Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward)
Please read if you are attending our guided walks for the first time, useful info on safety : Getting There/游览信息
If you have a facebook account please register on the FB links provided unless otherwise stated.
Meeting place for all Walks : At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Sun 6 July 9am – 11.30am : Following our Early Pioneers in Bukit Brown
Join Keng Kiat and Bianca for a walk and listen to stories of our early pioneers.
————————–
Please note that there is a Thai television crew that will be following and filming our tour.
If you have a facebook account please register on the event page here
Tan Boo Liat (photo: Claire Leow)
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward)
Please read if you are attending our guided walks for the first time, useful info on safety : Getting There/游览信息
If you have a facebook account please register on the FB links provided unless otherwise stated.
Meeting place for all Walks : At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Saturday 21 June 6.45pm – 8 pm : A Twilight Stroll into the Chapters of Our Past
(Please bring torch lights for this walk)
Join Andrew Lim for a gentle stroll into the cool evening and soak in the stories of the past. The walk will lead to the biggest tomb, the size of 10 HDB three-room flats where you are invited to get comfortable in the “descendant’s hall” and listen to our “Lee Dai Sor” share stories of the lives and times of pioneers buried in Bukit Brown and some of the darkest chapters of our history.
FB registration here
Sunday 22 June 9am – 11.30am : Guided Walk in Hill 3
Join Keng Kiat for a walk around Hill 3 and uncover stories that are sometimes less heard of from the regular tours.
FB registration here
Sunday 22 June 4pm-6.30pm : Outpost 73 Intro to Bukit Brown
Only 15 spaces available for this walk. Please email admin@post-museum.org with name, tel and number of spaces required and we’ll get back to you.
Come for a relaxing walk around Bukit Brown and catch a glimpse of the disappearing beauty and serenity of the original site while you still can!
In this walk, you’ll enjoy the lovely greenery and serene environment, see some of Singapore’s wildlife, visit some of our forefathers and learn more about the special heritage aspects of Bukit Brown.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward) Useful info here: Getting There/游览信息
Meeting place: At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Sun 15 June’14 9am – 11.45am:
Victims, Heroes and Collaborators : Perspectives from Bukit Brown, The Japanese Occupation
If you have a FB account, please register here (if not just drop us a comment to say how many are coming)
Join Peter Peter as he takes you on a exploration of Bukit Brown and hear stories of tragedy: of a young life taken away during the bombing of S’pore and of a father who died of his war wounds just after the end of the war. You will also hear story of betrayal, leading to the death of the King’s Medal recipient. His ashes was only returned 11 years later and given a heroes burial.
We will also reveal the story of an ambush by the resistance forces that lead to the death of a pioneer whose burial was touted by the Japanese Military Administration as Syonan-to’s first public funeral and for another survivor of that very same ambush, transformed his life tremendously as he went on after the war to play a pivotal role in the growth of Buddhism in S’pore.
Finally, we will hear stories of collaboration by Chinese leaders who were forced under duress or collaborated as part of a survivor instinct or for personal gain; hear this stories of how they survived or died during this difficult period in Singapore’s history at Singapore’s heritage park, Bukit Brown.
————————–
Bukit Brown is on the World Monuments Watch list 2014 . Find out what makes this a heritage site worthy of preserving. http://bukitbrown.com/
“We guide rain, shine or exhumations”
(photo Peter Pak)
by Raymond Ang
We visited Bukit Brown on a warm Saturday morning on June 7th , to find that the usual scene to the cemetery gates changed. There are now fences leading all the way to the gates. Clearly the construction for the highway has started.
I had brought my students from the Jakarta Nanyang School here to Bukit Brown to learn more about the links between Indonesia and Singapore. The students sweltered in the humidity. I had two groups and one group had lost their way. They had set off from Nanyang Girls’ High School and one of them took a wrong bus.
Beng from the heritage group for Bukit Brown arrived on his bicycle dressed in green cargo pants and wellies. He wore “the” plastic Casio digital watch – the one I wore growing up in Secondary school. He had jerry rigged a plastic bottle to act as a mud guard for the rear wheel of his bicycle. I knew I was going to like him already.
Just as Claire arrived in a taxi, the group that was lost called me on the phone. They were still trying to figure out where they are. Their teacher was from Jakarta too and didn’t know her way around. We decided to start the walk with the one group of students first.
Claire led the way and started to draw connections between the pioneers’ lives, history and culture in Singapore and Indonesia for the students. The tombstones started to mean more than just a random collection of stone, concrete and tiles. The Japanese attack and occupation of Singapore was a large theme – Mr Tay Koh Yat had fled to Batavia on the second last day of the fall of Singapore.
JNY Students with Claire Leow at Tay Koh Yat (photo Raymond Ng)
Mr Lee Kuan Yew had family ties in Indonesia. Though bothered by mosquitoes and the heat, the students trudged on. Beng brought out his insect repellant and sprayed the students down. I had told the students to bring some repellent yesterday, but I guess no one did.
We found out that the other group were on the other side of the hill – Mount Pleasant. Beng offered to go get them and dashed off on his bicycle. Claire drew the connections between saga seed and karats for diamonds; between colourful European tiles, Japanese innovation and adaptation and the Ming Chinese influence on Dutch kitchen tiles.
We visited Ong Sam Leong’s tomb and learned about fengshui and distinctive role of Sikhs in Singapore’s colonial history. This is the Nanyang style. One of my students asked me what would happen when the highway gets built. I replied that all this would disappear eventually – she didn’t seem to quite understand. “But it is interesting”, she said. “Yes I agree. I don’t think there is anything else quite like it in the world.” She frowns. “So it would all be gone?”. I nodded. It was sweltering hot. Some of the students were running low on water. Beng pulls out his canteen and starts topping up bottles. I feel very grateful and touched, but wasn’t sure how to express that. So I just smiled and made a mental note.
JNY Students with Beng Tang (photo Raymond )
We ended the tour with a visit to Mr Tan Chor Nam’s tomb. It is simple and distinctively modern. A rectangular plot with a black rectangular headstone. No angels nor lions here. Herein lies one of the founders of Nanyang Girls’ High School. I asked the students to observe the differences between this tomb and the others we have visited in the morning – they could clearly see the difference. The principle of Nanyang Girls High (Singapore), Mdm Heng had told me once that Mr Tan Chor Nam had died a simple man – apparently he had dedicated a large part of his fortune in setting up the school. I tried to draw the connections between Nanyang Girls’ High School and the sister school in Jakarta, and asked the students to maybe think about how they would like to be remembered in the future.
For me Bukit Brown is a reminder that we stand on the shoulders of giants who have come before us, and shaped the environment in which we have grown and “become”. “What would your legacy be?” I asked? The students looked back at me without speaking. It was a serious question. Maybe too serious. I smiled and said, “alright, you don’t have to tell me. Just think about it.” I hope they do.
****
Raymond Ang, a Singaporean, is the Head of Experiential Education Centre at the JNY, the Jakarta Nanyang School. He requested a visit to Bukit Brown when his students were on a week long learning journey to Singapore. Brownies Claire Leow and Beng Tang, who stepped up to the plate, despite the late notice, were very impressed with how engaged the students were and their independence as they had to find their own way to Bukit Brown.
JNY Students at Ong Sam Leong (photo All Things Bukit Brown)
3rd June 2014
Tomb Measurement 2-Day Workshop with Dr. Lai Chee Kien
NB: There has been a change in starting time for Session one at NLB from 1 pm to 1.15pm.
(photo Lai Chee Kien)
Places available: :30
Session One : 1.15pm -4pm, Saturday 14 June 2014
Location: Imagination Room, 5th floor, National Library, Victoria Street
Session Two 3.30pm- 6.30pm, Saturday 21 June 2014,
Location: Bukit Brown Cemetery Gate (meeting point)
1) Description:
From 2011-2013, several architecture students supervised Dr Lai Chee Kien have measured tombs at the former Bukit Brown Municipal Cemetery as an attempt to record the historical and unique types and hybrids found in the cemetery, now under threat of road development. This workshop aims to share the basics of measuring objects and buildings, but with a focus on the experiences of measuring tombs at Bukit Brown. It is hoped that design students and members of the public can learn the basics of tomb measurement, and in future volunteer to record other significant tombs, or those of deceased relatives. These will serve as archival records in the future for all.
2) Scope
14 June 2014 (Theory session)
(a) Introduction to measuring objects and buildings
(b) Methods, tools, and practices
(c) Tomb types and features
(d) Inhouse practice session
21 June 2014 (Practical session at Bukit Brown)
(e) Introduction to Bukit Brown
(f) Groupwork: measuring a small tomb
3. Things to bring (theory session)
(a) A4 clipboard
(b) Measuring tape (5m or more)
(c) Pen or pencil (paper will be provided)
[Items for practical will be discussed at theory session]
4. Pre-requisites
(a) Participants who have attended guided tours of Bukit Brown cemetery would be appreciated.
(b) Participants who have prior 3D drawing knowledge (architects, designers, architectural and design students) would have an advantage.
(c) Participants are required to attend both the theory and practical sessions.
Disclaimer: By agreeing to participate in the practical session held at Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so. To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself.
To register, please email latest Wednesday 11 June’2014 to : a.t.bukitbrown@gmail.com
with Subject; Registration for Tomb Measurement Workshop.Participants to indicate name, IC, contact number, email and relevant interest/experience as stated in 4 (a) and (b). Successful applicants will be informed by email.
About Dr. Lai Chee Kien:
Dr Lai is a registered architect, and graduated from the National University of Singapore with an M Arch. by research [1996], and then a PhD in History of Architecture & Urban Design from the University of California, Berkeley [2005]. He researches on histories of art, architecture, settlements, urbanism and landscapes in Southeast Asia
Dr. Lai Chee Kien of the documentation team (photo: Claire Leow)
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward) Useful info here: Getting There/游览信息
Sun 8 June’14 9am – 11.30am Meeting place: At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Sikh guards are a unique part of Singapore history, and the Sikh guards of Bukit Brown are our unique heritage. They were favored by the British and the Chinese alike and provided a snapshot of how the Chinese community evolved to adopt other local cultures, thus becoming more Singaporean. Join Peter Pak and Ishvinder Singh as they take you on a visit of a Major, a tomb with a Sikh guard engulfed by a tree, the Sikh guards protecting the largest tomb in BB, the iconic Sikh guards of Chew Geok Leong and other Sikh guards that we may stumble upon as we get “lost” in Hill 3. If you have a FB account please register here. No worries if you don’t, just turn up. Your Guides: Listen to Ish in Search of a Shared Heritage: Ishvinder Singh at TEDxYouth@Singapore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LxxT00CtBo Read about Sikh Guards of Bukit Brown by Peter Pak. Further reading on Sikh Guards : Reputation: The Guardians of the Spirit World Bukit Brown-
The Sikh Guards at Chew Geok Leong (photo Peter Pak)
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward)
Useful info here: Getting There/游览信息
Sat 24 May, 4pm – 6.30pm Meeting place: At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Join Claire Leow and Bianca Polak for a guided walk to introduce you to the pioneers of Bukit Brown, rites and rituals and tomb culture.
If you have a FB account please register here. No worries if you don’t, just turn up.
Date: Saturday, 7 June’14, 2 pm – 4 pm
“As part of Post-Museum’s participation in the group exhibition Unearthed, Woon Tien Wei will speak about our efforts regarding Bukit Brown, as well as our artwork on show (The Bukit Brown Index).
Peter Chen will also be speaking at the same session, on his photography work about Bukit Brown and Tanjong Pagar Railway Station.
The talk is free and will be held in the Glass Hall at the Singapore Art Museum.
Please register with Singapore Art Museum at http://www.eventbrite.sg/
About the exhibition :
Post-Museum will be exhibiting 8 works from The Bukit Brown Index in Unearthed.
Mar 21 – 6 Jul : 10am – 7 pm
Unearthed seeks to investigate our relationship with Earth and the natural world, and charts SAM’s ( Singappore Art Museum) new direction in encompassing and presenting projects and practices where art intersects with other disciplines and modalities. Drawing on works from SAM’s permanent collection as well as private collections, the exhibition at SAM offers an insight on how artists in Singapore view and respond to the natural world, coming from and living in such an urban and built-up environment.
The other artists who are in the exhibition include Lucy Davis, Debbie Ding, Ho Tzu Nyen, Donna Ong, Ezzam Rahman, Robert Zhao Renhui, and Twardzik Ching Chor Leng.
[Image: Installation view of Bukit Brown Index #98: List of Names of the Deceased to be Exhumed to Make Way for the New 8-Lane Road through Bukit Brown and Seh Ong Cemeteries (Unclaimed Tombs as of 1 March 2013) Handwritten by Members of the Public]
By Perry Tan, Standard Chartered Bank
On a misty Saturday morning, 33 volunteers from Standard Chartered Bank congregated at a most unlikely venue – Bukit Brown Cemetery.
(photo montage by Perry Tan)
This is no ordinary cemetery. Home to 100,000 tombs, Bukit Brown which opened in 1922 as a municipal cemetery is part of a complex of older adjoining clan cemeteries. The complex is the biggest outside of China. Its historical significance is substantial, and include tombs that date back to the last days of the Qing dynasty from the 1840s which were relocated from private burial grounds and clan cemeteries which had to make way for development. Bukit Brown is listed on the World Monuments Watch list 2014 as a heritage site threatened by the development of an 8 lane highway.
Armed with water bottles, shovels, saws, garden shears and other equipment, we were ready to explore the cemetery and clean up some of the tombs.
We were joined by seven Brownies, veteran citizen volunteers who dedicate their time and expertise to preserving Bukit Brown. The Brownies were our tour guides and provided cleaning work supervision, while we played tourists before offering our helping hands in tomb cleaning.
We started with the Brownies taking us on a walking tour that educated us on the history, culture, and heritage of the cemetery, as well as the rich stories of the men and women who were laid to rest. Bukit Brown is the final resting place for many famous pioneers of Singapore. We walked through the dirt tracks, stopped by prominent tombs and listened to numerous stories of many pioneers of Singapore – educators, scholars, doctors, businessmen, bankers, philanthropists, and the common men who built up the city state during its early days. Many of the names, like Chew Joo Chiat, Chew Boon Lay and Gan Eng Seng, were names that were not unfamiliar to us.
Next, we literally rolled up our sleeves and split into groups. Supervised by the Brownies, we proceeded to clean up several tombs that had been covered with vegetation, roots and dirt, restoring dignity to the pioneers resting below. We pulled weeds and shrubs, chopped at overgrown roots and dangling branches, scraped and removed algae, swept away fallen leaves, and wiped grime off the tomb stones. It was a good solid three hours of sweaty and grubby hard work, but the sense of satisfaction was immeasurable when we inspected our handiwork at the end of the session, knowing that we made a contribution towards the preservation of a heritage site of such significance.
(photo montage Perry Tan)
The day culminated in a finale where we trekked to the magnificent tomb of Ong Sam Leong, where we were treated to a top-of-a-hill view and stories of the biggest tomb in Bukit Brown.
At the end of the day, we shook hands to express mutual appreciation with the Brownies. Something tells us that this would not be the last community activity at Bukit Brown as several volunteers have expressed their desire to be back for more.
(photo montage Perry Tan)
***
Brownie Khoo Ee Hoon briefing Stanchart volunteers (photo Claire Leow)
The Standard Chartered Clean-up took place on Saturday 26 April 2014
Disclaimer: By agreeing to take walking tours of Bukit Brown Cemetery, I understand and accept that I must be physically fit and able to do so.To the extent permissible by law, I agree to assume any and all risk of injury or bodily harm to myself and persons in my care (including child or ward)
Useful info here: Getting There/游览信息
Friday 18 April, 9am – 11.30am. Meeting place: At the Lor Halwa Main gates at Bukit Brown
Fabian and Steven will be guiding a tour on the Straits Settlement and life in the early days in Singapore. Get enriched by their stories of how pioneers, revolutionaries, missionaries and merchants alike settled in Singapore.
If you have a facebook account please register here . This is to help us keep track of numbers turning up
Sunday 20 April, 9am – 11.30am. MEETING POINT: Junction of Lorong Halwa, Kheam Hock Road and Sime Road
What makes Bukit Brown so fascinating is the many layers of history academics and amateurs alike have uncovered. This is where Chinese pioneers were buried between 1922 and 1973. Their lives – prosperous and paupers – paint a society that blossomed after Stamford Raffles landed and made this part of the Straits Settlements, a gem in the British empire in the Far East. The links to Penang, Malacca and Johor speak of the colonial empire. The links to Java and Sumatra tell of the maritime empires under the British and the Dutch. The lives of the revolutionaries and reformists speak of a struggle for identity with the fall of Imperial China.
In the 1940s, this was site of fierce battles involving British (4th Suffolks) and Indian (Royal Deccan Horses) forces, near a village of Chinese and Malay civilians had lived.
Your guides are Claire, Ish and Yik Han. Together they will help piece together the importance of our multifaceted history laid bare in a cemetery. We welcome anyone with knowledge of personal stories to share them with us on the trail.
NOTE: A documentary film crew will also be attending the tour and filming. By agreeing to the tour, you agree to be on film. We thank you for your understanding as we agreed to the filming as part of the outreach to raise awareness of this historic site.
If you have a facebook account please register here
“We guide rain or shine or exhumations.” – we urge you to wear sensible shoes, carry a bottle of water, put on insect repellent, and come with an open mind as we explore together. We share and talk as we walk, and learn from each other. Our walking tours are meant to be learning journeys, for both participants and guides. We believe in building communities and growing organically.
Sunday 20th April, 9am – 12pm Mandarin Guided Walk with Walter Lim
武吉布朗中文导览
丘菽园是家喻户晓的诗人报人，他创办天南与振南两份报刊
Recent Comments