Thank You

Hi everyone,

Thank you for making this fieldwork a blast for me and my group members. We hope that you have enjoyed yourselves for the entire journey.

I had a lot of fun and learn new things from the 2 groups!!

Glad that I have taken Social Studies!! Hope we will continue to inspire many young lives..

Photos will be posted next week. Come back soon to check them out!!

See you!

Awesome!

I think as teachers, and teachers-to-be, it's important to encourage not only students, but our fellow colleagues.

Great job guys!

(:

Into the time machine

Every year...

There will be people transported to the past to complete the secret manual so that they can attain a special skill...

These people, in their modern outlook went into the lives of the people in the past.

If you are given the chance to go back to the past, what would you ask?

......

This year, would you be the one to be transported?

DO YOU KNOW?? Streets in Chinatown (Part 4)

Some historial information about Mosque Street..

In the Past





South Indian Muslims (a.k.a. Chulia Muslims) from the Coromandel Coast in India settled down in Singapore from the early 19th century onwards. The poorer South Indian Muslims settled down in the northern part of Chinatown, such as Mosque Street while the affluent ones lived in the southern part of Chinatown such as on the Market Street.



As women began travelling from India to Singapore only from the 1860s onwards, many South Indian Muslims who arrived here prior to the 1860s married local Malay women. Their offspring made up for a new race of people known as Jawi-Peranakan. To serve to the religious needs of the South Indian Muslims, Malays and the Jawi-Peranakan, the Jamae Mosque or Chulia Mosque was built on this street between 1830 and 1835.



Eventually, this street came to be known as Mosque Street due to the presence of the Mosque there. The exact time period during which the naming took place is unknown. Though located in the heart of Chinatown, Mosque Street was equally home to the Malays and the South Indian Muslims as well, apart from the Hakkas and Cantonese who set up shops on the street. The South Indians Muslims worked as small traders and money changers, the Hakkas usually sold second hand goods and the Cantonese set up restaurants or worked as jewellers and tailors.



The street in fact was a well-known food alley in the 19th century. Around 10 stables existed on this street in the 19th century, as Malays known to be good syces, earned their living handling horses.



In the Present Days



Today the street is under the Chinatown-Kreta Ayer Conservation Area as Chinatown was gazetted as a conservation area in 1989.Mosque Street runs parallel to a portion of Upper Cross Street and Pagoda Street on its either side. The street still retains its commercial flavour with shops set up inside the conserved shophouses lining the street. Part of the area bound by Cross Street and Mosque Street is lined with quaint 4-storey shophouses housing restaurants and shops within them.



As shophouses are usually one, two or three storey buildings, such 4-storied shophouses are not commonly found. Jamae Mosque, built in Chinese, Anglo-Indian and Malay architecture, adds to the old world flavour of the street. It is a gazetted national monument since 1974. As part of the efforts to revitalise Chinatown by the Singapore Tourism Board, many new eating places and bars have been set up on Mosque Street. The street currently bears a new look with traditional features of the street being blended into modern styles.







(Information taken from http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg)

DO YOU KNOW?? Streets in Chinatown (Part 3)

Some historial information about Temple Street..



In the Past




Temple Street was originally called Almeida Street after Joaquim d'Almeida who owned land at the junction of Temple and Trengganu Streets. In 1908, Almeida Street was renamed Temple Street.


Temple Street got its name from the Sri Mariamman Temple located at the junction of Temple Street and South Bridge Road. It is also probable that the street was named Temple Street due to the presence of many temples in the vicinity of the road around the area and not necessarily after Sri Mariamman Temple.


Sri Mariamman Temple, built in 1827, is the oldest Hindu temple in Singapore.In the 19th century, the area around Temple Street was home to the Chinese although there were also Malay and Indians homes, thus explaining the presence of Muslim and Hindu places of worship in the vicinity. Indians and Malays lived in large numbers on the nearby Cross Street and Chulia Street.


Temple Street was popular for Cantonese Operas until 1927 notwithstanding the fact that it was supposed to be a Teochew enclave. The area bound by Temple Street and Smith Street was also popular for tinsmith shops. Temple Street also had a lucky streak as it was unharmed by bombs during the World War II.

In the Present Days

Currently, Temple Street is lined with quaint 2-storey baroque style shophouses, some of which have been rebuilt or renovated as part of the Chinatown conservation plans. In 1997, a part of Temple Street was converted into a pedestrian mall.







(Information taken from http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg)

About Samsui woman

Watch the video below.



Want to know more about Samsui woman and what they do?

Your questions will be answered during this coming Friday's fieldtrip to Chinatown Heritage Centre!

Get EXCITED. =)

DO YOU KNOW?? Streets in Chinatown (Part 2)

Some historial information about Smith Street.

In the Past



Smith Street was popularly referred to as hei yuen kai or "theatre street", a reference to the 834-seat Chinese theatre Lai Chun Yuen, which was located at No. 36 Smith Street. The theatre was built in 1887 and was very popular among the Cantonese community in Chinatown for Cantonese opera.

The popularity of the theatre gave rise to colloquial names for the streets surrounding it; Temple Street was hei yuen hau kai or "theatre back street", and Trengganu Street was hei yuen wang kai or "side street". Between the 1910s and 1920s, performances would play to a packed audience in the Chinese theatre.

Smith Street had a darker side, serving as a red light area between 1901 and 1930. There were at least 25 brothels on the street. It was only in 1930, after the Straits Settlement Ordinance No.15 entitled Women and Girl's Protection had come about, that prostitution was brought under control. The street was also popular as a place for those seeking jobs. Job seekers would congregate at this street for hire by prospective employers.

In the Present Days



The southern end of Smith Street has been converted into an outdoor eating area known as the Chinatown Food Street which officially opened on 13 November 2001. This was part of the Chinatown redevelopment project by the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board and supported by various government and grassroots agencies. The attractions on this Food Street are the hawker kiosks and shop-house restaurants offering a variety of Chinese delicacies. This section of the street is closed to traffic in the evening.

(Information taken from http://infopedia.nlb.gov.sg)

DO YOU KNOW?? Streets in Chinatown (Part 1)

Some historial information about Sago Street..

Sago is used in food, especially in puddings and grown in tropical areas. In the past, there were many sago factories in this area and hence, the street was named after them.

"The Street of The Dead"

In the Past


(Photo taken from http://www.aliciapatterson.org/APF001971/Skerly/Skerly10/Skerly10.html)

Death houses once lined both sides of Sago Lane. A death house was literally where the poor cmae to die. Most of Singapore's poor Chinese immigrants lived in overcrowded quarters, where there were hardly enough space for the living, let alone the dying.

This, coupled with superstitution that dying in one's home brought bad luck to the remaining residents, led to the creation of the death houses. Medical care and facilities at the dead house were minimal, for those who entered did not expect to recover. Rooms and dormitories offered the dying a place to rest, while the attached funeral parlours ensured a proper burial.

The dead person would be laid out in a Chinese coffin surrounded by colourful paper effigies of worldly goods, such as money, cars and houses. The effigies would then be burnt with some personal items belonging to the deceased. This ritual symbolised the assurance that wealth and comfort await him in the spirit world.

Death houses were a vital part of Chinatown community. They were outlawed in 1961 and shops selling funeral paraphernalia sprung up in their place.

(Information taken from street description along Sago Street.)

The Present Days




It has been converted into a pedestrian mall. It houses food outlets, bars, retail shops and on the other side, there is a row of pushcarts selling a range of items.


THE BIG LIGHT BULB
1. Why are Death Houses no longer around today?

Post your comments by clicking on the " _ comment(s)" button below.

MRT Guide to Chinatown Heritage Centre

Disclaimer
Design of the train and people in the pictures shown may differ on the actual day of fieldwork.


Take a train from any train station islandwide.

Transfer to the North-east line at Dhoby Ghaut Station or Outram Station.

Alight at Chinatown Station.

Go up the escalator to the station exit.

Exit the gantry by tapping your ez link card on the sensor. :)

Look at to see this sign.

Walk towards Exit A to Pagoda Street.

Follow the second sign you see and head towards the escalator.

Take the escalator to the street level. (Please see disclaimer above.)

You will be greeted by this "Lim Chee Guan" red signboard at the end of the escalator.

Walk STRAIGHT along this stretch of shophouses.. You may stop by to shop ONLY IF you are early. :)

Keep looking left, you will be greeted by this BIG RED SIGN that says..

CHINATOWN HERITAGE CENTRE

Congratulations!! You have arrived at the destination!!

Please wait outside CHC. Our friendly facilitators will be there to welcome you!!

Where is Chinatown Heritage Centre??

Here's a map showing you where Chinatown Heritage Centre is located..

(Map taken from http://www.streetdirectory.com/)

How to get to Chinatown Heritage Centre

You can take a train towards North-east line and alight at Chinatown Station (NE4).


Here are some simple driving directions to CHC..

From West

• Take Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) to Central Expressway (CTE)
• Exit onto Merchant Road
• Turn right at New Bridge Road
• Turn left at Temple Street

From North

• Take Central Expressway (CTE)
• Exit onto Havelock Road
• Turn right at New Bridge Road
• Turn left at Temple Street

From East

• Take Pan Island Expressway (PIE) towards Jurong
• Exit towards CTE (City)
• Exit onto Havelock Road
• Turn right at New Bridge Road
• Turn left at Temple Street

or

• Take East Coast Parkway (ECP)
• Exit onto Rochor Road
• Turn left at Victoria Street
• Go straight to Hill Street and New Bridge Road
• Turn left at Temple Street

You can park your vehicles along Temple Street.

Parking rate is $1 per half an hour.

Our Fieldwork at Chinatown Heritage Centre

Hi all,

Welcome to our blog!!

Our group's Social Studies Fieldwork will be conducted at Chinatown Heritage Centre (CHC).


Here are some information which you need to know..

Place: Chinatown Heritage Centre

Date: 14 March 2008 (Friday)

Time: 2.30pm to 5.30pm

Place of Assembly: Outside CHC

Things to Bring:

1. Writing Materials
2. Water Bottle
3. Jacket (Optional)
4. Camera (Optional)
Please note that no photography or videography is allowed in the CHC premise.
5. NIE Student Pass + $4
Please note that the student pass will entitled you to enter CHC at a concession rate of $4 instead of normal rate of $9.80 (Adult).

Watch this space for more updates for the direction to CHC!!