The Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (SYSNMH) is holding an exhibition about the Balestier Precinct to show that this place is much more than its tau sar piah shops. The exhibition, titled, Balestier: A Hundred Years, shows what the area was like from the mid 19th century to the 1960s. There are 130 artifacts that show how people settled, what they did for fun, and some of the cultural developments that existed during the era. This event is from Nov 21-Apr 24, and was launched in tandem with the Wan Qing CultureFest, which ends on Dec 5. Here’s what you can do:
For history nerds: The Aljunieds of Singapore (Jan 16)
From 2:30pm-4pm, Dr. Mariam Aljunied, a descendant of the spice trader and philanthropist Syed Sharif Omar bin Ali Aljunied, will talk about her family history and how it has shaped the area. She shows us how her ancestor settled in Balestier when he first came to Singapore, which was then known as “Kebun Limau,” and talks about how her family integrates culture and tradition while living in a very modern city.
For foodies: Balestier Food and Heritage Trail (Nov 28, Jan 16, Feb 27, Mar 12, Apr 16)
Foodies, this one’s for you. From 10:30pm-12:30pm, you get to wander around various heritage sites to sample the famous eating spots in the district. There is a limit of 30 participants for this walk, and the group will be split in two as there will be two guides to conduct the tour in English and Mandarin. Remember to register here or risk losing your place.
For film buffs: 88 Years of Singapore Cinema and The Hunt for the Red Lion (Nov 25 and Nov 29)
The Singapore Film Society will take you through the history of film in Singapore in this lecture, while the latter is a screening that is a re-interpretation the Sang Nila Utama legend (you know, the one in which this king saw a lion). This documentary will explore the origins of the city’s multicultural roots. The first event is from 2pm-4pm, while the second is from 10:30am-12pm.
For your mom: Night Under the Stars – Medley of Opera (Nov 28)
If you don’t know dialect, bring your mom or aunt to help you translate at this event. From 7:30pm-9:30pm, there will be gazaixi (a type of Chinese opera from the Fujian province) and a face-changing performance, where a man literally changes the masks he wears in rapid succession. There will be 50 changes (to commemorate SG50 obviously.) These performances will be presented by the group Tok Tok Chiang.
All events are free.
