Experience
Besides the National Day Parade (and the PM’s NDP speech), we often take National Day for granted, a mere day off to take a break from our work. The boring social studies story of “fishing-village-turn-powerhouse” we’ve heard a million times may not leave as much impression to us as it did when we first heard… Continue reading National Day 2018: Balik Kampung
Most Singaporeans are familiar with its colonial history and the role that the British Empire played in founding the island-state and developing its port. In the modern cityscape of Singapore, there still exists historical monuments built in the colonial era. While visiting England, keep an eye out for classic Victorian architecture that might seem familiar.… Continue reading Exploring England’s Heritage and Culture
One of the defining chapters of Singapore’s short history is its status as a British colony from the 19th-century until it joined Malaysia in 1963. The rapid modernisation and economic development of the city-state in the past few decades have seen the small island’s transformation into a cosmopolitan city. Yet, many of its landmark buildings… Continue reading Heritage Hotels in Singapore
Penang and Singapore share strong cultural ties and heritage. Many of the Chinese that came to Singapore during the colonial period came through Penang. Penang is also the home to the Peranakan community and way of life. The straits-born Chinese formed a sizeable population in Penang, and it gave birth to unique Peranakan customs and… Continue reading Cultural Attractions in Penang
Few Singaporeans know the impact that the small Armenian community in Singapore had on the development of the city-state. In fact, they make up of Singapore’s smallest minority, with less than 700 Armenians over the span of 200 years. Yet, we all know the fruits of their labour, namely the Raffles Hotel, the Straits Times… Continue reading Armenian Cultural Attractions
The Tamil Indians make up the largest proportion amongst the Indian community in Singapore. In fact, Tamil is one of our official languages, making Singapore one of only two countries to do so. The first pre-colonial wave of Tamils who settled down in Singapore worked as money changers, shopkeepers and labourers. Today, Tamil Indians from… Continue reading History and Culture in Tamil Nadu
A lesser-known minority group of Indians in Singapore known as the Malayali came from Kerala, India. During the colonial period, the Malayalis and the Sri Lankan Tamils formed the majority of the upper-middle class of Singaporean society — most of them are English-educated. One of the most recognisable Singaporean Malayali is the late President S… Continue reading Cultural Attractions in Kerala
When the British established Singapore as a trading port in the early 1800s, many Bugis traders came to Singapore and settled down. Their numbers are dwindling in Singapore, and the Bugis are now part of the Malay community. The Bugis were known as seafarers, having a fleet of ships to facilitate trades between Sulawesi and… Continue reading Exploring Bugis Culture in Sulawesi
Many of the traditions that the Chinese community share in Singapore came from Cantonese practice and beliefs. An estimated 15% of Chinese in Singapore are Cantonese, whose forefathers came from the Guangdong province as craftsmen and artisans in the early 1800s. The Cantonese women who came to Singapore worked as Samsui women who are remembered… Continue reading Places to Experience Cantonese Culture