Celebrating Our Bukit Brown, Our People, Our Home NDP’14
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Singapore is 49 and Bukit Brown is 92! The invitation went out weeks before on the blog, on Facebook, the event of the year at Bukit Brown, celebrating the nation’s birthday. Thank you to all who came, regulars, first timers, old and young, singers and well wishers. The official NDP’14 theme was a good fit :
NDP ’14 (Nations Deceased Pioneers) @ Bukit Brown this year honours the “can do” and caring spirit of our pioneers who helped to forge bonds which built the foundations for SG 50. It is the story of how “Our People” in Bukit Brown made Singapore, “Our Home”.
We promised 3 guided walks, goody bags, eats and music. But the highlight as always is the singing of the National Anthem – this year led by Brownie Mil Phuah, the reciting of the Pledge – this being Raymond Goh’s first ever NDP@Bukit Brown (previous years he was away on business trips) it fell on his shoulders, followed by a minutes silence to remember especially the 4,153 pioneers who have had to make way for the highway. Our resident videographer James Tann captured an NDP on the celebratory Hill 1 festooned by flags large and small, and the pride of over 50 voices.
It has been a momentous past year for Bukit Brown from being on the World Monuments Fund watchlist to be being voted by Singaporeans as their top 3 sacred sites . The good news continued as Claire Leow, co founder of All Things Bukit Brown, shared some more developments .
“We are humbled and honoured to announce that thanks to the nomination by the Singapore Heritage Society, all things Bukit Brown has been shortlisted for the inaugural Singapore Advocacy Awards 2014, under the category of Civil Society Advocate Organisation of the Year.
The winner will be announced Aug 30, but let us say now for the record, just being nominated has been a real honour as a recognition of all that this community has achieved since early 2012.
To date, the Brownies have guided more than 12,000 people, staged two exhibitions, and tried to connect descendents, academics, students and teachers, docents, heritage bodies and communities. We don’t always succeed but we surely give everything a passionate shot! Your unstinting support as a community has sustained us. We have guided rain or shine or exhumations. Behind the scenes, many work hard to raise awareness of the intrinsic value of this historic site, and a few have worked patiently with the authorities for a better outcome.
We thank all of you for your support in our endeavour. It is an understatement to say it has not been an easy mission. But driven by conviction, we have carried the heart of this community. We have become good friends, and made good friends. Inspired by the early groundwork laid by Raymond Goh and Charles Goh, the Brownies have built on a solid foundation to spread the word: this is our heritage, habitat and history – and we appeal to you to join us, and honour our pioneers and save this sacred site.
On this, the 49th birthday of Singapore, we say, Majullah!” Claire Leow, Co Founder, All Things Bukit Brown.
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Bukit Brown was also highlighted in the national daily Today August 9th Special issue Preserving Memories of a Changing Nation
“In 2012, the two women created a blog, all things Bukit Brown, to provide a platform for people to share memories of the area as well as to raise awareness of the walks they were planning there. Since then, the blog has garnered more than 550,000 views and more than 4,000 members on its Facebook page.
With the help of 40 volunteers called Brownies, the two women have also guided more than 11,000 (now 12,oo0)people on their Bukit Brown heritage trails.
“This shows we made the right move and have won the hearts and minds of the public,” said Ms Lim, now a freelancer in broadcast media. She attributed the positive response to the blog and heritage trails to more than just nostalgia. “It’s a much deeper meaning — a yearning, post- sickness, when old places have to move for new ones.”
Since 2012, all things Bukit Brown has also added a unique twist to the National Day celebrations: While others get ready for the National Day Parade, its members have their own National Deceased Parade. This year, they plan to go on a heritage trail in Bukit Brown to commemorate Singapore’s pioneers for their resilience, contributions to and sacrifices for the country.”
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Here are highlights from the different heritage trails, behind the scenes set up and the camaraderie and conviviality that took the celebrations from dusk to moonlit night. Thank you to all who came, regulars, first timers, old and young, singers, photographers and well wishers. the Brownies are grateful for your support. Here are your memories:
Such a beautiful day for a celebration! (photo !Lawrence Chong)
The Guided Walks by Claire, Bianca, Fabian, Simone and Walter
Claire giving a general briefing before the they split into 3 heritage routes (photo Garden Hill)
Fabian Tee, Brownie guide for NDP’14 (photo Garden Hill)
Bianca doing double dutch in the poetry trail she co-led with Claire (photo Angeline Lee)
“Guess whose grandmother lies over yonder” (photo Garden Hill)
Hush little baby don’t you cry (photo Garden Hill)
It’s a girl! (photo Garden Hill )
James Tann our videographer captured by Garden Hill
Lets talk about the coolies of Christmas Island (photo Garden Hill)
Oh yes its true, it took 3 years to build this grave (photo Garden Hill)
One attempts a getaway (photo Garden Hill)
埋骨何須 故里 盖棺 便是吾盧 Why is it necessary to bury my bones in my ancestral land? The place where my coffin is sealed is my home Tan Ean Kiam, on his tomb at Bukit Brown(photo Philip Holden)
Simone Lee @Chew Boon Lay (photo Garden Hill)
The Chinese Tour led by Walter Lim, had some Hongkong visitors, so Cantonese was also the lingua franca of the day (photo Victor Yue)
The God is in the Details (photo Garden Hill)
The next generation of Brownies? (photo Garden Hill)
When I grow up….. (photo Garden Hill)
Cub in the Lion City (photo Garden Hill)
Behind the Scenes, A Team of Brownies Setting the Stage for Celebration
In he lull while waiting, a Brownie moment for Mil Phuah ( photo Garden Hill)
A brownie moment for Victor Lim (photo Garden Hill)
Lets “flag” everything ! ( photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
Peter “strung up” with a smile (photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
My country oh my country (photo Garden Hill)
Steven Planting the Flag (photo Garden Hill)
Patriotic Jade Girl (photo Lawrence Chong)
Like we said “flag” everything! (photo Lawrence Chong)
Festooned with flags (photo Lawrence Chong)
Hey bro lets tie the knot (Khoo Ee Hoon)
Hi Happy Birthday Singapore! (photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
Stringing it up in a row (photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
We are ready! (photo Garden Hill)
Celebrations!
Jubilation (photo Garden Hill)
National Anthem as recorded by Albert Ong
The photo speaks for itself. Raymond Goh leading the Pledge (photo James Tann)
( photo Lawrence Chong)
Huat Ah ! (Lawrence Chong)
Makan! (photo Peter Pak)
Music ! (Garden Hill )
Birthday Cake! (photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
Not Just Singapore’s birthday but 3 Brownie Birthdays in August!
Left to right “Uncle Foo aka Garden Hill” 9 August, Simone Lee 10 August and Keng Kiat 11 August- HUAT AH! (photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
And the youngest gets the honour of serving (photo Khoo Ee Hoon)
Hands up for Bukit Brown ( photo Kerk Eng Huat)
Goodnight, Peace be with You and See you at NDP’15 (photo Peter Pak)
” Deeply reflective and moving National Day observance at Bukit Brown today, with graves already exhumed and half the site sectioned off for the road. There are some things that money can’t buy. A big thank you to Catherine Lim, Claire Leow and others!” Philip Holden.
A big shout out to those behind the scenes and catering:Brownies Victor Lim, Sugen, Mil Jonathan, Raymond, Ee Hoon, Peter, Steven, Mitch, Andrew and tombkeeper Lim Ah Chye. To Lee Kok of Asia Pac Publishers for contributing goodies to goody bags, National Heritage Board for the bags and National Library Board for commemorative books on Khoo Seok Wan.
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