Christmas marks an important cultural and religious time of year for Christians. It is a time to gather with friends and family, eat seasonal foods, and celebrate a holiday with spiritual significance.
Located at the same site since 1836, St Andrew’s Cathedral is the oldest Anglican church in Singapore. The present neo-Gothic structure was constructed in the 1850s, after the demolition of the previous building as it had been found to be structurally unsound due to lightning damage.
Eurasian cuisine in Singapore features a myriad of European and Asian influences, and is characterised by strong and rich flavours, with Portuguese and Malay influences featuring most strongly due to the ancestral heritage of the local Eurasian community.
Affectionately referred to as the Town Convent in the past, this building once housed the oldest Catholic girls’ school in Singapore, founded by the French sisters of the Congregation of the Holy Infant Jesus in 1854.
Known simply as the Indian Church or Tamil Church in the past, the Church of Our Lady of Lourdes is one of Singapore’s oldest Catholic churches. It bears testimony to the spread of Catholicism in Singapore, especially to the growth of the Tamil Catholic community over the years.
The building that currently houses Tai Seng Christian Church is a piece of the legacy left behind by Chew Puat Chwee, a generous Chinese businessman who used his wealth for various philanthropic pursuits.
In various Malay cultural occasions or ceremonies, the songkok remains as a significant element in the male traditional attire. Some hold the view that this Malay cultural heritage can be traced as far back as the Ottoman era. This traditional headgear is typically crafted from black velvet or felt material or even coloured in different designs. While many men today are able to purchase ready-to-wear songkok off the shelves, the meticulousness nature of crafting one by hand should not go unnoticed.
Batik is a traditional art form that uses coloured dyes and wax to create patterns on a material, typically a cloth, and the patterned cloth itself. A batik artist would design patterns on cloths using a wax resist technique through copper stamps or by hand, and then dye the cloths to produce colourful designs. After the dyeing process is complete, the cloth will be soaked in a dye solution, which is often derived from natural materials.
Built between the 1930s-1950s, Blocks 1, 2 and 3 of the former Kandang Kerbau Hospital showcase the hospital’s instrumental role in advancing midwifery, maternal, and gynaecological care in Singapore.
The kompang that we usually see during weddings and festive occasions is only one type of many Malay drums! Why is the Malay drum important to the Malay community, and how does traditional Malay drum making remain relevant in today’s modern time and space? Yaziz Hassan, a drum maker and expert, enlightens us on these issues!
Bubu, a traditional fishing trap made of chicken wire, reflects deep ecological knowledge and sustainable practices in Singapore. Fisherman Hamzah Mohamad, one of the “Sudong Brothers,” has dedicated his life to crafting and using bubu, passing down a skill rooted in Pulau Sudong’s fishing traditions. Unlike destructive modern methods, bubu is eco-friendly, efficient, and culturally significant, offering both livelihood and a lasting connection to heritage. However, Hamzah worries that without younger generations learning the craft, this meaningful tradition may fade.
