It’s almost that time of the year where Singapore unites to celebrate its independence, and this National Day, look no further than The Arts House’s LumiNation 2020 to check out lesser-known narratives which have shaped our country.
Happening from Aug 1-30, see the annual festival be transformed into a virtual event with digital talks and video projects held across the month. And with a new theme of The Migration Edition, expect LumiNation to explore a nation fabricated by many different communities living on our shores. Through the lenses of authors and academics alike, also get to understand the global phenomenon of how migration is deeply connected to our sense of identity.
First, discover how migrants’ views of Singapore have evolved prior to and after their arrival at Imagining Migration and Migrants in Singapore, a talk conducted by Anju Mary Paul that delves into the power of imagination in constructing the identity of migrants in our society.
Then continue to get a good glimpse of this subject in ethnomusicologist Tan Shzr Eee’s work Sounds of Precarious Labour: Transient Workers, Hidden Musicians as she utilises soundscapes of a migrant worker’s day to reveal their unseen private lives. It is truly a nod to how little is known about their lives, in vast contrast to their hard labour.
You’ll even get to know more about individuals of this vibrant community in a 15min video project entitled Little Things We Cherish by migrant worker poet Shivaji Das, who offers candid testimonials by a number of migrant workers themselves.
The Shape of Home: Urban Abodes in Colonial Singapore
Our sunny island is no doubt representative of cultural diversity and heritage too. To recognise the origins and lives of the various communities, check out a series of programmes including Peranakan Community, that’s a collaboration with the Peranakan Association which cites the history and movement of Peranakan communities across the Malay Archipelago. Spread through Penang, Melaka and Singapore, and find out about the distinct identities that have emerged as cultures intertwine.
Finally, as Hari Raya Haji approaches, don’t miss out on the Baweanese community in Singapore, a significant stop for Muslims on their Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. Via web series Orang Phebien: The Baweanese in Singapore, be enlightened on their cultural practices and perspectives from second and third-generation Baweanese living in Singapore.
But these are just a couple of the main highlights from this year’s exciting digital debut of LumiNation. The arts festival encompasses more virtual offerings; just head over to the site to check out the full list of programmes. The best part? Explore and learn leisurely with so much material about Singapore available at your fingertips. After all, there’s no better way to pay homage to your homeland than by understanding what it embodies.
LumiNation 2020 runs from Aug 1-30 online. More information available here.
