The exhibition “Bukit Brown: Our Roots, Our Future” was co-organised by All Things Bukit Brown and the Chui Huay Lim Club and held between 29th June and 7th July 2013. With over 60 panels, it marked the biggest exhibition of its kind on Bukit Brown.
It was officially launched by Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam who gave the opening speech before touring the exhibition, which featured collections from descendants as well from private collections.
This website is an online collection of the exhibition, with links to the panels, and links to some of the talks that were given during the exhibition.
A brief overview of the whole exhibition can be found here: http://bukitbrown.com/main/?p=6727
We invite you to come and immerse yourself in this virtual exhibition: Welcome!!!
Saturday 29th June 2013 – Sunday 7th July 2013
9 am – 9 pm
Chui Huay Lim Club, 190 Keng Lee Road
All Things Bukit Brown and Chui Huay Lim Club proudly present an exhibition and talks on Bukit Brown Cemetery tracing its history and significance to the development of Singapore, in Mandarin and English.
Guest of Honour, Ms. Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, and Chair of Singapore Art Museum will officially launch the exhibition at 7 pm, on Saturday 29th June 2013.
Our Roots, Our Future has 4 themes highlighting:
1) History and Background – Bukit Brown’s place in the history of the evolvement of Chinese cemeteries in Singapore, its administration and design.
2) Our Pioneers – their contributions to social and community services, education, commerce and banking; the role members of the Singapore chapter of Tong Meng Hui (China Revolutionary Alliance) and Republican Party played in the 1911 Revolution which changed the course of China’s history.
3) Tomb Culture – understanding tomb design, carvings and statuary in relation to feng shui principles and beliefs; the development of features unique to South East Asia such as Peranakan tiles and Sikh guards; inscriptions with different calendar systems, ranks , and insignia reflecting a century of political change of China and colonial powers.
4) The Living Cemetery – speaks to the potential of Bukit Brown for UNESCO World Heritage listing by showcasing the popular weekend heritage and nature tours conducted by volunteer guides, flora and fauna, student projects, refurbished tombs, Qing Ming and the community of tomb keepers.
Exhibition artifacts include a 3 D model of Bukit Brown, tomb statuaries, Peranakan tiles and implements used in feng shui.
Complementing the exhibition is a series of talks which include presentations on cemetery research in Malaysia and Singapore culminating in a panel discussion, nature in Bukit Brown, personal accounts by descendants on rediscovering their roots and Qing Ming practices.
There will be also be a screening and talk by the producer of “Light on Lotus Hill” – an award winning documentary set against the backdrop of the Sino Japanese war about the Buddhist Abbot Venerable Pu Liang and the part he played in supporting the China Relief Fund and the recruitment of Nanyang volunteers who served on the Burma Road