Singapura Stories – Transformasi Katong-Siglap – Talk & Public Seminar / Forum

Transformasi Katong-Siglap – Talk & Public Seminar / Forum

Talk & Public Seminar / Forum: The transformation of Katong-Siglap

This event, in Malay, will feature the history and communities of the Katong – Joo Chiat – Telok Kurau – Siglap neighbourhoods. It has two main segments: a talk by Dr Imran bin Tajudeen followed by a public forum by four panelists who are former residents of these fascinating historic neighbourhoods. The event, hosted in Marine Parade CC’s Theatrette, is organised in conjunction with the Bulan Bahasa, the Malay Language Month.

The panelists will be sharing their knowledge and observations of past experiences of living in the area. They are the redoubtable local place historian Baba Peter Wee (who wrote a book in 1989 ‘From Farm and Kampong’ that spoke about Kg Amber, among other places); Mr/Cikgu Thahirrudin the son of the late actor S. Kadarisman who comes from a famous Bangsawan family; the well-known and multi-talented Ms/Cikgu Zaharah Salleh who is well-known for the recipes; and Mr Nailul Hafiz, Chairman of the historic Kg Siglap Mosque. A number of other persons were also invited but many were unable to come because of their advanced age. The forum will be moderated by Mr Raman Daud, a veteran journalist.

Talk: Culture in context: Residences, neighbourhoods & diverse communities in East Coast Singapore (in Malay)

CERAMAH: Latar Budaya: Kediaman, kampung halaman dan masyarakat majmuk pantai timur Singapura

by Dr Imran bin Tajudeen

Daerah Katong-Siglap di pantai timur Singapura cukup istimewa. Ia merupakan kawasan kediaman masyarakat Asia pada zaman kolonial dengan pelbagai kaum minoriti, antaranya Serani, Tamil Sri Lanka, serta Peranakan Cina dan Jawi Pekan, dan mengandungi hunian mewah, banglo dan rumah kampung golongan kelas menengah, mahupun kampung nelayan yang sederhana. Ramai tokoh masyarakat juga pernah bermastautin di sini. Ceramah ini mengetengahkan masyarakat majmuk Katong-Siglap dengan tumpuan kepada peranan kebudayaan dan senibina Melayu sebagai budaya perantara.

The Katong-Siglap region in east coast Singapore is a special place. With a mix of upper-class mansions, middle-class kampung/compound houses and older fishing villages, it is an important historic suburb for Asians in colonial Singapore and was home to numerous minority communities: Eurasians, Ceylon Tamils, Chinese Peranakan and Jawi Peranakan. Numerous personalities called this neighbourhood their home. This talk gives a historical overview of its diversity with a special focus on an aspect that made the Katong-Siglap district unique – its shared Malay cultural and architectural milieu.