Remembering Singapore River

Dr Wong Chee Meng, Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib
Paperback, 188 pages
9789811882531

Heritage and Memory of Lives and Leisures

Singapore has stood at the crossroads of cultures for centuries. The riverbanks of the long and winding Singapore River are witness to many generations of people who eked out a living, plied their trades and sought refuge from the hustle and bustle through spirituality and leisure.

British colonial rule defined the beginning of Singapore’s modern history two centuries ago. Gradual transformation was setting in by the time Singapore achieved self-rule. The rapid industrialising era of the 1980s saw the Singapore River reshaped into a node of commerce with sights and sounds that offered a combination of tourist sites and local entertainment. It was, and continues to be, an exciting proposition with a cosmopolitan outlook.

As various buildings, enclaves and institutions along the Singapore River are consigned to history over time, its landscape  reminds us of the sights and sounds of the past. Who were our forefathers? What shaped the cultures that flourished here through the decades? What made us a unique multicultural society?

This is the story of the Singapore River, and our multicultural heritage.