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the study of our region.

rsp.

this blog revolves around my study and understanding of our region, through the regional studies programme. i hope you like it! haha navigate by clicking the images on top.

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an inside look into the cultural enclaves in singapore.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008; 11:18 PM

before the field study to the burmese, thai and filipino enclaves in Singapore, i hadn't really understood the immense number of foreignors living in Singapore. somewhere in the depth of my mind, i never really stopped to think about it. So well, the trip was indeed eye-opening and definitely taught me a lot more about the people from South East Asia who reside in Singapore and their interesting culture.

the trip was a while ago, in late august.
well first we visited a burmese buddhist temple where burmese congregate. Called the Sasanaramsi, it took 10 years to be built. There, we learnt a little about buddhism and how there are two types of buddhism. Also, burmese buddhist scriptures were written in the Pali language, which is close to Sanskrit, an ancient indian language. It's really nice to see how everything is connected in one way or other. The temple used Teak wood and marble in its construction, because these materials are abundant in Myanmar. Did you know the colour fo the robes worn for monks differ from different types of Buddhism too? Other interesting facts we found out were that the buddha statue in the temple was carved out of a large marble hill(Sagyin Hill) bought by a guy named U Kyaw Gaung. It stands at 11 feet high and weighs ten tons and was shipped to Singapore in 1921.

later on we went to the Golden Mile Complex, which housed many thai businesses like shops, eateries and clubs. the place has been plagued with negative comments on its unsightly exterior because of owners adding unauthorised externsions. There were many thai people there, and the place had the smell of thai food like bamboo and dried fish, which are a common staple for the thais. There was even a thai deity statue at the front of the mall. most people here looked less cohesive than in the burmese enclave, which might be due to the thais having more immigrants and thus it might be harder to be close as a community.