – in fact, the first their generation and the generations to come. And it’s no surprise Singaporean director of the National Library back in 1960. Under her that none of the pioneers profiled in the exhibition and in this book charge, the library system was substantially developed; from a meagre asked for anything in return for the time they spent at the interview and membership base, the tireless Mrs Anuar promoted the reading habit to photography sessions. a young and growing nation. I am proud the Singapore Memory Project has played a part in retelling I was struck by the picture of her hands poised over an open book. their stories – poignant, candid, bittersweet and joyful by turns, but always I could imagine those hands running through the pages during an memorable – of what those hands went through. This book is both a gift animated storytelling session as she rallied to get kids interested in the to the owners of those hands and their struggles, as well as a gift to the magical world of stories and reading. It’s hard to believe that only about future generation in appreciation of the giants that have come before us. 50 years ago, many Singaporeans were illiterate and it would have been very difficult to convince them of the value of letting their children go to school and the library. Nowadays, with the variety of media clamouring Gene Tan for our attention, we take the written word for granted. Director, National Library 6 HANDS 7 INTRODUCTION Hands: Gift of a Generation is a book born from the multi-sensory exhibition of the same name by the Singapore Memory Project (SMP), held between August and October 2013 at the National Library Building, Singapore. * By elegantly depicting first-hand accounts from Singaporeans of all walks of life, this book seeks to document their lives and present the stories of Singapore as told by Singaporeans in a personal and evocative way. Comprising 45 individual profiles, mostly verbatim accounts and each accompanied by a striking photograph, this book is a valuable collection of stories that reflects the transformation of Singapore through the years. The memories are rich in their diversity, describing struggles, sacrifice, triumphs and joy. They pay tribute to the struggles of Singapore’s early pioneers and the hard work of many who helped shape the Singapore of today – from people as diverse as Konfrontasi and Japanese Occupation survivors to proponents of women’s rights, a dancer, tailor, charcoal seller, trishaw rider and more. The stories encapsulate a diverse cross section of everyday Singaporeans, each connected through their unique experiences and perspectives of Singapore. Reflecting this diversity, the book contains 10 translated profiles in each of Singapore’s mother-tongue languages of Chinese, Malay and Tamil. It is our hope that the poignant stories told in Hands: Gift of a Generation not only act as an insightful window into Singapore’s past, but also remind you of your own memories and help you piece together an intimately personal slice of the Singapore story. * For those who missed the original “Hands: Gift of a Generation” exhibition, an abridged version has been set up at the Woodlands Regional Library since March 2014.