Afroza's Reflection

Upon receiving this heritage trail as (part of ) an assignment, I was quite excited thinking of all the possible places that I could go on a trail on and learn more about. But when my group drew 'Kampong Glam' as the trail, I was pretty despondent (such a strong emotion, I know!) All I thought of was isn't this the place I always am 'hanging out' at? It's impossible to find anything new about this place alright. But like it has been, history always corrects my knowledge of the past.

Any or rather every prior opinion that I had about Kampong Glam as a historical location changed when I went on this heritage trail. My perspectives of Kampong Glam has more significant insights to it now. When you are there, going through each place, and finding out about the history that took place that those individual place, you are anything but left in awe. It was almost as though you could imagine what it was like at that time, at that exact spot. It also reminded me of perhaps, how ignorant we, unconsciously, may have been - I mean just how many Singaporeans who shop at Arab Street or visit those lanes at Bussorah Street ever stopped and wonder just why are these places called the names they are called? Or even know that at the very streets lanes in front of Sultan Mosque Hajj pilgrims spent their nights away waiting for their buses?

I must say though the trip to the Heritage Center was a unique experience on its own. I could appreciate the efforts that had been made to conserve these buildings and even create 're-creation' to give us the visual display of the past as it was then. However, now that I think about it, could more have been done to promote Kampong Glam as not just a tourist attraction but , to the locals as well , create awareness of its rich histories within the lanes of Arab Street?

However if you were to ask me just how much as the government put in the effort to really conserve the history in that place, I would have to raise doubts on that one. Yes the buildings are still there, the Sultan Mosque is still where it stood, with tourist information guide at the front entrance, the Kedung Kuning is still where it was before, though now turned into a restaurant and efforts have been put in to revamp the buildings and 'beautify' their appearance. However if you realise, and like what my other group members have pointed out in their own reflections as after thoughts, only some really specific places have truly been 'taken care of'. If you were to look at one particular example, Kubor Muslim Cemetery, you would perhaps understand the level of 'conservation' the government has done. The place practically looks abandoned, with just a wall surrounding it. There aren't even proper fencing given, Could you call it negligence in their part because tourists wouldn't really be interested in seeing where people from the past were buried and what sort of history they might have been behind it? I also was told of another reason, which I am not able to provide any evidence to, that perhaps the land that the cemetery sits on is in fact not part of Singapore and it is in fact part of Malaysia. Yet again I must say this is just an after thought of another person's view. But even if that is the case, surely something could have been done to keep the resting places of people in a better condition?

Another thought that was raised in my mind was, was this 'history' that's being put forward to the public's and tourist's eyes a little too 'fabricated'? Only very selected places are considered as 'historical monuments' in Kampong Glam when in fact the entire place enveloped in Arab Street tells us a story of its own.

I wouldn't say I didn't learn anything in this heritage trail. All in all, this was truly a unique experience for me. I got to do it together with a group of people who had shared this journey to the past and back with me. It was fun filled, it was enriching and truly an eye opening trail.