Beyond our Borders.

Kuo Pao Kun wrote The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole in  1984, eight years before his citizenship was reinstated. Yet this play is one of the most widely known of his productions, and has been performed both locally and internationally, and is considered a seminal piece of Singapore literature. In this case, what makes this work of Singapore literature uniquely Singapore?

More recently, the film by Tan Pin Pin To Singapore, With Love, also features ex-Singaporeans who were exiled due to the "political unrest" they brought to the nation. Yet, despite the events being in the distant past, despite their physical banishment from Singapore, their feelings for the nation are still clearly visible.

Goh Poh Seng himself studied in Kuala Lumpur and Dublin, and throughout his book the use of Singlish is contrived and distinctly unnatural: clearly the local vernacular is not second nature to him, not something that he has grown up around. Rather, it is a way of distinguishing his texts as being Singaporean, a way to try and relate to his own fellow citizens.

Singapore literature is something that is not just tied to the physical locations that we are in, nor does it depend on a person's official citizenship status, or the ability to speak like locals speak. The idea of  a literary work being able to represent Singapore as a whole is a dangerous misconception: each piece has a subjective view, and represents Singapore as the writer sees Her. To me, this does not make the articles any less meaningful. Rather, knowing the limitations of these literary works, I feel that the impression I get of Singapore becomes less rigid: each person takes away a different feel from Singapore, the relationship between the nation and the authors emerge in various literary forms, and ultimately the result is a menagerie which builds a more comprehensive view of Singapore as a whole.

Emerald Hill: an Erosion of Culture

Emerald Hill (also known as The Grand Old Lady with the Peranakan Airs), was designated for preservation under Singapore's Area Preservation Scheme in 1981. The 9.5 ha area received a complete facelift as part of the preservation scheme. In addition to the two-storey houses, the landscaped pedestrian walkways and surrounding areas were also preserved. The preservation works and recreation of the Straits Chinese environment was based on original 1902 architect plans.

Emerald Hill in the past - before restoration

Since Emerald Hill was largely located on prime land (stretching all the way from Orchard Road corner to Cairnhill Circle), the cost of restoration was high. However, URA was determined to rehabilitate Emerald Hill, which consisted mainly of malacca-style pre-war houses. Features such as the original windows, arches, fluted columns and even stairwells were similar to the original buildings. Nonetheless, modern material was used for the project. Reconstructions were made of synthetic materials such as Fiberglass or poly-marble (as opposed to the original materials like bricks and plaster) that was likely to be more durable.

 traditional wood-carved Peranakan doors

Nonetheless, the entrance to the once-opulent Emerald Hill seems to be a half-hearted attempt. The undertones of affluence of the past have been replaced with the glitz of pubs and cafes, a far cry from the traditional Peranakan-style shop houses of before. Apart from keeping the facade of tradition (i.e. same layout, same architecture structures of shophouses), the place seems more like an empty shell, of which true tradition and rich culture is lost. It offers a glimpse of the past, but an in-depth understanding of the Peranakan culture is unlikely to be grasped from the refurbished and gentrified space. The background scene of high-rise buildings, fancy condominiums and office blocks remind us of the constraints of a modern society, and perhaps even how it intrudes on the view of what is considered to be culturally significant.

today

in the past

                                                                      

Chew Yi Wei (in Eastlit Issue 5) beautifully describes her sentiments on Emerald Hill: 

"Conservation efforts merely stimulate the past, giving us only a pretty, charming but ersatz image of it. Conservation is nostalgia with a lost cause. Can we not retain the past by leaving it alone? In a bid to keep the past, we sap the life out of it."

Such thoughts of a "smeared" culture echoes in a poem from someone who had visited Emerald Hill:

Emerald Hill 

by Youzi

Tucked away watching

somewhere beyond the city scape

Silent, inconspicous

Cunningly masked,

By the intoxicating tastes and noises

of Sherry, Brandy, Port and Havana Cigars.

Swilling around her

Neither young nor old

And yet both

Somewhere she is smeared

Blue and white

In a grotesque parody of prettiness

Somewhere she retains

an ageless beauty

Golden carvings and warm rich wood

Still smelling of nutmeg, pepper and gambier

But most days now she doesn't care

Complacent vines

Weary leaves trail and her heels

She drapes herself

In dusty batiks patterned by dust

Caked with the smug patina of time

Not a sound

Save for the occasional gurgle

Of laughter from the see-saws

Where we grapples with loss like her

Not a soul

Save for the curious face behind the darkened windows

And the pink blouse flying alongside the reluctant wind

In the distance the fowls wander

Or look at us knowingly

They must have seen many like us

Who sat in her presence

Our hearts greedy for her knowledge

Who caressed her and praised her

Then left her cold

________________

References

(Photographs): rememberingsingapore.blogspot.sg

"Going Back to Emerald Hill" by Chew Yi Wei. Published April 2013:
http://www.eastlit.com/eastlit-issue-five/eastlit-april-2013-content/going-back-to-emerald-hill/

"Emerald Hill" by Youzi. Published Mar 2005: 

https://www.fictionpress.com/s/1861254/1/Emerald-Hill

The Importance of Appearance in Singapore

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) of Singapore prides itself on its conservation efforts. These efforts are intended to enhance the visual appeal of Singapore, as well as preserve the nation's rich heritage and tradition, reminding citizens of the past while the nation advances into the future.

The plans for conservation are elaborate. Firstly, different conservation districts are drawn up - historic districts (i.e Boat Quay, Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India), residential districts (i.e Emerald Hill, Cairnhill and Blair Plan), Secondary Settlements (i.e. Jalan Besar, River Valley, Geylang and Joo Chiat), as well as The Good Class Bunglow Areas and the Mounbatten Road Area. Guidelines on restoration work follow the 3R principle: Maximum Retention, Sensitive Restoration and Careful Repair. In short, a great deal of emphasis is on maintaining or adhering to a "certain look" or restoring the facade of tradition and culture in our otherwise extremely modern nation.

The photos below are evident of such attempts at conserving the structure and design of old shophouse buildings.

pre-restoration

after restoration

_____________________

pre-restoration

after restoration

_____________________

today vs. in the past

_____________________

The need of up upkeeping appearances is mirrored not just in our city's architecture but also in the daily lives of Singaporeans.  Such a way of life is evident in texts such as Kuo Pao Kun's The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole and Stella Kon's Emily Of Emerald Hill.

In Kuo's play, the big, grand looking coffin was meant to signify his grandfather's wealth and position in society. Even at death, the family had to ensure that onlookers were aware that the deceased was a prominent person from a well-to-do family, hence the elaborateness and grandeur of the burial and coffin. Furthermore, throughout the funeral, the protagonist was very mindful of the onlookers, repeatedly emphasising that their family was "watched" by "two hundred people". Hence much of how he behaved and reacted to the whole fiasco of the coffin being too large for the hole was an attempt to "save face" for the family. This was to be done by ensuring that the funeral procedure is followed through according to tradition, and not become a joke - although this has been done to comic effect: "it must have been the funniest thing that ever happened in the entire history of mankind"(Poon et al, 2009: 291).

In Emily of Emerald Hill, we see Emily putting up a strong front and trying to present the family as if things were going smoothly although they were not. In spite of the turbulent and unfortunate events within her family, such as her first son, Richard's suicide, the fact that she is always alone in her huge Emerald Hill mansion (all her children have moved out) and that her husband no longer loves her and is having an affair, she continues to host an elaborate dinner as if all is well. We can see she succeeds as the Singapore Free Press even reports the social event as a "splendidly-attended dinner". Of course, one could argue that her purpose of doing so would be to "force" her husband to end his extramarital affair. In addition, Emily's throws a party to reinforce their marriage in order to try to end her husband's affair,  while saving the reputation of her unfaithful husband. This is another instance where appearance is key to maintaining people's perceptions of something.

Clearly, Singaporeans are highly mindful of how they are perceived in each other's eyes and the image in which they or their families portray. This can be metaphorically transposed to the maintenance of the appearance of buildings or heritage sites achieved through conservation efforts, which perhaps struggle to keep the impression of culture and tradition alive.

All in all, the conservation efforts of the URA are commendable, but ultimately, authorities have to realise that mere preservation of facade without content is not true conservation as our culture and heritage still face erosion.

References

URA conservation website
http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/conservation.aspx#

Poon, A.; Holden, P.; Lim, S. (2009) Writing Singapore: An Historical Anthology of Singapore Literature. Singapore: NUS Press.

Conformity in Singapore

It is apparent that the government imposes many rules and policies in Singapore. On one hand, these laws can be seen as implementations to protect society, and people's rights and interests. On the other hand, these laws could be a way for the government to exercise its authority and perhaps even "over-nanny" the country. 

During the National Day Rally in 2004, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong touched on the issue of conformity:

"We are so capable, we are so efficient, we are so comfortable that we stick with what we have tried and tested and found working and we are reluctant to take risks and try new things. And that is a weakness. It's a weakness which we have to overcome. The key to overcoming this is a mindset change. We have to see opportunities rather than challenges in new situations, we have to be less conventional, we must be prepared to venture and you've got to do this as individuals, we've got to do this as a government and I think we have to do it as a society. " 

This theme of "conformity versus eccentricity/opposition" is echoed in Edwin Thumboo's poem entitled Conformity, which compares the situation of individuals who thrived in "happy colonial days" by conforming to those who chose to rebel against the "colonial system" (Ee. T, 1997).
__________

Conformity

The very old died young

Having eased themselves out of

Ambition, calculating smiles,

Connived quietness.

They died softly in the dispensation

Of happy colonial days.

Properly cautious, they

Turned from the call of the hills

To the acquisition of a careful face,

Putting a curfew on the heart.

Uncle Tan is gentle, inbred,

Completely acceptable you might say;

Traditional, a good tea drinker;

Expert on ceremonial stuff,

Never uses a premature etc.,

Correct to the last circumcising detail.

Am I stolen,

Indexed,

Into this large conformity?

__________

The first stanza discusses the situation of individuals who tried to rebel against the political system, ultimately ending in failure.  These individuals had to forego "ambition" and "turn from the call of the hills". The "hills" are a symbol of freedom, representing the idea of a place free from colonial rule. Yet, individuals who  refused to conform "died softly in the dispensation" and "died young". This indicates that rebellion against conformity was futile and ended in death. The juxtaposition of death in "dispensation" and happiness of "colonial days" suggests that those who tried to rebel were perhaps, silenced by rulers ("connived quietness") through prosecution. On the other hand, those who agreed to conform to escape prosecution, had to put a "curfew on the heart", perhaps implying that emotions must be sacrificed or controlled for the sake conformity.

In the second stanza, "Uncle Tan" is a common name for the everyday Singaporean 'uncle',  representative of the majority of society who is considered "completely acceptable". However, the metaphor of "circumcising" emphasises the price of conformity, here: bringing to mind the harsh imagery of the removal of skin from a male's genital. Such an image strikes us as a painful experience - perhaps a warning of the price to pay for being too conformist.

Ultimately, "this large conformity" causes individuals to be "indexed" and "stolen", suggesting that conformity holds people against their will but is necessary to avoid prosecution, and for the sake of the wider society. It appears that in indexing, people have been reduced to mere numbers, and their individual stories, undermined or obliterated. 

Theme like those aforementioned still runs fresh in Singapore today where people are trying to break out of societal definitions of (economic) success and constructing individual-ness in the midst of a globalised world.

References

(PM Lee 2004 National Day Rally Speech) Singapore Rebel blog: http://singaporerebel.blogspot.sg/2004/11/conformity-is-weakness-says-pm-lee.html

Ee, T. (1997). Gods Can Die. In Responsibility and Commitment: The Poetry of Edwin Thumboo. Singapore University Press. ISBN 9971-69-204- X