Kampong Glam

     Whoopee . . . the weekend is here ! ! Time for another update. I headed straight to Kampong Glam as promised . . to this Malay Heritage Centre. Admission is free for this

month because it is reopened early this month by our Prime Minister after a makeover.

The New Look
   

       Before it converted into a  museum, it was home to Malay royalty in Singapore. Tengku Mohammed Ali built the Istana in 1840 at Sultan Gate. This modest palatial residence was designed by colonial architect George D. Coleman. So you think Glam comes from the word glamorous, however in this case 'Glam' is the name of a particular tree that grew in this area in early Singapore.

  

     On this hazy afternoon, to think that I'm stepping into a palace is a great privilege. It is the next best thing to being in a castle. Most of the castles I have dreamed of going are all in my head. Oh, I did actually go to one and that was Cinderella's Castle. Not kidding of course. 

  

    After taking off my footwear, it felt like entering a house. The smell of fresh paint greeted me, the place doesn't look a day over 169. I climbed the wooden stairs to the second storey to where the history begins . . . .     

    The Reception

Introducing Kampong Gelam as a Port Town

Gallery dedicated to our Pioneers

  

 Kettledrum & Ceremonial Belt Buckles

Fishing as a means of livelihood in early Singapore

Fishing Nets & Baskets

Models of Boats from Sampans to Ships

 Alternative means Of Livelihood

Items used in jobs by hawkers, mason,etc

  

Shops selling carpets, clothes & batik

Hallway Gallery featuring Malay Pioneers

   Upon entering this gallery, I was surprised and happy to see two rows of cinema seats. Time to sit back, relax to see what the black and white clips were about. Snippets of old Malay movies. Then it showed the 1956 film 'Sumpah Orang Minyak' (The Curse Of The Oily Man). I finally get a glimpse of what it was about. It also brought me back to my schooldays when the whole class begged Sister Margaret, our form teacher to tell us the story about this Oily Man covered with oil roaming the streets at night. This is a number of Malay ghost myths. We sat rapt with attention listening to every word she said. One of the unforgetable moments I had enjoyed in my secondary school life.

Gamelan Ensemble

Ground floor galleries dedicated to music, arts and literature

Kuda Kepang. a tradition dance

Out at the lawn was music played by the Gamelan ensemble. This is the first time I see a Kuda Kepang performance. I noticed the dancers were riding the horses were being whipped and did not feel a thing. Later I learned that the performancers were actually in a trance. They would walk on coals, eat glass or grass.

With the re-opening of the Heritage Centre, a month long of programmes have been lined up. On a final note, I relived some old memories and discovered some nuggets of the Malay culture. I do love being in this palace because it felt very homey.

~*-*** -*~

Balik Kampung

Most Muslims celebrating Hari Raya, would have made their rounds visiting relatives and friends, feeling that kampong neighbourliness once again. However there is not much of a kampung enclave to return to except maybe to one of Singapore's last kampong (village) in Lorong Buangkok in Hougang. Set in a rural environment, a kampong home gives a feeling of simple laid back rustic life. Fruits trees and chickens running around the yard. Such houses often raised above the ground on stilts and have airy verandahs. It helps to keep the house dry, away from floods and pests. Put together with wooden planks and corrugated zinc for the roof.

Here is a small cosy room filled with love and memories. Look around you see mostly old stuff. The heirloom pieces inherited from grandparents, have become precious keepsakes. The soul of a home are your possessions. Vintages pieces are no longer a cast off. Every piece has a story to tell. Arrange in a nice vignette on your console and side tables. An old gramophone, old iron, old fan, lights, trunk, batik sarongs hang on a bamboo rack may seem like a repository of sorts. Such hand-me-downs can be repaired, restored and reused. Some new furniture nowadays come in distressed wood or recycled wood. Imperfections is charming now. Old walls that cracked and peeling with a rugged patina have suddenly become interesting. Nothing is quite complete without a comfy daybed filled with mismatched cushions to welcomes one to sit on or lounge in.

  

To experience the nostalgia, simply collect things that are vintage. Collecting fabrics, art and objects reflects a love for artisanal craftsmanship. There is a growing interest in collecting old stuff and have them arranged in a lovely collection. Juxtapose kitsch and quirky memorabilia with modern furniture to go modern retro or new nostalgia. *A note of caution here, excessive collecting will turn you into hoarder. So just get wise and use what you need is more important and put these things to good use.

Will be heading down to Kampung Glam soon.

Another piece of history to uncover.

So bye for now.
. . or . .
You can click below to visit this nice 
Malay Resort

Rustic-Kampong-Ambience