The Parliament of Singapore passed the Administration of Muslim Law Bill on 17 August 1966. The resultant Administration of Muslim Law Act 1966 (AMLA), which came into operation almost two years later on 1 July 1968, provides for a centralised system of administration ...
Amber Road is an “L”-shaped road that connects the junction of Haig Road and Mountbatten Road to Tanjong Katong Road. The road name was linked to the family of Joseph Aaron Elias, a successful Jewish businessman in early 20th-century Singapore. A popular landmark ...
The Anglican Diocese of Singapore was established in 1909 to serve the needs of a growing Anglican community. It has been a pioneering force in the fields of education, medical work and community service. The church of the diocese, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, was founded ...
Arab Street lies between Victoria Street and Beach Road in the Kampong Glam area, and was part of the Rochor Planning Area of Singapore’s Central Region. Sir Stamford Raffles had designated the Kampong Glam area as the most appropriate area for Arabs to live in. ...
The Armenians are a small ethnic community who established themselves in Singapore, with no more than 100 Armenians ever living here at any given time. Vestiges of the importance of this community can be seen in the presence of place-names such as Armenian Street ...
The Association of Muslim Professionals (AMP) is a community self-help group established on 10 October 1991. It aims to be a “model organisation in community leadership”– one that collaborates with all parties to “bring about a dynamic Muslim community in the 21st ...
Ayam buah keluak is a mainstay of Peranakan cuisine. Made with chicken (ayam) braised in a thick, spicy tamarind gravy with buah keluak nuts, it is usually served with rice.
Bahau was an agricultural settlement established during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942–45) at Bahau in the Malayan state of Negeri Sembilan. It was also known as Fuji-Go, which means “Fuji village” or “beautiful village”. The settlement, which was specially ...
The baju kurong (or kurung) is a distinctive Malay dress worn by both men and women. Generally, men wear the baju kurong as a shirt top with pants while women pair it with a sarong. The baju kurong is believed to have originated in Indonesia, where the outfit is ...
Bak kut teh, or pork ribs soup, is a popular Chinese dish in Singapore. The dish consists of pork ribs stewed with a mixture of fragrant herbs and spices such as garlic, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds and coriander. Referring to the main ingredient ...
Bak kwa, also known as rougan (肉干), is a dried savoury sweetmeat that traditionally takes the form of thin square slices and is usually made from pork. Bak kwa and rougan, meaning “dried meat” in Hokkien and Mandarin respectively, also refer to barbecued pork or ...
Bee Cheng Hiang (美珍香) is a Singapore-based company that produces and sells a wide variety of food products, most notably its signature bakkwa (meaning “dried meat” in Hokkien; also known as rougan, or 肉干, in Mandarin) – barbequed pork slices. It is currently the ...
Several varieties of beef noodles exist in Singapore, but the term usually refers to a soup-based dish made of kway teow (flat rice noodles) accompanied with either thinly sliced lean beef, beef tripe and other innards, or beef balls. The beef broth is often clear ...
Located off Serangoon Road, Bendemeer House was formerly called the House of Whampoa or Whampoa House. It was a mansion designed and built in 1840 by Hoo Ah Kay (better known as Whampoa), a Kapitan China (“leader of the Chinese people”) of Singapore. In 1964, the ...
Betel chewing was known in the colonial days as betel-nut chewing. The art of paan or betel chewing dates back to the pre-Vedic Saivite Harappan empire, and the activity is also known as makan sireh in Malaysia and Singapore. It requires three different plants ...
Bidadari Cemetery was located at the base of Mount Vernon and bounded by Bartley Road and Upper Serangoon Road. It served the Christian, Muslim, Hindu and Sinhalese communities. Bidadari was the main Christian cemetery of Singapore from its official opening in ...
The convict jail at Bras Basah was established in response to the increasing number of convicts who were transported to Singapore from other places such as India and Hong Kong when Singapore was a penal colony in the early 19th century.
Bubble tea is a beverage originating from Taiwan comprising tea with fruit syrup or milk added, and then shaken. Tapioca balls or “pearls” are often added to the concoction as well. This beverage has undergone a few waves of popularity in Singapore.
The opening of Singapore as a British free port in 1819 attracted trade from the Bugis, a group of seafarers from the southern Celebes (today’s Indonesian island of Sulawesi). Travelling on their distinctive boats known as prahus, they brought with them specialised ...
The Bukit Brown Municipal Cemetery was established to serve the burial needs of the Chinese community. Officially opened on 1 January 1922, it operated for more than half a century before its closure in 1973. The cemetery was previously a section of a 211-acre ...
The Cantonese originated from the Guangdong province of China. According to the 2010 population census, they form about 15 percent of the Chinese population in Singapore, making them the third-largest Chinese subgroup in the country.
Fried carrot cake, or chai tow kway in the Teochew dialect, consists of cubes of radish cake stir-fried with garlic, eggs and preserved radish. The dish has two common versions: the white version, which is seasoned with light soya sauce, and the black version, ...
Formed in 1953, Cathay-Keris Studio was one of two key film producers (the other being Shaw Brothers) during the peak of filmmaking in Singapore in the 1950s and 1960s. The studio produced many black-and-white Malay films, and later also had co-productions with ...
The Celestial Reasoning Association (1882–1885) was considered the first debating society formed by the Straits Chinese, and the earliest literary society for educated Chinese. The association, which held its inaugural meeting on 27 May 1882, aimed to help members ...
Char kway teow (炒粿条; chao guo tiao in Mandarin) is a dish of flat rice noodles and tubular yellow wheat noodles fried in garlic, sweet soya sauce and lard, with ingredients such as egg, Chinese waxed sausage, fishcake, beansprouts and cockles. The dish, of Teochew ...
Charles Joseph Pemberton Paglar (b. 1 September 1894, Alor Gajah, Malacca –d. 9 December 1954, Singapore), surgeon, member of the Legislative Council, philanthropist, and sports patron, was a prominent Eurasian leader. During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore ...
The cheongsam (“long dress” in Cantonese), also known as qipao in Mandarin, is a dress style typically worn by Chinese women. The cheongsam was at the height of its popularity between the late 1920s and 1960s, when it was the standard dress for many Chinese women ...
Chesed-El Synagogue, located at Oxley Rise, is one of two synagogues currently in use in Singapore. It was designed by Regent Alfred John Bidwell of Swan & Maclaren, and completed in 1905. Its name, Chesed-El, means “bountiful mercy and goodness of God”. The building ...
Chilli crab is a popular seafood dish among locals and foreigners in Singapore and consists of mud crabs deep-fried in a sweet, savoury and spicy gravy. It has been referred to in various food publications as Singapore’s national seafood dish or even Singapore’s ...
China Street connects Cross Street to the junction of Pickering Street and Church Street. The street used to be notorious for its gambling dens and secret societies.
Chinatown is an estate located largely in the Outram area in the Central Region of Singapore. In his 1822 master Town Plan, Sir Stamford Raffles allocated the whole area west of the Singapore River for a Chinese settlement known as the Chinese Campong (kampong ...
For the Chinese, the family is regarded as the primary unit of society. A birth within the family therefore holds special significance for the community, and is associated with a number of rituals. Although traditional birth observances have largely given way to ...
The Chinese Christian Association (CCA) was established in October 1889 and lasted for more than half a century. The group organised religious activities such as bible classes alongside secular activities including debates, lectures as well as drama and reading ...
Funeral rituals form an important part of Chinese social life. The Chinese undertake these rituals partly out of filial piety, and partly out of the belief that there is a continued relationship between the living and dead. Although traditional rituals have gradually ...
Chinese New Year is celebrated by most Chinese in Singapore. The first day of the lunar new year usually falls between the winter solstice (dongzhi) and spring’s beginning (lichun). This typically falls between 21 January and 20 February each year.
Various cakes, fruits, sweetmeats, nuts and delicacies are popular treats served and eaten during Chinese New Year as part of festivities celebrated in Singapore by those of Chinese descent. These items are served primarily because their names have auspicious double ...
Chinese New Year celebrations are accompanied by specific rites and rituals with strict prohibitions and taboos.
The Chinese Post Office Riots of 15 December 1876 were a series of violent protests by the local Chinese community to demolish a new post office established by the colonial government to handle letters and remittances sent to China. The perpetrators of the riots ...
Chinese street storytelling was a popular form of entertainment in Singapore during the colonial period and up till the 1960s. The storytellers set up makeshift premises in various locations in the evening, and read aloud in dialect to paying customers seated around ...
Chinese wedding customs and tradition generally vary according to dialect group. Although modernisation has resulted in the simplification of traditional marriage rituals, a Chinese wedding is often not considered complete until the couple have performed the customary ...
Chingay is an annual street parade held in Singapore as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. The term “Chingay” is derived from the Hokkien Chinese term 妆艺, which means “to decorate a frame with incense and boys dressed as girls carried in processions”, according ...
Chomp Chomp Food Centre, originally known as Serangoon Garden Food Centre, is a landmark in Serangoon Gardens estate because of the good food offered there.
Numerous rites and rituals associated with Christmas which have been handed down through the ages have been adopted by Asians and Singaporeans in an odd mixture. Aside from Christmas trees, gift exchanging, Christmas greetings sent through cards and the inevitable ...
The Church of the Holy Family, which is located at the junction of East Coast and Chapel roads in Katong, has been a centre of activity for the Roman Catholic community in the East Coast area since it was built in 1932. The church's beginnings were humble, starting ...
Situated on Collyer Quay at the mouth of the Singapore River, Clifford Pier was built between 1927 and 1933, and officially opened by then Governor Cecil Clementi on 3 June 1933. It was named after Clementi’s predecessor, Hugh Clifford, who served as governor of ...
On 8 August 2011, local daily freesheet Today published a news feature that mentioned a dispute between a migrant family from China and a Singaporean Indian family over the smell of curry emanating from the latter’s home. Following the publication of the news article, ...
The "curry murder" was a high-profile murder case in 1984 that supposedly involved the perpetrators covering up the killing by chopping the victim Ayakanno Marimuthu's (given as Marithamuthu in some sources) body into pieces and cooking them in curry. In March ...
A curry puff is a deep-fried or baked, semi-circular pastry filled with curried fillings. The origins of this snack are uncertain and attributed variously to the influences of the British Cornish pasty, the Portuguese empanada and the Indian samosa.
The Dalhousie Obelisk commemorates the visit of then governor-general of India (1848–1856), the Marquis of Dalhousie, James Andrew Broun-Ramsay, to Singapore between 17 and 19 February 1850. Singapore, as part of the Straits Settlements, was administered under ...
Dalhousie Pier, also known as Dalhousie Ghaut, was a 19th-century jetty located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the vicinity of the former Empress Place Building (now Asian Civilisations Museum). The pier was named after the Marquis of Dalhousie, James ...
The David Elias Building, completed in 1928, is situated at the junction of Short Street and Middle Road. The building features various Stars of David in bas-relief on its facade. The words “David Elias Buildings” and the year of its completion are inscribed beneath ...
Deepavali, or Diwali (literally translated as “a row of lights”; also known as the Festival of Lights), is a festival celebrated by Hindus worldwide. The festival falls on the 14th day of the dark fortnight in the Tamil month of Aipasi (mid-October to mid-November), ...
Dikir barat is a style of Malay choral singing popular in Singapore and Malaysia. With a flexible format that incorporates singing, poetry, movement and music, dikir barat is a form of entertainment that cuts across various segments of society.
Dondang sayang is a traditional poetic art form mainly associated with the Malay and Peranakan (Straits Chinese) communities in Singapore and Malaysia. The term is derived from the Malay words dondang or dendang, meaning “to sing”, and sayang, which encompasses ...
The Dragon Boat Festival (Duan Wu Jie), is also known as Duan Yang, which means “Upright Sun” or “Double Fifth”. Falling on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month around the summer solstice, the festival is also commonly referred to as the Fifth Month Festival ...
The dragon dance, also known as longwu (龙舞) or longdeng (龙灯), is a traditional Chinese dance performance involving a team of performers using poles to rhythmically move a dragon prop. The dance is performed during Chinese festive celebrations such as Lunar New ...
The early Straits Chinese associations and clubs were not only meeting places for the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) community, but had also served as educational platforms and the political mouthpiece of the community.
Easter usually falls on a Sunday between 22 March and 25 April. It is a Christian festival that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
John Edwin Tessensohn (b. 8 April 1855, Malacca–d. 26 September 1926, Singapore), better known as Edwin Tessensohn, was a prominent citizen in colonial Singapore. He was the president of the Singapore Recreation Club for 25 years (non-consecutively between the ...
Endau Settlement was a 300,000-acre agricultural settlement set up at Endau, in the Malayan state of Johor during the Japanese Occupation for Chinese settlers. It was considered the most successful self-sufficiency scheme initiated by the Japanese authorities to ...
Eu Tong Sen Street begins from a stretch of road formed by the meeting of two roads, Jalan Bukit Merah and Kampong Bahru Road, and ends at the junction of Hill Street, Fort Canning Rise and Coleman Street. An artery of the Chinatown hub and a shopping haven, the ...
Fasting is the third of the five pillars of Islam. It comes after professing the oneness of God and accepting Prophet Mohammed as the Messenger. After fasting come paying the zakat or "tithe" and performing the haj or the pilgrimage, if that particular Muslim can ...
Feng shui literally means “wind and water”. It is a study of man’s position in the environment, combining various disciplines such as astrology, geography, ecology, psychology, architecture and aesthetics. Singapore has an active community of professional geomancers ...
Firecrackers are called baozhu (爆竹) in Mandarin, meaning “bamboo explosions”. In ancient China, bamboo stems were burnt to create small explosions in order to drive away evil spirits. In later times, the lighting of firecrackers signalled a joyous occasion and ...
Staged on 10 August 1988, Kuo Pao Kun’s Mama Looking for Her Cat was Singapore’s first multilingual play. Performed by the Practice Theatre Ensemble, the play focuses on the theme of Singapore’s multiracial, multicultural and multilingual society, brought out by ...
Fish head curry is a spicy, curried dish unique to Singapore. Blending the spices of a typical South Indian fish curry with the fish head, the dish is a delicacy among the Chinese.
Fook Tet Soo Khek Temple, better known as Wang Hai Da Bo Gong Miao, is located at the foot of Mount Palmer at Palmer Road (off Shenton Way). It is one of the earliest Chinese temples and the oldest Hakka institution established in Singapore.
Fried Hokkien prawn noodles, known locally as Hokkien mee, is a dish comprising thick yellow noodles fried in a rich prawn and pork stock and served with chilli and lime on the side. It is a popular local dish that has various accounts of its origins.
Gasing is a term that refers to both the Malay spinning top and the game of top spinning. Gasing was a popular game played in the kampongs (“villages” in Malay) of Singapore and Malaysia, especially among members of the Malay community. Competitive gasing is still ...
Getai (歌台), which literally means “song stage” in Chinese, is believed to have originated during the Japanese Occupation at the New World Amusement Park. It became a popular form of mass entertainment in the 1950s with getai established at various amusement parks. ...
On the morning of 6 January 1979, four children from the Tan family were violently murdered in their Housing and Development Board (HDB) flat. The four children, aged between 5 and 10 years old, were found slashed to death in the bathroom of their one-room flat ...
The Grosvenor Hotel, located in Oranje Building (now known as Stamford House), began as an extension of Raffles Hotel. Officially opened on 1 August 1921, it gained a reputation as a hotel of high standing in its own right. The Grosvenor closed in August 1926.
The Gunong Sayang Association, or Persatuan Gunong Sayang in Malay, is a Peranakan (Straits Chinese) social club that aims to promote Peranakan performing arts. It has played an instrumental role in preserving the Peranakan version of dondang sayang, the singing ...
Sayyid Noh bin Sayyid Mohamad bin Sayyid Ahmad Al-Habshi (b. 1788, en route to Penang–d. 27 July 1866, Singapore), or more popularly known as Habib Noh, is regarded as one of the seven wali (saint) in Singapore because of the many miracles attributed to him.
The Hainanese chicken rice is a dish that consists of succulent steamed white chicken cut into bite-size pieces and served on fragrant rice with some light soy sauce. The dish is topped with sprigs of coriander leaf and sesame oil, and accompanied by a garlic-chilli ...
The Hainanese in Singapore originated from Hainan province in China. According to the 2010 population census, the Hainanese community is the fifth-largest Chinese dialect group, and constitutes less than 7 percent of the Chinese population in Singapore.
Hainanese mutton soup (yang rou tang in Mandarin) is a herbal soup made with mutton, herbs and other ingredients. Traditionally, goat meat is used to make this dish. Its flavours are derived from the meat, the more than 10 kinds of herbs as well as fermented beancurd. ...
The Hakka community is the fourth-largest Chinese dialect group in Singapore. According to the 2010 Singapore census, the Hakkas made up about 8 percent of the Chinese resident population. riginating from southern China, the Hakkas were already in Singapore by ...
Hari Raya Haji (which means “great day of the haj” in Malay), also known as Aidiladha (alternatively spelt as Eid al-Adha or Eid Adha) or the Great Day of Sacrifice, is a Muslim festival that falls on the 10th day of Zulhijjah (the 12th month in the Islamic calendar). ...
The festival of Eid, known in Singapore as Hari Raya Aidilfitri or Hari Raya Puasa, falls on the first day of Syawal, the 10th month of the Hijrah (Islamic) calendar. It is a celebratory occasion following a month of fasting, which is known as Ramadan. Hari Raya ...
The Heritage Tree Scheme is an initiative by the National Parks Board (NParks) to promote the conservation of mature trees in Singapore.
The Hokkiens in Singapore came mainly from Zhangzhou and Quanzhou – two prefectures in China’s Fujian province. According to the 2010 Singapore census, Hokkiens form about 40 percent of the Chinese resident population, making them the largest Chinese dialect group ...
With its origins stretching back to 1840, the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan is one of the largest clan associations in Singapore with over 4,500 members as at 2015. It is a locality-based clan association for the Hokkien community and serves as an umbrella organisation ...
Hokkien prawn noodle soup is a popular local dish made up of Hokkien mee (thick yellow noodles) in a broth of pork bones and prawn stock made from prawn heads and shells, and garnished with bean sprouts, slices of pork and prawn, and kangkong (water spinach). Hokien ...
The Hokkien-Teochew Riots, also known as the Great Riots of 1854 or the Five Catties of Rice Riots, began on 5 May 1854. The riots stemmed from conflicts between the Hokkien and Teochew communities in Singapore. It was also suggested that secret societies were ...
A hongbao (or ang pow in Hokkien) is a gift of money packed into a red packet. Red is considered a symbol of luck, life and happiness. Hongbaos are given as tokens of good wishes during auspicious occasions such as Chinese New Year and weddings.
In an Indian household, as with all cultures, the arrival of a new baby is an occasion for much joy and celebration. The customs and traditions start before the baby is born and may continue for up to a year after birth. Various rituals and customs mark this period ...
Independent (commonly shortened to “indie”) music encompasses a wide range of musical genres, including rock, pop, metal and folk. Indie music is associated with alternative, non-mainstream productions and forms of distribution. Increasingly, the term “indie music” ...
The Jalan Kubor Cemetery is the oldest Muslim cemetery in Singapore. Located off Victoria Street, it contains the graves of many prominent Malays and Muslims from the 19th and 20th centuries. The cemetery is made up of three sections: one plot reserved for Malay ...
The Jewish community has been in Singapore since the early years of British colonisation, and has contributed significantly to Singapore’s development as a nation.
Located at the junction of Neil Road and Tanjong Pagar Road, the Jinrikisha (also spelt as “Jinricksha”) Station was built in 1903 and opened the following year, serving as the main depot for rickshaws. Following the 1947 ban on rickshaws in Singapore, the building ...
Joo Chiat is an area located in the eastern part of Singapore that is known for its multi-cultural heritage. It derived its name from a number of roads in the area named after plantation owner and philanthropist, Chew Joo Chiat. In the early 20th century, significant ...
Kambing soup or sup kambing is a spicy broth of mutton soup, traditionally made with goat meat that is cut into bite-sized chunks and stewed in spices, then served hot with toasted bread on the side. This dish is associated with the Indian Muslim community.
Kampong Glam (originally spelt “Campong Gelam” when it was named around 1830) is one of 10 subzones of the Rochor area located in the central region. The estate covers 56 ac of land located to the east of the 19th-century European town in Singapore, between Rochor ...
Karikal Lane refers to two short stretches of road, one off East Coast Road and the other branching off the first.
Ketupat is a diamond-shaped rice cake. This Malay food staple is made of cooked rice compressed and wrapped in woven coconut leaves. Originating from Indonesia and Malaysia, ketupat is often consumed as an accompaniment to meat dishes such as satay (skewered barbecued ...
Kolam, which means “beauty”, is a floor drawing made of coloured flour, and is used for ornamental or ceremonial design during traditional Indian festivities. In Northern India, it is known as rangoli.
Kreta Ayer Road, a one-way road in the heart of Chinatown, connects Neil Road to New Bridge Road. The road is historically important as it was the name given to Chinatown in the early 1800s and was known as tua poh (greater town district) in 19th-century Chinatown. ...
Kuih tutu is a small steamed cake made of finely pounded rice flour with a ground peanuts or grated coconut filling. Thought to be Chinese or South Indian in origin, kuih tutu is believed to be unique to Singapore.
Lian Shan Shuang Lin Monastery (莲山双林寺, which means “Twin Grove of the Lotus Mountain Temple”), or Shuang Lin Monastery for short, is a Buddhist monastery located in Toa Payoh. The name of the monastery refers to the twin groves of sala trees located at the Bodhgaya ...
Lim Chwee Chian (林推迁) (b. 21 January 1868, Haicheng, Fujian, China–d. 12 February 1923, Singapore) was a merchant and philanthropist. He was also a known leader of the Ngee Heng Kongsi, a Chinese secret society, in Singapore. Lim was probably one of the founders ...
The lion dance is a pugilistic performance dating back to more than 1,500 years. Its performance during auspicious occasions, such as the launch of new businesses and shops, is believed to bring good fortune and wealth. The lion dance is also performed during the ...
Lontong refers to compressed rice cakes, usually served as an accompaniment to curries and stews or as a side dish with peanut-based sauces. In Singapore, the term lontong also refers to a dish of vegetable stew in coconut curry, known as sayur lodeh, to which ...
Located not far from the Istana and the Cathay Building, MacDonald House has a relatively plain and nondescript facade. Completed in 1949, it was the first office building in Southeast Asia to be wholly air-conditioned, and was construed to symbolise optimism and ...
To the Malays, a birth is regarded as a gift bestowed by God. They believe that a child brings blessings and sustenance to the family. Babies are deemed pure, like a piece of white cloth, and parents play an important role in nurturing the child. At birth, the ...
The Malays think of death as part of a life cycle predestined by God. Malay Muslim funerals follow specific Islamic rites in accordance to syariah (religious laws), and are solemn and dignified affairs. The body of the deceased must be treated with honour and reverence, ...
Weddings of the Malay community are generally festive, grand and celebratory affairs with many guests. Ceremonies may be held over several days in traditional Malay weddings. The marriage is solemnised during the akad nikah (solemnisation ceremony). The highlight ...
Malayan Daching is a small and medium-size enterprise (SME) based in Singapore. Although the company began as a weighing scale manufacturer, their core business currently also includes engineering and construction.
Manasseh Meyer (Sir) (b. 1846, Baghdad, Iraq–d. 1 July 1930, Singapore) was a pioneer Jewish businessman who was responsible for the building of Maghain Aboth Synagogue on Waterloo Street and Chesed-El Synagogue at Oxley Rise. A key figure in the early Jewish community ...
Mandalay Villa at Amber Road was built in 1902 by Lee Cheng Yan (b. 1841–d.1911), a prominent businessman from the Peranakan (Straits Chinese) community. The beautiful bungalow with its fanciful facade was well known because of the parties thrown by Lee Cheng Yan’s ...
The Mandarin orange (Citrus reticulata) is a tropical and sub-tropical tree belonging to the family Rutaceae. Associated with good fortune by the Chinese, it is a features prominently in local Chinese New Year celebrations. The fruit is high in Vitamin C and its ...
Maria Huberdina Hertogh (b. 24 March 1937, Tjimahi, Java, Indonesia–d. 8 July 2009, Huijbergen, Netherlands), also known as Nadra (sometimes spelt as Natra) binte Ma’arof or just Bertha, was the focus of racial riots that occurred in Singapore in December 1950. ...
Maxwell Food Centre (originally known as Maxwell Market), located at the junction of South Bridge Road and Maxwell Road, is a popular hawker centre near the Central Business District.
Mee goreng (“fried noodles” in Malay) is a dish of fried noodles that is associated with South Indians but remains unique to this region. The noodle dish is an early fusion food that incorporates the yellow egg noodle commonly used in Chinese cuisine, with spices ...
Mee rebus is a dish comprising Chinese egg noodles in thick, spicy gravy. Reflecting the multiculturalism of Malaya, the dish contains spices from the Malay Peninsula and was originally peddled by Indian Muslim immigrants.
Mee siam is a dish of bee hoon (rice vermicelli) with a unique sweet and tart gravy. Some believe the name of the dish refers to Siam, the old name for Thailand, and that the dish is influenced by Thai cuisine, while others believe that the dish is Malay or Peranakan ...
The Mid-autumn Festival (or Zhong Qiu Jie in Mandarin), also known as the Mooncake Festival, falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. It is called the Mid-autumn Festival because the 15th day is the middle of a month, and the eighth lunar month is in the ...
Mohamed Eunos bin Abdullah (b. 1876, Singapore–d. 12 December 1933, Singapore) was one of the most notable nationalist intellectuals in the 1920s. He has been touted as the “father” of modern Malay journalism and a leader for Malay nationalism. He also championed ...
The Mosque Building Fund (MBF) was established in 1975 as a means of gathering funds for the building of mosques in new public housing estates in Singapore. Following the formation of the Mendaki Foundation in 1984, the MBF merged with the Mendaki Fund and was ...
The so-called “mosquito bus” is a small, seven-seater motor bus commonly seen on Singapore roads in the 1920s and 1930s. Following a raft of regulations implemented in the 1930s, mosquito buses were gradually phased out.
A South Indian restaurant famous for its fish head curry served on banana leaves. Established in 1969 at Race Course Road, it had expanded from a self-manned stall to a swanky restaurant that provides dine-in as well as catering services for big events.
Naan is a teardrop-shaped bread that is baked in a tandoor (traditional Indian clay oven) and served with various curries. The tandoor is rounded and has a beehive shape. Although tandoor cooking is associated with North Indian cuisine, particularly in Punjab, ...
Nasi lemak is a dish that comprises rice made fragrant with coconut cream and pandan leaves. A light meal that is believed to be Malay in origin, it is traditionally accompanied by fried anchovies, sliced cucumbers, fried fish known as ikan selar, and a sweet chili ...
Nasi ulam is a traditional Malay dish of rice (nasi) served with steamed or raw vegetables (ulam) that is accompanied by sambal (chilli paste).
With its wide facade and large dome, the National Museum of Singapore has been a prominent landmark on Stamford Road for over a century. It is Singapore’s oldest existing museum, currently devoted to the general history of Singapore.
Navaratri, meaning nine (nava) nights (ratri), is a festival celebrating the Hindu goddess Shakti, in all her different manifestations and glory. It is a popular festival that originated from India and is celebrated by Indians all over the world. In Singapore, ...
New Bridge Road is a one-way street that begins from Coleman Bridge on the south of Singapore River and ends at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street and Kampong Bahru Road.
The Nine Emperor Gods Festival is generally held from the last day of the eighth lunar month to the ninth day of the ninth lunar month among Chinese communities in Southeast Asia. It begins with the welcoming of the gods into the temple where they are to be worshipped ...
The nonya (or nyonya) kebaya is an outfit that is most associated with the women of the Peranakan community, who are commonly known as nonyas (or nyonyas). The nonya kebaya is believed to have developed from the Malay baju panjang (long dress), which comprises ...
Old Chang Kee is a food retail chain best known for its Hainanese-style curry puffs, which were first sold in 1956. The business was bought over and revamped in 1986, and has since expanded to a chain of over 70 outlets in Singapore. The outlets are located at ...
Orang laut, which literally means “sea people” in Malay, refers to the indigenous sea nomads and sea gypsies of Singapore. They were one of the earlier immigrants who settled along the coastlines of Singapore during pre-colonial days. The community typically lived ...
Orkestra Melayu Singapura (OMS), Singapore’s first Malay orchestra, was set up by the People’s Association (PA) in September 1991. Formed to preserve and promote Malay music in Singapore, OMS is the only orchestra in Singapore to combine modern and traditional ...
Otak-otak, also known as otah, is a dish of Malay and Peranakan origins. It is a blend of raw fish, chopped onions, coconut milk, herbs and spices bound together with egg. The puree is usually wrapped in a banana leaf and grilled over an open charcoal fire or in ...
One of Singapore’s earliest prisons was located at the foot of Pearl’s Hill in Outram. The original civil jail at the site was built in 1847 by Charles Edward Faber; in 1882, a new prison complex was built around the old civil jail by J. F. A. McNair. Originally ...
The Oversea Chinese Association (OCA), or 昭南岛华侨协会, was established in March 1942 during the Japanese Occupation of Singapore (1942–45). The association was formed under the direction of the Japanese military administration, with the original intention to mediate ...
Located in Chinatown, Pagoda Street runs parallel to Mosque Street and Temple Street. Together with Trengganu Street, it was converted into a pedestrian mall in 1997.
Pasar malam is the Malay term for night market or night bazaar, and a pasar malam typically opens for business when night falls. Pasar malam has its origins as weekly night markets organised by hawkers in 1950s Singapore. The night markets were phased out in 1978, ...
The Pondok Peranakan Gelam Club is a community club for the Bawean Malay community. Established officially in 1932, the club served as a communal home for Baweanese immigrants until the 1960s. Originally located at 64 Club Street, it moved to Telok Ayer Hong Lim ...
Ponggal or Pongal, also known as Makara Sankranti, is celebrated in mid-January by South Indians as a festival marking the rice harvest. Pongal, a mixture of sweet boiled rice is made and offered to Surya, the Sun God. The name is derived from the Tamil word pongu, ...
Popiah (also spelled poh piah), meaning “thin pancake” in Teochew, is a thin paper-like crepe or pancake wrapper stuffed with a filling made of cooked vegetables and meat. When deep fried, the crispy roll is more commonly known as a spring roll, but if the wrapper ...
Pulau Seking (also known as Pulau Sakeng or Siking) is one of the islands off Singapore’s south coast. It was home to the last Southern island kampong (village) community, before the islanders were resettled to make way for the development of a landfill.
Putu mayam is a south Indian snack of rice flour noodles, steamed and eaten with sweetened toppings such as grated coconut and gula melaka (palm sugar), or with savoury dishes such as curry, stew or chutney. Known in English as string hoppers, the snack is usually ...
Putu piring is a round, steamed rice cake filled with melted palm sugar or gula melaka, and eaten with freshly grated coconut. It is a popular local Malay snack.
Qing Ming Jie (清明节), which can be translated to mean “Clear and Bright Festival” or “Pure and Bright Festival”, is similar to All Souls’ Day observed in the Western world. It is a festival that falls in early April, 106 days after the December winter solstice. ...
Ramakrishna Mission Singapore, located off Bartley Road, is a branch of the Ramakrishna Order of India, a worldwide spiritual and welfare organisation. Known for its services to the needy and poor, the mission strives to spiritually elevate people and the uplift ...
Rendang is a popular dish of meat stewed in coconut milk and spices, commonly found in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. It has a long history in the region with distinct versions unique to individual Malaysian states that use different ingredients for the rempah ...
Rojak is a local salad of mixed vegetables and fruits, drizzled with a sweet and sour sauce comprising local prawn paste, sugar and lime. Rojak in Malay means "mixed", but the dish exemplifies the cultural diversity of Singapore, including both Chinese and Malay ...
Roti john is a local dish consisting of the sliced halves of a French loaf fried with a topping of minced mutton, sliced onions and egg. The dish is unique to the Malay Peninsula, with its origins linked to the resident English, Malay and Indian communities. Literally ...
A soft and yet crisp flatbread, roti prata (or paratha) is often eaten together with mutton or dhal curry. It is sold mostly by Indian Muslim stallholders at coffeeshops and hawker centres. There are two common types of roti prata sold in Singapore – plain prata ...
Sabar Menanti is a well-loved Malay restaurant serving authentic Minangkabau (from West Sumatra, Indonesia) dishes. The restaurant is aptly named Sabar Menanti, for in English it means “wait patiently”, which one has to do as the queue to get to the food in this ...
Sago Lane is a one-way road in Chinatown connecting South Bridge Road to Banda Street. It was named for the many sago factories that were located there in the 1840s. Sago Lane was also known for the Chinese “death houses”.
The salwar (also spelt shalwar) kameez, popularly known as the Punjabi suit, is the traditional dress of women in the Punjab region of northwestern India and eastern Pakistan. The outfit comprises a pair of trousers (salwar) and a tunic (kameez) that is usually ...
Samfu (also spelt as samfoo) is the Cantonese term for an everyday attire that was popular with the Chinese in South China, Hong Kong and Singapore right up until the mid-20th century. Known as shanku in Mandarin, the two-piece outfit comprises an upper garment ...
Samsui women, also known as hong tou jin (红头巾; Mandarin for “red headscarf”) after their trademark red headgear, were female immigrants mainly from the Sanshui (“Samsui” in Cantonese; meaning “three waters”) district of Canton (Guangdong today) province in southern ...
The sari (or saree) is traditional attire for women of South Asian (especially Indian) descendant and is essentially a long piece of fabric that is draped around the body. It is usually worn together with a short fitted blouse, known as a choli, and a long pet ...
Satay (sate in Bahasa Indonesia) is a dish similar to kebabs in that it is made of cubes of skewered meat that is grilled and eaten with a peanut sauce dip. Tracing its origins to the Arabs, satay has been adapted to the multicultural palates of Asians, with various ...
The Satay Club was an open-air food centre filled with hawkers selling satay, a popular local skewered meat dish. Previously located at Queen Elizabeth Walk, the Satay Club was demolished in 1995 to make way for Esplanade — Theatres on the Bay and the Nicoll Highway ...
Sentosa is currently a resort island of some 500 ha off the south coast of Singapore. It was previously a fishing village, the site of a military installation with artillery batteries and a prisoner-of-war camp during the Japanese Occupation (1942–1945). Developed ...
Sepoys were Indian soldiers employed within European military garrisons to provide the much-needed manpower for the defence of European colonies in Asia. The term "sepoy" is derived from the Persian word sipahi, which had been translated into the Urdu and Hindi ...
The Seven Maidens’ Festival (Qi Qiao Jie, 乞巧节), also known as Qixi (Seventh Night) Festival or Chinese Valentine’s Day, falls on the seventh day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. The festival has its origins in the mythological love story between a cowherd ...
Shaikh Yahya bin Ahmed Afifi (b. 1891, Mecca–d. 1940, July 12, Singapore) was a municipal commissioner representing the Singapore Ratepayers’ Association. A resident on Race Course Road, he was also made a justice of the peace for his active involvement in the ...
Established in 1859, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is the oldest garden in Singapore. Besides being an ornamental and recreational garden, it was also a scientific garden in its early years. Currently, the Gardens’ mission includes providing botanical and horticultural ...
The first Singapore Fashion Festival was launched on 16 March 2001. The annual two-week-long festival is supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) with the aim of making Singapore the fashion capital of Asia. Festival highlights include the showcase of international ...
The Singapore Futsing Association was established in 1910 with 1,200 members who hailed from the city of Fuqing in the northern part of Fujian province, China. It is closely associated with Poi Ching Primary School, and has experienced a resurgence since the 1 ...
In many Indian Hindu families today, traditions and customs still play an important role in life. Indian weddings, for instance, consist of many traditional customs and ceremonies that the bride, bridegroom and their families have to go through before and on the ...
The Singapore Indian Association was formed in 1923 with its main premises at Short Street. The Association was very active in sports. Cricket and hockey were its fortes in the late 1950s, with many of its members representing Singapore in regional and international ...
The Singapore Indian Education Trust (SIET) is an Indian community trust fund that supports the education of local Indians, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It was set up in 1967 with trade unionist Govindasamy Kandasamy as one of ...
The Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS) is a non-profit cultural organisation, dedicated to the preservation and transmission of Indian culture through the arts. Its motto is “kala samskriti lakshanam”, meaning “art characterises civilisation”. SIFAS provides ...
The Singapore Poh Leung Kuk (保良局), or “office to protect virtue”, was established by the Chinese Protectorate in 1888. It grew out of one aspect of the protectorate’s work: controlling prostitution through registration and inspection to prevent the spread of venereal ...
Singapore River communities were people living by or around the Singapore River. In ancient times, Singapore, then known as Temasek, was a fishing village. The orang laut (sea gypsies) were the earliest known inhabitants in Singapore. Later, in the early 1800s, ...
The Singapore Sling is an internationally recognised cocktail created at Raffles Hotel in 1915 by bartender Ngiam Tong Boon.
The Singapore Watercolour Society (SWS) was established on 18 August 1969 to promote watercolour painting in Singapore and provide local watercolourists with greater opportunities to showcase their works. The society has since held exhibitions regularly in Singapore ...
Oehlers, Sir George Edward Noel (b.1 April 1908, Singapore - d.27 October 1968, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), better known as Geno Oehlers, was the first Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Singapore. Oehlers was in several significant civic posts such as Municipal ...
The six-digit postal code system was introduced in Singapore in 1995. It was adopted by Singapore Post (SingPost) with the aim of facilitating the automation of mail processing, in particular the mail-sorting system.
Smith Street lies between South Bridge Road and New Bridge Road, and is located at the centre of Chinatown. The street is believed to be named after Cecil Clementi Smith, governor and high commissioner of the Straits Settlements between 1887 and 1893. Smith Street ...
Soup tulang or bone soup is a dish consisting of mutton or beef bones stewed in a sweet and spicy red soup of mutton stock, tomatoes, ginger, chillies and spices. The dish is prized for the marrow contained in the bones. Although associated with the Indian Muslim ...
The South Seas Society, Singapore (南洋学会; Nanyang Xuehui) is a non-profit scholarly society dedicated to Southeast Asian studies. Founded in 1940, it is the first academic society set up by overseas Chinese based in Southeast Asia focusing on this field. The society ...
Spring Street, a one-way road in Chinatown, connects the junction of South Bridge Road and Neil Road to Banda Street. A water source used to be located here from which water was drawn and transported by bullock carts to different parts of Chinatown.
St Margaret’s School is the oldest girls’ school in Singapore. It was founded in 1842 by Maria Dyer of the London Missionary Society, who had sought to provide a home and education for young girls who would otherwise be sold to rich families as domestic servants. ...
Stamford House, located at the junction of Stamford Road and Hill Street, is an ornate building designed in the Venetian Renaissance style favoured during the Victorian era. Built in 1904, it was designed by Swan and Maclaren architect R. A. J. Bidwell as a commercial ...
Stamford Raffles landed in Singapore on 28 January 1819. Travelling on the Indiana with a squadron that included the schooner Enterprise, he anchored at St John’s Island at 4.00 pm on 28 January 1819 and met with Temenggong Abdul Rahman. The site on the Singapore ...
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles (b. 6 July 1781, off Port Morant, Jamaica–d. 5 July 1826, Middlesex, England) is known as the founder of modern Singapore. Besides signing the treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah of Johor on 6 February 1819 that gave the British East India ...
The Straits Chinese British Association (SCBA) was one of the many early Straits Chinese (Peranakan) clubs. It was founded on 17 August 1900 by Peranakans Tan Jiak Kim, Seah Liang Seah, Lim Boon Keng and Song Ong Siang, with the aim of being a voice for their community. ...
Founded in January 1885, the Straits Chinese Recreation Club (SCRC; renamed Singapore Chinese Recreation Club in 1947) was the first club in Singapore to offer English games like cricket, lawn tennis and athletic sports to the Chinese community. Its founding members ...
Telok Ayer Street extends from Market Street to Anson Road. Telok Ayer was designated a Chinese district by Stamford Raffles in 1822 and gained prominence in the 1820s because it served as the landing site for early immigrants. This led to a concentration of religious ...
The tembusu (Cyrtophyllum fragrans) is a hardwood tree native to Singapore, Southeast Asia and many parts of tropical Asia.
Temple Street is a one-way street connecting South Bridge Road to New Bridge Road. Situated in the heart of Chinatown, the road runs parallel to Pagoda Street and Smith Street.
The Teochew community is the second-largest Chinese dialect group in Singapore after the Hokkien. According to the 2010 Singapore census, Teochews make up about 20 percent of the Chinese resident population. The community, together with the Hakka, was singled out ...
Thaipusam is a temple festival celebrated by Hindus of Tamil descent in Singapore. It is probably the single most important public rite observed by the community every year between January 14 and February 14. Most Hindu festivals fall either on full moon day (Punarpusam) ...
The Baweanese are a significant community among the Malays of Singapore. They were originally from Pulau Bawean (Bawean Island) in East Java, and migrated to Singapore from the early 19th century. In the early days, many of them found jobs as drivers and horse ...
The Chinese Protectorate was established in the Straits Settlements in 1877 to address matters concerning the Chinese community. Its main functions included establishing a pool of civil servants conversant in the Chinese language, managing newly arrived coolie ...
The Straits Chinese Magazine was the first English-language periodical owned, edited and published by Malayans. Published between 1897 and 1907, the magazine was founded by prominent members of the Straits Chinese (also known as Peranakan) community, Lim Boon Keng ...
Theemithi (also spelt Thimithi), or "firewalking", is a Hindu religious practice where devotees walk across a fire pit in exchange for a wish or blessing granted by the goddess Draupadi. Theemithi is part of a larger ceremony stretching over a two-and-a-half month ...
Thosai is a South Indian savoury, thin pancake made from a batter of various fermented pulses and rice flour, which is then cooked on a flat griddle. The dish is usually eaten at breakfast with accompaniments such as sambar (an Indian vegetable stew), curry and ...
Named after the Malaysian state of Trengganu, Trengganu Street is located in Chinatown in Singapore. It connects Sago Street and Pagoda Street. Together with the latter, it was converted into a pedestrian mall in 1997.
A trishaw (also known as a cycle-rickshaw or pedicab) is a bicycle with a sidecar, powered entirely by the cyclist. The trishaw was a popular mode of public transportation in the immediate years following the end of the Japanese Occupation (1942 to 1945) in Singapore, ...
Tudung is the Malay term for a headscarf or veil that is worn over the head to cover the hair, neck and chest areas while leaving the face exposed. Known in Arabic as the hijab (which means “barrier”), the tudung is considered an important part of the Islamic dress ...
The turban is a wrapped headdress made from a length of fabric that is twisted and wound around the head in various ways. The turban is of Muslim origin and has been widely worn in the Middle East and on the Indian subcontinent since at least the early Middle Ages ...
Vadai is a South Indian savoury snack made from soaked or fermented pulses moulded into balls or a doughnut shape and then deep fried. The resulting snack is soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
In Singapore, vernacular education refers to education conducted in the native languages of the main resident communities, namely Malay, Chinese and Tamil. From the early 19th to the mid-20th centuries, formal vernacular education was started by philanthropists, ...
Vesak Day, spelt “Wesak Day” until the 1970s, commemorates the birth, enlightenment and attainment of nirvana of Siddharta Gautama Shakyamuni (Sakyamuni) Buddha. The day falls on the full moon of the fourth lunar month.
The festival Vesakhi (or Baisakhi) is the Sikh New Year. It typically falls on 13 April annually, or the first day of the Sikh calendar. Instituted by the 10th Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the festival commemorates the occasion in which five brave Sikhs offered ...
Void decks are the open spaces located on the ground floor of Housing and Development Board (HDB) blocks of flats. These were introduced in blocks built after 1969. The void deck is generally defined by the structural columns of the block. Small kiosks selling ...
It is believed that Warong Nasi Pariaman is the oldest surviving stall in Singapore that serves nasi padang – rice with mixed dishes, originating from the city of Padang in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The stall is famous for its authentic Padang dishes, particularly ...
A gastronomic assembly that aims to plant Singapore on Asia's taste-buds, the World Gourmet Summit is an annual event that was originally put together by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Peter Knipp Holdings (PKH), with the latter taking over after the second ...
Yueh Hai Ching Temple is one of the oldest Taoist temples in Singapore. It was established in 1826 by the Teochew community and is also known as Wak Hai Cheng Bio in the Teochew dialect. The present building at 30B Philip Street was built in the 1850s and gazetted ...
Yusheng (鱼生; yusang in Cantonese), meaning “raw fish” in Chinese, is a salad dish comprising thin slices of raw fish and various seasonings that are mixed together as diners toss the ingredients. It is a dish usually eaten during Chinese New Year. Traditionally ...
Zhong Yuan Jie (中元节), also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, traditionally falls on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. In Singapore, the festival is observed throughout the entire seventh lunar month, which is usually around the month of ...
Zouk is a globally renowned award-winning nightclub in Singapore that has been credited with putting Singapore nightlife on the world map. Opened in 1991, Zouk is also Singapore’s oldest nightspot. Its role in revolutionising the local dance music scene has been ...