"And no matter where I am I will always know, where I belong,
Where I belong, where I keep my heart and soul,"
- “ Where I Belong”, 2001 National Day Theme Song

As cheesy as it may sound these particular lyrics best describes what I felt after completing the Civic District Trail, together with my group mates. Initially, this seemed like any other learning journey that we had been forced to go on throughout the twelve years of education in Singapore. However, it was not.

I did not expect the trail to actually provide me with an opportunity to see a portion of Singapore’s past – mainly the colonial era, in a different perspective. Before, I learned that Sir Stamford Raffles was Singapore’s founder and he was the catalyst that transformed Singapore from a sleeping fish village to a trading port. This was emphasised at the ‘Raffles’ Landing Site’ where the description on Raffles’ statue reads:

“Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles...with genius and perception changed the destiny of Singapore from an obscure fishing village to a great seaport and modern metropolis”

This was in contrast to what I had learnt in lecture that Raffles was not the sole reason for Singapore’s growth.

Ever since primary school, the image of colonial masters as our liberators had been drilled into our minds. This notion was somewhat challenged during this journey. What struck me the most was the contributions of Asians such as Tan Kim Seng and Lim Bo Seng. Not only that, the fact that the British had originally torn down the ‘Indian National Army ( INA) Monument’ after the end of the Japanese Occupation shocked me. Thankfully, the monument was reconstructed or else the lives lost would seem meaningless. Although, the actions of the INA did not fit in with the agenda of the British, it serves as a reminder to Singaporeans that we should not depend on external forces to safeguard our country. Also, it juxtaposes the popular memory of how much people suffered by showing how hard people fought (even though in this particular example people fought against the colonial masters by collaborating with the Japanese.) Thus, the conservation of historical sites in Singapore not only helps to retain our historical past, it also provides the younger generation with an opportunity to rethink, rediscover and question their roots.

Embarking on this heritage trail reminded me that Singapore may be an urban, global city, yet, we have a rich past that has a significant impact on the country that we are today. For example the Civilian War Memorial, apart from being the only war memorial that commemorates the lost lives of civilians, it has another purpose – nation building. The acknowledgement of the fact that all four major races suffered during the Japanese Occupation reinforces the fact that Singapore is a multicultural society. Furthermore, memorial sites like such are meant to be a motivating factor for Singaporeans to defend their country and highlight the cost of being dependent. Hence, it is beneficial to Singapore’s growth that this memorial was constructed and is still being preserved.

On the other hand, the trail made me wonder why only some historical sites are conserved and not others. Perhaps then, conservation of historical sites in Singapore is not completely successful as particular sites are hand-picked to be preserved. Are certain portions of our heritage deemed unimportant for them to be omitted?

Despite the fact that generally, Singaporeans appear to be detached from our history, much has been done to explore and present the heritage and nationhood of Singapore to her citizens. One would expect a young country like Singapore to disregard her past. Or worse, one might wonder what significant past is there to be recorded, let alone presented through historical recordings, buildings? Also, given the land scarcity in Singapore, I did not expect historical sites to be of importance to our government.

The Urban Redevelopment Authority began the process of conservation ever since 1970s with the rehabilitation of some state-owned properties for reuse. To-date, conservation status has been given to 94 conservation areas involving some 6945 buildings throughout the island. These include most of the Civic District Monuments such as the ‘City Hall’. The central business district may have skyscrapers, but the civic district is still conserved and the rustic charm of Singapore’s colonial past is still evident through the colonial architecture of the buildings.

With the setting up of the National Heritage Board in 1993, the numerous historical archives that safeguard both print and non-print materials and the increase in the number of museums that house Singapore’s rich heritage prove that conservation of historical sites in Singapore is undertaken. Whether these sites are successful in retelling Singapore’s past to the younger Singaporeans also depends on Singaporeans. Schools may organise countless learning journey, to instil in students, pride in Singapore’s achievements and help them to understand out historical past. However, all these efforts would be in vain if people do not experience it for themselves. No book can retell the experience nor teach the lessons learnt to the same extent. Sadly, most Singaporeans are apathetic towards our history. Many a times we have taken for granted the stability of our country and never actually reflected on our heritage.

Singapore may not have much to boast about as compared to her neighbours, but the fact that our history is not neglected and is being conserved is praiseworthy. Even if the historical sites are used for commercial purposes such as Chijmes, the fact that is not torn down to make way for another skyscraper is comforting. More can be done to raise awareness about our past, yet the fact that there is a conscious effort to retain our past for the future generations is commendable. Perhaps, this is the reason why more museums are trying to reach out to youths by handing out incentives such as free visits for students.

Be proud of your roots!

posted by Jaishree

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