The Public History of Singapore

Just a short voyage downstream from Marina Bay, there is a footbridge that crosses over the murky waters of the Singapore River. This structure connects the downtown of Singapore to it’s governmental centre, allowing for tourists to easily get from the mighty Merlion Statue to the nation’s House of Parliament and Asian Civilisation’s Museum in no time. This humble overpass, named Cavenagh Bridge, is a product of it’s time, and notably stands out as an antique of infrastructure when compared to the surrounding hotels, shops and buildings erected in the modern era which easily dwarf it in size and technological marvel. But Cavenagh Bridge remains a testament to the change that Singapore has gone through in its journey from humble port city to twenty-first century technological hub. Embedded within it’s creation and display are firsts and lasts from the history of Singapore that paint a vivid picture of how Singapore’s society has evolved and provides tourists a small time warp to what li

Behind Singapore’s Parliament House, right next to the riverside that divides the island’s centre and south, is the Asian Civilisations Museum. This robust gallery of artefacts displays gems of history from across Asia, highlighting the wonders of the ancient, middle and pre-modern civilisations that stood in Indonesia, Vietnam, Burma, Thailand, Malaysia and China. This testament to the glory of Asian culture is perfectly located in Singapore, a nation that has always enthusiastically championed the cause of South-East Asian co-opreation and unity, joining ASEAN upon it’s foundation in 1967 and since acting as a leader in investment, trade and cultural exchange within the region.  Although the museum is a tremendous site, and will likely be the subject of a post at some point down the track, it is what is located just outside of the museum that shall be focused on within this post. Looking upon the Singapore river are the busts of three important Asian leaders who fundamentally changed

Singapore is regarded as a quiet overachiever within Asia. The streets are famously clean, the people keep to themselves and everything, from buses to waiters, run on a timely schedule. There’s no chewing gum, graffiti or litter and watch neighbourhood feels safe and welcoming to all who visit.  But it should not be forgotten that during the first half of the twentieth century, Singapore was the epicentre of a number of conflicts. It’s location at the tip of the Malayan Peninsula places it right at the bottom of Asia, the crossroads between numerous nations and kingdoms that have contributed to shaping the multicultural atmosphere of Singapore, but have also on occasion caused tremendous strife. Furthermore, the presence of the British, Japanese and other global superpowers meant that Singapore was not able to simply lie low and avoid invasion. From riots on the streets during the First World War, a Japanese occupation during the Second World War and the constant threat of terrorism du