It is the fifteenth day of August. I am doing my Lit HBL now.

The poem I'm doing is The Portrait of a Sentenced Library by Alfian Sa'at.

I think the mess of words in this wordle represents a pile of rubble from demolished buildings, which is the basic essence of the poem - of tearing down buildings and memories before their time is up.

The Straits Times article: http://www.asiaone.com/Business/My%2BMoney/Property/Story/A1Story20080607-69472.html

Picture! A corridor in an old block of HDB flats, which houses mosly senior citizens.

I feel that all 3 items reflect the same theme, of tearing down old buildings, which symbolises the destruction of our past and also losing old memories. In the article, words that jump out are "buildings, flats, blocks, housing, heritage, conservation". It speaks about how destroying old buildings in Singapore is symbolic of destroying our heritage, and how we should actually preserve our culture by keeping these buildings, instead of constructing new ones and setting up 'heritage conrners'.
I like the poem the best, because I think it expresses the poet's feelings toward the subject really well, and fully explored his sadness. One can almost hear him sighing, as he concludes : "One cymbal left in Chinatown./Blueprints and forums and rhetoric ensure/That a firecracker makes no sound." He is makign a statement about killing off our heritage, as a firecracker is always used in Chinese celebrations. Also, a firecracker makes a joyous sound and proclaims happiness, but by muting out its sound, it suggests the loss of happiness and life in that place.

I think that people in the future who read this will still be able to identify with it, because I believe that industrialisation and constant change will never stop in Singapore. This cycle of tearing down old buildings and constructing shiny new ones in their place will never end because it is the way of the world, to constantly upgrade oneself so as not to fall behind other countries.

English AA individual component: Blog Post

Last month, I made a trip down to the National Museum of Singapore to view the Singapore Living Galleries exhibits!

The exterior of the museum is simple yet sophisticated, with a neat green lawn and a circular building made of glass. The interior of the museum itself was exquisitely designed and the place had a very grand feel, with red swinging chandeliers, smooth black walls, high ceilings, marble floors, and imposing white columns. The smart use of simple colours gives the museum a simple yet sophisticated feel.

Swinging chandeliers


The Singapore Living Galleries consisted of Film and Wayang, Photography, Food, Fashion etc.
In the food gallery, there were exhibits on Malay, Indian, Chinese and Peranakan food, as well as a fruits and spices used for cooking. The moment I entered the gallery, my ears were greeted with busy sounds that created a suitable atmosphere and enabled me to envision what the busy streets of Singapore were like back then.

Through the innovative use of sound systems, the sounds of frying, sizzling, and the banging of pots and pans were reproduced in the exhibit. I also heard the leisurely conversations of people having a meal together. The warm lighting really helped to “transport me back in time” and enabled me to have an authentic experience of Singapore’s past.


The exhibit on Malay food showcased, amongst other things, a satay grill and ketupats. I think that this was a good choice of food to exhibit, as all Singaporeans enjoy eating satay and it is something that even our non-Malay friends frequently eat and can relate to.

Satay grill

Ketupat

I made use of the above photo of the ketupat to make a stamp for a first-day cover to commemorate National Day 2010. Out of all the other galleries, I chose the Food exhibit as I thought that it was the most prominent feature of Singaporean culture. Food can be found anywhere in Singapore, be it at simple roadside coffee shops or glitzy restaurants along Orchard Road. Judging by the abundance of food in Singapore and how Singapore has often been described as a “food lover’s paradise”, one can gather its importance to its citizens. Also, food is something that all Singaporeans can relate to, a common passion that they share, something they can bond over under a common Singaporean identity.

Over at the exhibition of Chinese food, they showcased Laksa, the spicy noodle dish that is synonymous with Singaporean food, a Kueh Tutu cart, Tok Tok Mee, Chinese herbs, and also utensils for cooking, such as a wok and a spatula.

Kueh Tutu Cart

Chinese herbs, and the scales for weighing them

Wok and spatula for frying

There were also many preserved fruits and spices on display, such as:

Jambu fruits

Red dates

Rambutans and herbs

Starfruits

Mint, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, and others used in cooking were also displayed.

Over at the peranakan display, there were moulds for mooncakes and other sorts of nyonya delicacies.

Mooncake moulds

As a Singaporean, this was a really enjoyable trip as I got the chance to be able to delve into Singapore’s rich food history. Through this experience, for example, I learnt a lot more about peranakan food and spices, and actually got the chance to be able to smell them and learn to identify them! I also got to see the satay grill and kueh tutu cart up close, which was exciting because they are not that commonly seen around Singapore anymore.
I strongly encourage everyone to visit the exhibit to learn more about Singapore’s rich food history!

Done by: Vanessa Ronald (30) Class 310