History. How Important Is It To Keep Our Country's History Fresh In The Minds Of Our Youth?
History. In Singapore, We Have History Books That Tell The Stories Of Our Forefathers, But Is There Value In Doing Other Things To Keep Our Past Fresh
History : How Important Is It To Keep Our Countrys History Fresh In The Minds Of Our Youth
In Singapore, we have history books that tell the stories of our forefathers, but is there value in doing other things to keep our past fresh and alive for the young, perhaps through cultural events and features like heritage trails? Share your thoughts with me. ~~~ Mayor Zai ~~~
Best Answer To History Question
Certainly history books are an invaluable source of information but then there can never be ONE comprehensive source. History is subjective - it is subject to personal insights and individual perspectives but this is what makes it so interesting. What intrigues me about the country's history is its living history - how people lived, who they thought, behaved, related to one another in communities etc. in an given period of time. For me, much of what I am today is shaped by oral history courtesy of my elders as well as school teachers who had the benefit of living through tumultous times. Their perspectives and interpretations of actual events are always fresh and exciting to the listener. Of course actual living conditions are irretrievably past and I can only imagine scenarios based on old pictures and movies. The visual recreations at heritage centers and museums all help to consolidate the historical information. I would add that not all of these orators are educated like the 90+ year old Ah Ma at the nursing home I serve at. Heritage trails are fine if heritage sites are preserved. Buildings, bridges, trees etc have history too. How many archaelogical sites do we have in Singapore? How many shipwrecks of historical value have been found around Singapore waters? etc.. Probably this information exists but its availability to the general public is still lacking. Historical knowledge is scant in the memories of our present generation. I feel education is key - and not just confined to school-going children but to the general public which includes our new citizens. Education campaigns ought to be undertaken by who better than custodians of our historical inheritance - museums?! Instead of promoting exhibits of foreign culture and civilisations, more should be done to promote knowledge of our own cultures, heritage and history. I love the new setup at the National History Museum but most folks don't step inside. I feel the National Heritage Board has done really well promoting all facets of history but the challenge lies in bringing history to the doors of the common folk - the grassroots. We have a wealth of history in our elderlies - why aren't they being tapped on? Should museums have roadshows then? I'd personally like to know how my neighbourhood was like 50-70 years ago, who lived here, what were the industries, how it looked like etc. I like interesting information like how Lavender got its name, or how the area beyond SGH was all graveyards and gambier plantations at the turn of the century and why it was called Bukit Merah. The adult generation growing into their middle ages stilll possess such memories but if they're not passed down to the young, they will die off. And why not have a village concept? Camps where the young, even families, actually go and live out the past way of life? Even Mr Jack Sim is building a longhouse for his toilet college to give his students a taste of third nation living, why not this? Nothing beats first-hand experience. What about tracing your family roots as an activity? Are there resources available to the average citizen to do so? Activities like this not only makes history fresh and alive but promote bonding within the family as well. It may be an expensive endeavor but knowledge of our history is indispensable to our identity as Singaporeans - it has shaped us thus far and is integral to us retaining our uniqueness as a people, in a nation that is evolving and changing in its ethnic make-up and ever increasing diversity. It informs us of the ingredients that glue us together to form the fabric of Singapore society. It is essential to our survival and future prosperity.
All Answers To History Questions
Answer 1With all the hatred the American liberal media has for Americans and America I would say that history is a very important tool to keep fresh in the minds of our youth.
Answer 2as i know,, coz its a treasure.. and it influenced us many things..
Answer 3'ksig286 ' - america teaches their young people plenty of their own history. its the rest of the world that they know nothing about
Answer 4The older i get, the more i realise the value of knowing about the events that have led to my country being what it is. It's not so much to compare my life with the lives of my forefathers and say that i have it better. Perhaps i am just being too sentimental, but it feels nice to know that different places have 'seen' certain things and have certain stories and memories. It's kind of like buying an old house, one that has been home to a long line of people. It just adds so much more interest to the house itself :) And it's then nice to know that the places i've been and the things i've touched in will one day become a part of someone else's history and heritage trail. I enjoy heritage trails - its great to see how my forefathers spent their time :)
Answer 5Absolutely! Your history culture shapes your national identity. Having the youth of your nation knowing that history identifying with your nation's culture(s) gives them a common basis for interacting with each other understanding each other. It provides the basic elements for national unity, and encourages them to participate in the nation's civic life. In turn, a strong national identity will help them to shape their own identities.
Answer 6Well, I love history, but I was raised to love history. My father and I read the same books and developed opinions about historical affairs that were not always similar, so we had some great discussions. Also, I am a Southerner and that is a culture that values the past and I grew up around people to whom events of 100 or 200 or 500 years ago were as interesting and vital as what happened in town yesterday. Perhaps one has to lose a war, but survive gloriously, to love the past. The way history is taught in schools in my country is tedious and unimaginative and rewards short term memorization more than learning and understanding. Since the goal of public education is to create "good" citizens, history books used for education are so full of propaganda and so lacking in objectivity and facts that may make a government uncomfortable, that they do not qualify as acceptable for historical learning. The things you mention are probably good, like cultural events or heritage anything, but they are artificial day trip kinds of things, more for amusement than learning. I learned to love history because I could read all of it for myself, not depend upon the regurgitation of facts presented in formal settings. I read all opinions and interpretations and discussed them with others and then formed my own opinions and interpretations. I was also lucky enough to have a father to whom such things mattered. Unless history is presented in a context that allows the discovery that it matters and is interesting, whether or not you or I think it is important is moot, because no one spends time on something unless they love it.
Answer 7I think it's absolutely crucial for Singaporean youth to have a good understanding of our history. While history textbooks and stories are important, nothing will drive the issues and messages home to our youth as much as hands-on experiences (such as cultural events and heritage trails). It is one thing, for example, to read about the murals at Changi Chapel. But seeing the murals is quite another thing - it creates an immediate and very sobering impact. I think cultural events and heritage trails are much more effective in enhancing National Education than classroom lessons are. They should be a major component in our efforts to build our National identity.
Answer 8As the old adagium says : Panta Rei, meaning : in the present lied the past, and in the future lied the present. The issue of finding "the identity" of a nation can not be isolated from the history of that nation. It's similar to an offspring who would like to know his family background in order to better understand his social status or his way of living (traditions, value system) in his present living condition and environment. The means or method to refresh this historical facts will need to be adapted to the current cultural activities in order for it to be effective and acceptable to the audience. I hope that this input would be useful for you. By the way, I'm not Singaporean of nationality, but your concern is a cross national issue.
Answer 9Memory is vital for any country and keeping this memory alive in youth minds is highly important. Handbooks, when they are well designed, are of great value, but they need to be supported by good teachers, and visual aids... all this academic history program can be nourished at home with special TV documentaries, or by spending time in museums or at cultural events, on historical sites... All these aspects of culture are part of a same aim: keep local history fresh in mind!
Answer 10With all the hatred the American liberal media has for Americans and America I would say that history is a very important tool to keep fresh in the minds of our youth
Answer 11Someone who found history a boring subject once said that "there is no future in history"(yes pardon the pun) but that is not necessarily true. history builds the foundation for what we have today and for tomorrow. it is from there that we learn our past mistakes and it is important for youths, both in the present and future, to keep in mind the activities of our forefathers. no doubt there is value in keeping history alive for the benefit of future generations. with the countless creative minds that a country can tap into, there would indeed be things that can be done to bring the past to life. for a country like singapore, whose history might not be as steeped and as deeply rooted as countries in europe for instance, history is important nonetheless. yes, i admit that i was one of those people who found history a complete drudgery and to me, history lessons were one of simply memorising and regurgitating dates but as i grew older i realise that it is important to know, understand and learn from the past. hopefully, youths today would be able to learn through activities which are more interesting and be able to better appreciate past events. from there, i am sure that someone somewhere out there can make a difference in the overall development of their country.
Answer 12I think what the government doing now is good but in terms of cultural stuff, I think the government need to promote more on that side as there are much stuff about each other culture Singaporeans don't know about. Also i feel that government should teach more Singapore's history in secondary school and primary school, as I have found out some teenagers in post secondary education don't even know about Singapore's independence day
Answer 13Definitely there are some values seen through history books, cultural activities, and etc. Youths should be aware of their own respective culture to know the history of their own. Visits to the National Museum is one good way to remind the youths about our past. And they do provide heritage trails. Also, I find conservation of old buildings is very important and they do remind us about our past. CHIJMES in the Central District, temples and shop houses in Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India to name some. With architectural structure, the feelings and the ambience of our past will come alive. Youths should be aware of the conservation efforts done by the URA, and understand the reason why they are doing such. Only then youths will understand how important history is to our country and how it has affected generations after generations, until what they become now. By educating the youths about this awareness will we then keep our country's history fresh in their minds at all times.
Answer 14I think as far as I know, Singaporean never forgets their roots even as Singapore progresses. Of course, Government plays a part in organising heritage trail, cultural performances and school tours to museum. With this activities being arranged Singaporean have a chance to learn about our forefather's history. This journey through time and cultural knowledge makes Singaporeans understand why they need to keep the heritage history close to our heart. Without the people in the past whose willing to make changes and sacrifices, there would not be Singapore "Now". There would only be Singapore that is "history". What say you sir?
Answer 15Some ideas to consider: 1. Have places like little India, Chinatown, Kampong Glam, Peranakan Place, Eurasian Community, Thai Community, Vietnamese Community, Japanese Community, areas and places of cultural interests 'dressed up and decorated' to the cultural theme daily instead of just during the festivities seasons. 2. Along Orchard Road . from Istana to the walkways along Ngee Ann City right up to Tanglin Mall have stalls, games, pictures showing our cultural values and activities so that not only do we get Singaporeans to participate, share and remember our history but allow our tourists and visitors to see how we go about promoting our cultural values on every weekends. We can change the theme on quarterly basis so that people who frequent these places will not be bored. 3. Same can be done in town centres, MRT stations and airport. 4. Besides speak the speak Mandarin campaign, we should encourage the use of dialects again - dying practice and culture. Many of our younger generations cannot speak or understand or know what dialectss like Hakka, Teochew, Hainanese, Cantonese, Hokkien, etc sound like. They can for a start mix this with English and Mandarin. Then go back into the culture - of course eliminating the use of vulgarities. What the young ones know of such dialects is just the use of vulgarities in dialects and this should be stopped to save our Singaporean image and promote proper use to safeguard our culture and history. Singaporean forefathers were from all over the world. We need to continue to know where our forefathers were from.
Answer 16Cultural and heritage trails events become boring after a while. They are helpful reminders for a time, but do not leave indelible marks in the minds and hearts of our youths. You have to live through the times of Singapore, be it contemporary or of the past. Only one lasting thing: kinship. When kinship is lost, all is lost. Campaigns are just so much hype. Good when you in the moment of them. So much hype these days, so much low grade diversions, our youth will just want to keep up with the Joneses, forgetting the lasting heritage of our founding fathers. If you have to persuade, to cajole our youths in order to get them hooked on our heritage, something just isn't right.
Answer 17History is a value system of each country, as it makes and becomes the decision that was made. When i was young i hated history of any kind as time really don't matters and decision is always done by parents, as they rule, but as time pass and i get older, i started to value history, my history and the history around me. It is a sense of belonging of where i am, and the heritage of my upbringing. The place that becomes today. People who understand history will appreciate more of their life and where there are today, and the place they live in. History of one's country is as important to a person as the oneself
Answer 18Dear Mayor, Yes , I think that it is definitely necessary to do so. Even though we have a short history of 180+ years , I would think that we definitely have a rich history. There are not that much countries that is as unique as ours. An island that is built up as our forefathers of various races come to a long time ago and built up with their own hand. Also , it is quite an amazing thing that now , even with the diverse nature of our races , we are still coexisting in harmony. I think that is something worth remembering. And its not only now , even in the past when our forefathers were working very hard to make a living for their family , we were already coexisting harmoniously together. An example is my father , a Chinese man of 50 now who grew up near a Kampong . He speaks fluent Malay and have a lot of good friends from various races . This would surely be something worth remembering as in most other countries , the races there are segregated in their own community. However , what I was thinking was that , from what I know, as a 16 years old boy who just graduated from Secondary School , the Secondary School students nowaday are not actually very interested in what they are studying(National Education and Social Studies). I would feel that in order to make youth more interested in our history , how about making more dramas and short skits in English and other languages that are about what our forefathers' lives were about in the past? I think that would work very well. I myself and a lot of friends at my age grew up with a few local Chinese Dramas that were based in that period , For . "The price of peace". Also , from an idea that I just thought of. Won't it be interesting to the whole country if there is a treasure hunting in Singapore about Singapore's heritage? Definitely , not a treasure hunt that would be easy. Instead , it would be a large treasure hunt with a grand prize of perhaps a car or a lump sum of $20000+ ? Definitely , it would cost lesser than to organize a lot of events such as heritage tour and so on. What you need is national participation in a treasure hunt that encompass the whole nation and has a difficulty unseen before.(For example , it could be one that is solved over many days and a clue is given each day and anyone can participate in the competiton. One has to go to a location in the clue that is a "small" part of historical location that people seldomly goes to. As the clues are slowly decipher , a larger piece of the puzzle would be uncover and perhaps , the final treasure could be hidden in some remote areas in many of our 60+ islands in Singapore of historical Relevance? Given Singaporeans' nature , it would definitely be a massive event that would stir the interests of the entire nation) Nevertheless , what I feel is that is most important now is to change the mindset of our youths locally. It is only when a country's citizens are proud of its history that we will be a country which people would love and of course , stay here their whole life. Born here. Grew up here. Grow old here.
Answer 19how are you mayor? i have a few ideas but it is not appropriate to show it hear. u know that ideas are easily duplicated and copied. may be i can share the ideas through more protected channel. so how can i show you the ideas?
Answer 20I believe strongly in the physical representation of history/heritage. No matter how many history books we read, nothing beats the experince and value of having the real thing. While I strongly encourage the government's iniative in perserving heritage and culture, the reality is that many of our historical buildings are being demolished. look at the national library something which is so deep in every Adult singaporean memory, it was demolish for a tunnel that really doesn;t do much but collect more ERP! so keep our buildings, perserve them!
Answer 21Personally,I think that the abovementioned events( Events and features) are meaningful... Why not try to everyone to volunteer in the various museum( Museum,Changi Museum,etc)which injects our historical values not only to our forefathers,but also experience the history of Singapore,on their own the youths to be guides for the various heritage trail(I am aware that there is a Balestier and Jalan Besar booklet in circulation,but that is not enough) some historical places into a film museum( Ampas's Shaw Brother Malay Film Production) in the heartland,as I noticed the run down of the building and it impose meaningful memories to all malay film producers in the period,although it is kept in conservation. competition similar to some reality shows( On Foot) more often, instead of during the racial Harmony Week or somewhere near towards the National Day teenagers to voice out their view through Dialogues on what they want to do in order to keep our past fresh and alive for the young Finally,I feel that it is most important to keep the country's history fresh by all of these events and also why not consider the various district week,to showcase the various history bits and pieces of Singapore( Payoh,Jalan Besar,Balestier etc.)and also encourage teens in experiencing the History,This will inject National Loyalty all year round(I believe)
Answer 22Yes. We should be innovative in reliving the past especially success stories of our forefathers. Books can be a very boring medium as it doesn't have a life to it. Sharing through cultural events and heritage trails are better. In fact, making it interactive through the website will attract more youngsters especially if its quizzes and good prizes to be won.
Answer 23If we stop tearing down all those historical places, we would'nt be travelling to other countries to look at them.. example.. the old Changi Prison that kept the WW II prisoners.... preserving A 180-metre stretch of the prison wall, including two corner turrets, along with the main gate,,, we just been made a laughing stock... why not just preserved the 2 screw bolts so that our next generation can look at them in textbooks.. Duh... And why demolish Taman Serasi Library for a road which is less used.. too many mistakes in haste decisons... how about tearing down the Red Bakery House in Katong and built another ERP gantry there? and by the way.. do we have that much budget, or should we tax more to get that budget...?
Answer 24In my opinion, knowing the past is as important as planning for the future. Without the past, there's no present. Without knowing the 'input' and 'process' of the 'output', no modification can be done to a system. When we talk about youth, the word 'trend' is easily associate to them. Books, cultural events and heritage trails have been the only way to expose our heritage for the young. Hence, we need new way that suits the flow of today youth. Since today youth are keen on graphic arts, digital media and fashion, lets use this advantages as a fresh way of exposure. For examples: Digital Media - We can use the talent of our youth to design or create games related to our heritage. The games can be as adventurous as the WarCraft as long as it did not contain any discrimination to any party. Arts - Make use of the arts schools or related school's modules we have in Singapore. Since competition always manage to gear-up students, have a competition related to heritage where students can express their thoughts or feelings about our history in an art form (graphic, fine,etc.). To add on the inspiration, use their art piece as a display for an example in a shopping mall. Fashion - Previously clothes designing competition had been held here, students representing their school (eg. La-Salle, Temasek Poly.) took part in it. Have it again with themes related to our heritage. Display their talent at the museum. Using local talents to inspire local youth seldom come to waste. It usually add in the inspiration and discovering of local talents. At the same time, our youth can be proud of themself when they are able to relate the past and the present to create a future of their own in their way.
Answer 25It is always important how history brought about us to what we are as a society and as a person today but lets not get too hype up over the past. Lets not overstate the future either. Lets live for today. What we can do to the less fortunate amidst rising cost of living. Is there any forum/ feedback/ discussion for them to participate other than the poll?
Answer 26Cultural events and heritage trails are definitely constructive in preserving heritage but so does getting grandfathers or reliable people to share with us myths and legends about our country that are almost forgotten in time. It is also imperative that we conserve old buildings that whispers stories of the past rather then brutally tearing up these defenceless monuments to give way to snazzy condominiums. Let me share an example, Sentosa for so long has been a nest full of history and secrets and but if you look at it now, its more Mickey Mouse than anything. Another example is the decision to tear down The Mitre Hotel at 145 Killiney Road to pave way to high rise apartments. It may make more business sense to develop apartments but the price we pay is the evaporation of our country's unique colonial history. Have you wondered how cities rich and proud in cultural heritage such as Venice, Paris and London are built around Old Monuments?? this is because these people genuinely CARE about Heritage. Sadly for us in Singapore, MONEY takes precedence over Culture, History Heritage. In time to come, we shall have nothing to call our own except intangible stories published in books.
Answer 27There should not be such a question at all. Our country's history and remembering the sacrifices our forefathers have made must definitely be important. Only through history will we understand and appreciate the lives we have today is because of our forefathers' strive to make a better life for the next generation. I believe that without history, Singapore might become a "cold" nation. A nation driven by satisfying our personal needs, having a life which from the moment you wake and before you sleep is to generate enough financial benefits to better your life, forgetting that we should in some way contribute to better the country (besides paying taxes). I feel that remembering how our forefathers worked so hard to make this country such a fantastic place to live in will definitely answer questions such as, "What being a Singaporean means?", which I feel many people do not have an answer which justifies the sacrifices our forefathers made.
Answer 28Being a global country and heavily influenced by American media, i feel that today's youths are having an identity crisis. Due to this lack of affiliation or assosciation with their own culture heritage and nationality, Singaporeans are beginning to lose their sense of belonging, their patriotism and pride in being Singaporean. Today, if i ask any Singaporean citizen what it means to be a Singaporean, i reckon he might say we are kiasu, materialistic and opressed by the government. With a quarter of our population working in the government sectors it is odd to hear people say they are being opressed by themselves. Are these their own opinions or are these echoes of what they have been led to believe? But i digress. my point is, if we do not have an identity or heritage, we lose our values and start to believe whatever we are told by the media. Culture is an intangible asset that makes us unique from the rest of the world. not because we have a merlion that spits water or fines for every offence. I do not want to be defined as a country who caned micheal faye. I want to be recognised as a country of racial harmony, peace and prosperity which we have worked hard to achieve but its fruits are not being appreciated by the younger generation. It is only when you have knowledge then you can learn. Otherwise, you can only imitate. And i shudder to think about how we are beginning to imitate western cultures...
Answer 291) In school our teachers tell us that we have to learn all this so that we can prevent it from happening in the future, which is true in a certain aspect if all the people in Singapore learning history are positive. However there are a bunch of people around us who think that riots and killings are fun. The only thing that worries me and a couple of others is what if all these things take place in the future. Instead of learning how to prevent this, some people may learn to be violent. 2) For the modern youths, most of them find heritage trails boring. However heritage trails are important for having a brief understanding of certain things that have happened in the past. I have been on heritage trails with my school where they set up boards with lots of written information printed on them. Most of us do not like reading long articles, so we just tend to scan through a few and forget about all the others. I think that the heritage trail should be more exciting and appealing to the youth. Maybe to get across certain points the the youth we should have skits, re-enactment of the past and we can add in some comedy so that people do not get bored. Youths these days like to have fun and good laughs. If we do anything funny or silly, we tend to remember it forever. Whatever happened in the old times may be interesting to the older generation as they have been through that times and are aware of what life was like back then. That is why the older generation appreciate and value Singapore's history and heritage more then the younger generation. If this continues, Singapore may not find anyway to value the country in the future as they do not know how the country was built and all the difficulties that our forefathers went through in contributing to building up the nation. Then, Singaporeans would not understand why the older generation valued Singapore so much.
Answer 30I think the authorities have torn down too many places with historic value and I wish they would stop. Not just that but we don't seem to have very much sensitivity towards sentimentality for places with rich pasts. These places don't have to only be the main buildings in the downtown area but also little, little corners or neighbourhoods or shops or schools all over Singapore. We shift buildings here and there, build new ones and hope to keep the 'memories' alive by just retaining its name or having some small museum corner to remind people of what it used to be like. Well the fact is it's impossible to remember or imagine what it used to be like when the surroundings are so clean and santized and NEW all the I guess as a very small country we have to balance this because like it or not space is a big problem in Singapore. Though I personally wish we could let some things be rather than change them and make them new all the time (but I guess this is what's needed in our quest to be No 1 in everything). For example, I love our museums and think they're very good in providing information and also meaningful experiences for visitors but because it's all so new and santized even when the old building's preserved, the experience is not the same as when I visit some other museums overseas (even small ones like the one in Malacca) where you feel like you are part of history because the surroundings just feel historic as there isn't this mad rush to clean up everything in a sense. So while I feel it is important to do this, it will be quite tough cos we really have to be imaginative to be able to appreciate or preserve culture through heritage trails etc (where everything is new and anything that's old is just a shell). What I mean is we can do a lot of things but because of circumstances, most of it is done on the surface, like a shell without much of a soul. To add on to the point on history, I have just read Said Zahari's book and was amazed at what we were never taught in school. I feel sad for him and others who were branded as 'communists'. The question to ask is whose story are you talking about when you talk about history? Sadly, it usually is always only the story of the victors :)
Answer 31I think it's quite important for all societies to understand their own history. However, problems arise when authorities inside any given society becomes selective with history... It is so easy for "half-truth" history to become a tool of manipulation, oppression and sometimes things that are much, much worse.
Answer 32History is very important to keep our heritage 'real and alive' for posterity. And I am not just referring to textbook history but buildings and places around us where we can take our children to see and experience. As a person with interest in architecture, I am sorry to see so many architectural landmarks demolished in the name of modernisation and advancement. Some examples are: Forfar House in Queenstown which was in its days, a landmark and one of the highest apartment buildings around. Just mention it to any cab driver and he will know where you are heading. The National Theatre which was built with citizens' money and a unique architectural gem that Singaporeans were proud of. The tall apartment building with the advertisement in Toa Payoh - I heard recently it was to be demolished or is it gone already! The public toilets in the middle of Clarke Quay which in my opinion, was uniqe for its hexagonal shape. Such public conveniences were common in most parts of the city centre but none are left today for our young people to understand the lifestyle of old Singapore. When visiting cities in various British colonies, I noticed that many of them have actually preserved these public "institutions". Even the old public toilet in Washington Square Park, NYC has been preserved and we are talking of USA which is a progressive nation. Hopefully we do not be over-zealous and eradicate more precious historical landmarks from the face of Singapore lest we become another thoroughly modern but 'faceless and soul-less' country.
Answer 33Lots of value, as long as it's based on good shared values and a fair reality. Worst case scenario is teaching history which is a) wrong and b) biased.
Answer 34i personally feel that the old buildings we have in Singapore symbolizes the heritage and the decades past. but however,. some can be conserved some not. especially the Supreme court the istana.
Answer 35Heritage is fundamental to the young so that they do not forget or forego their origins. The young tends to get carried away with the current lifestyle and developments that they have no interest towards heritage. By cultivating and engaging in cultural activities, events, showcase or forefathers, these would help our young to see and feel what was then :)
Answer 36With Singapore gearing towards a global cosmopolitan city, and the doors being open to an influx of immigrants becoming citizens PRs, i personally feel that history will become irrelevant to our present lives. It will be a forgotten past. Probably it will become just a touristic value. It would be difficult to integrate a society who is born knows of our history one who is an immigrant settling here to make this country their home.
Answer 37With Singapore being such a young country, our history doesn't reach back very far. Even so, our younger generation can't understand who we are without understanding where we've come from. Books and photos and museums are good but history can come alive when we let our people touch, see, smell and hear our past. A heritage trail is certainly a tactile experience and it brings us back in time. When we understand where we've come from, we are less likely to make the mistakes of the past.
Answer 38Hi Mayor Zai. History to some in school is a very dry and boring topic. While in school, thought by a British lecturer about the importance of preserving our cultural roots and keeping the past alive even as we sit for the exam was definitely not an easy task. Nevertheless most of us only learn to appreciate this when we learn that even things outside our safe country are intertwined with things that happened from the past. Singapore had surpassed lots of hurdles that a developing country faced and stood still as a republic, a country full of colour and varieties, with its's success as a metropolitann city being the fruit borne by the hard work from our forefathers. The young never really want to understand these and nowadays they are more interested in RB songs, highly digitalised movies, extreme sports and interactive video games. In fact it is never easy to find youngsters who are really passionate in communal work if not cultural activities. One of the ways to induce cultural learning and interest in historical trails is to engage with them, hands on ,on cultural activities eg art or dance competition. Aside that, there should be a yearly cultural event show done on national tv with emphasis not only on racial harmony but also activities that involve the asean region. During these events, we could also add in historical elements that involve socio-economical historical perspective of the past. In fact, with this we could also foster the youths in the region to work hand in hand for a brighter future and greener world. We need to expose more on these as i believe that we need to show to the rest of the world that Singaporeans are unique and diverse. That we came from all over asia and we actually represent the whole of asia but are 100% Singaporean. In order to do that, we will have to get our youngs to be involved in these activities,to explain why we should always keep the past alive and to keep ourselves united as a nation.
Answer 39yes, especially the invasion of Japan on Singapore.
Answer 40History is interesting and important, it reminds us of our forefathers whom worked so hard and to achieve to what it is now. However, most of the youngsters are too pampered and take it for granted. History is good, but history book is boring. . . A website would be nice with some interesting videos, etc. Since all the youngster always online.
Answer 41a€śHistory and culture makes up the fabric of our country. The importance of history in explaining and understanding change in human behaviour is no mere abstraction. Only through studying history can we grasp how things change, comprehend the factors that cause the change and understand what elements persist despite change. Studying and exploring history involves a sense of beauty and excitement, ultimately another perspective on human life and society. This provides identity of an individual and is essential for good citizenship.a€ť My question is - if we dona€™t educate our youths of our history and various cultures, how can we promote Singapore as a brand name to the world? Leta€™s start with one example - Japanese youths have no idea that their forefathers were occupants to Asian regions during the World War II as there is no mention of it in their History textbooks. Until they visit The Civilian War Memorial. This emphasise on the importance of education in school. So wrong information would not be disseminated. Let me recite another example - language. Most youths from our ethnic groups nowadays, are most comfortable conversing in English. What would a foreigner be thinking if we cana€™t complete a sentence using our Mother Tongue language, when asked for translations? A campaign similar to a€śSpeak Good Englisha€ť would be of good use. This is a small part of our culture and history. For your info, Ia€™m very impressed to see a Dutch speaking Malay on the news, and boy, it put me to great shame! =P We can capture our youtha€™s attention through interactive means a€“ competitions, campaigns, theatres and documentaries or cultural treasure hunts in a more exciting way. Conserving old buildings and places like they do in Malacca helps us to immerse ourselves into the olden days. In order to succeed in the big picture, we need to rectify the little things within us. Leta€™s not just work on building up the nation only through our modern colourful concrete jungles but with our rich culture too. They play an important part in our history. However, the government can only do so much as at the end of the day, ita€™s all up to individual to exercise all these for our nation which we could proudly stand up with our hand at our heart, saying a€śIa€™m a true blue Singaporean!a€ť
Answer 42Yes it is vital to do so. And this requires a nation-level effort to retain our history and culture. Retention of our history and culture goes beyond retaining old buildings/architecture and refurbishing them. The content, you see, is gone. And the flavour and the culture is gone too. We have seen, and these have been mainly reported in the Chinese papers, so much of our history being lost over the last few years. For example there was a collection of overseas Chinese literature that was deemed not worthy and it went to China, where a permanent display was created for it. Too little is being done to preserve our culture and history. Cultural and historical items (can be local literature, memorabilia, etc.) appear to be worthless, because there is no demand. And we (I refer to the civil servants in charge of preserving our history) deem it to have zero market value, and not worth preserving. It is very sad to be so. For example, a worthless piece of newspaper used for wrapping vegetables back in 19th century, is a valuable item in the current age. Another example. Museums. Is it enough that we showcase the latest in technology and illustrate historical items with 3D imaging, of say, a 17th century relic? How does it compare to displaying the actual item? Which museum in the world is renowned to have majority of its displays in . just photos/3D images/3D models? I think I may have diverted away from the initial question.... anyway I just hope something gets done soon, before our modernisation efforts wipe out even 1960s/1970s stuff that we can still occassionally find. Remember its not just the valuables that make up what is worth conserving. Conservation (of our history/culture) is about a common memmory. Think National Library vs Tunnel.
Answer 43Hi there went to my son k2 graduation today and basically I enjoy the whole entire whole Bishan k2 join in the fun by performing dance from all over the ,China,Korea,India,Spain many more and they have their individual give us a booklet to let us know what country comes my surprise,I saw Singapore!(the last one).I was thinking do we actually have some kind of clothes that represent Singapore?(SIA girl not counted as MAL also same),so I it finally comes,it was only singing....If talk about culture...I think what Singapore lack of is some kind of cultural clothes and cultural dance that once people see they know where we are think we can still do it cause our country is still is my .
Answer 44In my humble opinion, it is imperative that we keep the Singaporean heritage ringing by the ears of our young. I had wished there were more pro-active features of our multi-racism and diverse cultural heritage, especially after Singaporeans passed the history textbook phase. That is when most felt the inadequacy because they finally realised how little they know about their own country and unique culture. Most only remember Raffles, 1819, Sang Nila Utama and William Farquar.
Answer 45It's sad to say that the future prefer new things to old one... but it's the truth... The world is growing, technologies are more "wow" ... newer things keep on upgrading to the surface while older things were being left behind... When one family member or anyone wears all red on a festive season... hoping to brings in the festive feelings, the future "yucks" at you... Future in here means people nowadays... If you want the future don't "yucks" at you, only the media can do it... media is the world now... Everything the media say... Everyone agreed on it... even on the most childish or stupid thing... They'll say "yes, yes, yes..". So sad... ;^_^; I'm just hoping... that the media will do good things... spread "real" love to the world so hopefully, the world will get better... and people will not keep throwing old things... while they stocked up the new ones... (Old things here doesn't just mean products or any goods... it's refer to everything... It's value, feeling, love... everything...) Warmest Regards... Winz ^_^
Answer 46There is so much to learn from history, albeit boring at times. Cultural events and heritage trails will definitely liven up the effort to introduce the future generation to the interesting aspect of history. Personally, I think there is a desire for everyone to find out about the past. The problem is when any enthusiasm is extinguished early on in the childhood. I guess in Singapore society, the go-getter attitude has act to extinguish this enthusiasm by emphasizing the importance of science and tech. It has brought up a generation of nonchalant citizen. Maybe, a good idea is not just to educate the youth but also the parents that often acts to play down the importance of a "useless" subject like history.
Answer 47I think preserving history is like an beacon point..as u move along, u need to look back to see where u have come from, how far u have come and also to remember the path u too. I remember when the govt with gusto decided to bring down the old library at Stamford road..it was a sad moment..the building on its own may not have had much architectural value ( as URA deemed ) however, a whole generation grew up knowing the place..many fond memories..so as u grow older u look back and have a warm feeling....u can preserve the shell and make so many other uses of the building and that's what it is all about not putting up new buildings and calling it progress..at the end..its at what cost..a house without fond memories is just a house and not a home..and this applies to Singapore. Ulltimately todays building will be tomorrow's monument..so the idea is to preserve what we can while we can.
Answer 48I am 44 yrs old who have grown up in a kampung setting. Those life I missed much that I do sometimes visit the places that I have lived, like the old Alexandra Post Office where I first started my saving accounts using stamps. All have said that keeping our heritage alive is important, it more important for our younger generation to appreciated history. But the truth is, many are not. They would rather party, go shopping, hangout with friends till wee hours in the morning. How to get them interested? Well, I was just thinking, some major events like StanChart Marathon, Adventure races, or any other events that have a large attendance of youths, should be done around heritage areas with history theme
Answer 49Yes, I think there's certainly value in doing so... because one's heritage is akin to one's roots...like, well, everyone's part of the country, so the country's history is part of everyone's background as well. Therefore, just like everyone should know of their own background, the country's history should be kept in mind as well. Plus, I do believe that knowing the history of our own country will strengthen the sense of belonging we feel towards it.
Answer 50there is merit. but its not measurable. id say just work on getting them interested. have a website they can go to. i dont think its a good use of class time (read tax payer)
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