“Moving House”

Tuesday 26th June 7 pm – 9 pm

University Town Auditorium in Kent Ridge

NUS Museum and All Things Bukit Brown presents  “Moving House” – a screening, a presentation and a Q and A session on the next significant development for the planned 8 lane highway that will cut through the cemetery – Exhumation.

The documentation team led by Dr Hui Yew Foong undertook its first documentation of a  private exhumation of a staked tomb affected by the highway earlier this month.

We take this opportunity to resurrect an award winning documentary by film maker Tan Pin Pin. “Moving House” made in 2001 looked at the  Chew family ,  one of 55,000 Singapore families forced to relocate the remains of their relatives to a columbarium as  gravesites made way for urban redevelopment. The picnic mood of the family outing to move the remains belies the sadness and confusion everyone feels. It was screened in December 2001.

11 years on what can be expected and what will be the impact on a fresh round exhumations  anticipated for some 3,700 tombs to come as Bukit Brown makes way for an 8 lane highway.

The screening of the 22 minute “Moving House”  will be followed by a presentation by Dr Hui on some insights from the first exhumation documented by his team.

A q & a will follow with Tan Pin Pin and Dr Hui plus we hope one mystery guest whom we are hoping to persuade to take questions, some one who has had hands- on experience with exhumations.

Do look out for registration details which will be made available by the end of this week.

This is a heads up to book the 26th June for this event. 200 spaces will be available on a first come first basis.

The exhumed tomb (photo Raymond Goh)

For an example of exhumation rituals, click here.