Esplanade's Pesta Raya returns in July

The 17th edition of Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts returns from 12 to 15 July 2018, coinciding with the celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which extends till mid-July.

This year, the festival showcases the history of the Nusantara. Said Fezhah Maznan, Programmer, The Esplanade Company, “Pesta Raya has always celebrated the rich Malay heritage, arts and culture from the region, and through the festival we hope to continue forging meaningful relationships with the artists and our audiences. This year, we have works which highlight the Malay identity, with thoughtful re-imagining of Malay folklore and characters in our festival commission Alkesah, and fresh re-interpretations of the traditional keroncong and dikir barat.

"We also look back and pay tribute to the rich history of Malay dance in Singapore, with a special performance by Sriwana. We hope that many will find ways to connect with the diverse programmes at the festival and immerse themselves in some of the very best the Nusantara can offer.”

Dikir barat is a traditional musical form that involves singing in groups, while keroncong is both the name of a musical instrument and the name of an Indonesian musical style.

Festival commissions

• Written by Zulfadli Rashid and helmed by director Aidli Mosbit, this year’s festival commission Alkesah (“as the story goes”) re-imagines Malay folklore. Beloved characters such as Mat Jenin (the hopeless dreamer), Sang Kancil (the mouse deer), Pak Belalang (the village astrologer) and more, come together in Kampung Alkesah in a tale of misfortune, survival and secret love.

This is the first time the festival is commissioning a Malay pantomime at the Esplanade Theatre Studio, and will feature a stellar cast including Siti Khalijah Zainal, Jeff Catz, Siti Hajar Gani, Hatta Said and more. Alkesah will also see musical theatre veteran Elaine Chan and vocal coach Babes Conde working for the first time on a Malay production.

• Another first for the festival is a commission for a non-ticketed performance, GhaMuhyi: Melampaui Sempadan Ghazal, which will open the festival at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre on 12 July. This collaboration melds contemporary ghazal by the ensemble GhaMuhyi from Malaysia and the work of Singapore traditional Malay music groups Sri Mahligai and Orkestra Sri Temasek.

• Dress vintage and joget during Pesta Berpesta at the Esplanade Annexe Plaza and Annexe Studio on 14 July with popular music from the ’60s to the ’80s. The Esplanade presents Tarakucha!, a kebaya jazz performance conceived by Malaysian singer and actor Sean Ghazi. The event will feature original compositions and songs by P Ramlee, Sudirman and Jimmy Boyle.

There will be free performances by NADA (comprising Singapore musicians Rizman Putra and Safuan Johari), who will present a contemporary visual arts and sound project that specialises in conjuring up lost eras through music, as well as Indonesian duo Iramamama who will be playing nostalgic tunes and quirky sounds, from funk to post-punk music from their home country.

• Singapore-born Kuala Lumpur-based singer-songwriter Imran Ajmain, who sang the hit Seribu Tahun, celebrates a decade in music with a concert, First 10 Years, at the Esplanade Recital Studio. He follows in his father Ahmad Husaini Ajmain’s footsteps, writing for an array of Singaporean and Malaysian musicians such as Taufik Batisah, Hady Mirza, SleeQ and more. Besides featuring songs from his upcoming album, Imran will also be singing hits from the ’70s and ’80s which his father penned.

• Inspired by Indonesian folklore, guitarist Addy Cradle has written an epic love saga about a prince and a warrior princess. In Transcendence – The Legend of Ryu Wuri at the Esplanade Recital Studio, Addy provides the instrumental backdrop to his dark tale where visual artist Muhammad Izdi and video artist Wu Jun Han add to this multidisciplinary performance. This will be the first of three volumes that features a fusion of rock and traditional music from China, Indonesia, Japan and India.

• Trace the history of Malay dance with Singapore’s oldest Malay performing arts group Sriwana as they present Lenggang Legenda: Merintis Sejarah on 13 July at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre. The audience will be treated to iconic dances by the company that has produced the who’s who of the Singapore Malay dance scene, including Som Said, Osman Abd Hamid, Rizman Kassim and more.

The Classic Tarian Workshop by Sriwana on 14 July will be conducted by Ibu Surianty – also known as Mdm Lim Ah Choon – the Indonesian dance teacher who introduced repertoires of zapin and other Malay dances to Singapore in the ’60s.

• In their first-ever concert in Singapore, and fresh from performing on Astro’s singing competition Gegar Vaganza 2017, Dua Diva features ’80s pop diva Aishah and ’90s sensation Liza Hanim. With music direction by composer Datuk Ramli MS, who was also the judge of Gegar Vaganza, this one-night only performance will see them performing their own songs and also together.

• With 26 albums over the course of their 24-year career, Indonesian pop rock band GIGI returns to Singapore after seven years to perform classics such as 11 Januari, Terbang, Andai and Kepastian Yang Ku Tunggu. 

Screen capture from the Pesta Raya page on the Esplanade website, featuring theatre, music and dance acts as well as workshops.

• Combining Javanese and Western music traditions keroncong is widely believed to be a genre brought to Indonesia by the Portuguese, evolving to become the ukulele, guitar, violin, flute, cello and bass ensemble that many recognise today. For Pesta Raya, Indonesian composer Pak Liliek Jasqee leads his ensemble to pay homage to the musical, cultural and language ties between Indonesia and Singapore in Titian Nada Persaudaraan. Singapore jazz artist Rudy Djoharnaen will also perform familiar tunes and new compositions with the ensemble.

• The festival continues to feature programmes for the young and their families, including Walang Weh, a storytelling performance by the musicians and vocalists of RENTA Collective, Dek Hujan, a performance by P7:1SMA that combines spoken word, dance and soundscapes, as well as Kemas (a Malay term that means “tidy up”), a series of roving site-specific movement pieces performed at venues around Esplanade that examines everyday cleaning rituals as engaging and spiritual chores.

• At the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, Ceria! Konsert Si Cilik returns this year where Singapore’s Malay children's songs are celebrated in a concert featuring performers between the ages of 10 to 16.

• Over at Esplanade’s dedicated space for children and families—PIP’s PLAYbox—will feature interactive storytelling sessions by Dalifah Shahril, who will also share more about how the sarong plays a significant part of Malay culture and identity, as well as sessions where children will also be able to craft their own kuih-muih (desserts).

• Following previous editions of Dikir Battle, this year’s festival offers another interpretation of the traditional art form of dikir barat. Dikir-pella by JUARA will showcase for the first time, classic dikir songs sung acappella by some of the finest singers in the scene.

• Back by popular demand, Pasar Pesta! curated by online shopping hub LalooLalang returns with a wide range of traditional handicraft as well as specially curated food vendors selling “instagram-able” and unique Malay food items.

Details:

Tickets for Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts 2018 are available from Esplanade’s Box Office at Mezzanine level (call +65 6828 8377), the SISTIC Hotline (call +65 6348 5555) and all SISTIC outlets.

Get programme details

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Delving into the heritage of Bukit Panjang, Singapore

Jane's Walk, the annual movement of free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs, a journalist, author, and activist whose work has influenced urban studies, sociology, and economics, has continued to receive enthusiastic support in Singapore. According to organisers, walks were getting sold out within hours of their unveiling.

The walks, held around Jacobs' birthday in early May, get people to tell stories about their communities, explore the city and connect with neighbours.

I attended a sold-out walk on May 5, At the Crossroads: Bukit Panjang, this year. The extremely knowledgeable walk guides Eisen (@Eisen), a senior history researcher and docent with a Singapore-based heritage consultancy, and Jinhua (@Kuekj), a translator and a former lifestyle writer and editor, spent three hours bringing the past, present and future of the neighbourhood to life. As @Eisen said, "Every building has a story and so has every road."

Bukit Panjang, so named after a nearby chain of low hills, has seen much change. The beginning of the walk centred the road junction around which Bukit Panjang village spung up over a hundred years ago. There were a number of stops here, including malls - the Hillion mall used to be a market - the terminus of the 42 km Downtown Line, and the Murugan Hill Temple, part of which evolution has been directed by dreams. Of major landmarks in Bukit Panjang, only the Esso Station has remained.

There would have been a village cinema nearby, Sin Wah Theatre. It had no air-conditioning, and a zinc roof and walls. Tickets used to cost just 50 cents. Bukit Panjang's entertainment centre was demolished in the 1980s.

The "MBS of Bukit Panjang" and the longest condominium in Singapore, the Linear condominium's concept was designed by architect Kenzo Tange.  

The confluence of Upper Bukit Timah Road, Woodlands Road and Choa Chu Kang Road was called 10-mile junction, and one of the malls is still called Junction 10. There is also a Tennery condominium. @Eisen and @Kuekj shared that the "10th mile" is 10 miles away from from the General Post Office (now Fullerton Hotel), and would have been the way people located parts of Singapore in the past. Singapore moved to kilometres to measure road distances in the 1970s, our guides said.

There was also a roundabout nearby, Bukit Panjang Circus (roundabout), which lasted 23 years. It was converted into a traffic signal junction in 1980. In the 1960s, there were over 40 roundabouts, with no need for traffic lights or police.

Bukit Panjang is an integrated transport hub today, hosting not only the mass rapid transit but also a light rail system and a bus interchange. Trains used to run through the area as well.

The light rail transit (LRT) system was first announced in 1991, with the system launched in 1999. It is Singapore's first driverless and fully automated system. The train windows have privacy filters when passing Housing Development Board blocks.

What we learned:

There was a private road named Jalan Cheng Hwa, and a school also called Cheng Hwa in the area.
The original Cheng Hwa school had 1,600 enrolment in the late 1960s and early 1970s, which was high for Singapore in those days. It closed in 1985.

The name lives on as the Pinyinised Zhenghua, used in the names of a primary and a secondary school, as well as a nature park. There used to be a neighbourhood called Zhenghua but the public did not like the Pinyin name. In 1987 the HDB renamed Zhenghua New Town to Bukit Panjang New Town.

An overseas Chinese support association, 武裕平民互助会, with Lee Huat Motoring just behind the tree. 

We also stopped at 10 Mile Junction station. This LRT station is the only one that is air conditioned, has full height platform screen doors, fare gates on the same level as the platform, and only one track. It is also closing this year because of insufficient demand.
The flats in Bukit Panjang have blocks in varying heights to reflect the hilly terrain of the area.

Pang Sua Pond has the 2nd-largest floating wetlands in Singapore. @KuekJ discussed the origins of the name of the place. If "sua" is hill, then "pang" might mean "beside" or "fragrant"; "pang sua" could also mean "weighing sand" or "offloading sand", he said.

The adjoining Senja Cashew Community Club has an infinity pool and a jacuzzi. A number of roads are named after nuts in the neighbourhood, including the almond, hazel and chestnut.

Another area is within Bukit Panjang is known as Dairy Farm, after an actual air-conditioned dairy farm in the 1930s. We still have a Dairy Farm Group, which runs pharmacies, convenience stores and supermarkets in Asia.

The Bukit Panjang Post Office, marked by where the blue strip is, used to be a smaller, standalone building. Although it is now in Choa Chu Kang after constituency lines were redrawn, it is still known as Bukit Panjang Post Office.

This area used to have rubber plantations. There is no road sign, but road directories named this as Lorong Ah Thia.

In 1903, a train ran from Singapore to Thailand, passing by Bukit Panjang. The train company eventually became KTM (Keretapi Tanah Melayu). The train from Singapore to Malaysia closed for good in 2011. By 2011, the train crossing in Bukit Panjang was 108 years old.

The Rail Corridor Test Track features four different types of surfaces that could be used for a permanent track. The feedback site is down, @Kuekj said.

Details:

Look out for updates for 2019 in Singapore on the Jane's Walk Singapore Facebook page

Jane's Walks around the world can be found in a city near you.

Visit Bukit Panjang's website - the blog for this was last updated in 2013

Read the history-oriented Long and Winding Road blog about the 10th mile

Read recollections of 10th mile area in the past (Chinese)

Watch the video of the removal of a milestone marker by the National Heritage Board

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post about 2018 Jane's Walks

Hashtag: #JanesWalkSG, #JanesWalkBPJ

Jane's Walk Singapore mixes old favourites with new walks

Source: Jane's Walk Peatix page.
Jane's Walk logo.

Jane's Walk Singapore has updated its Peatix group for free walks happening on the weekend of May 4 to 6. Jane's Walk is an annual movement of free, citizen-led walking tours inspired by Jane Jacobs. The walks get people to tell stories about their communities, explore the city and connect with neighbours.

At the time of writing, many of the walks were already full, though new sessions may be opened by guides. Popular walks include those exploring Emerald Hill, the Little India area with a focus on migrant workers, and a trek from Botanic Gardens to Bukit Brown. Walk difficulty is typically mentioned, as well as the duration and whether children are welcome.

The following walks are some of those which are still open:

Gardens with a Difference, May 5 8am to 11am, will be led by guides Bala and Bianca who will share stories about the heritage of the gardens and of the nature there. There will also be story-telling combined with yoga stretching exercises as part of this walk, and a walk through the Learning Forest. The ending point is at the Tanglin Gate. Bala and Bianca are volunteers with Animal Allies, a group which inspires people to make more compassionate, healthy and sustainable choices in Singapore by a plant-based diet.

The Elegance of Emerald Hill, May 6 10am to 11.30am, will be about the history and stories behind Singapore’s first designated conservation area.

The Luv Wild Faber Trek, May 6 3pm to 6pm by LUV@ADVENTURE will uncover the wild side of the Telok Blangah hills. Trekkers will visit the World War II bunkers at Seah Im and explore the lost reservoirs of Keppel. An ascent up to Mt Faber is part of the session.

Details:
Registration is required as there is a maximum number of people per walk, and each person may only make a single reservation for a walk. Explore available walks

Those who would like to lead a walk can contact Jane's Walk organisers via Facebook.

Read the WorkSmart Asia account of my Trend Safari experience with the walk as part of the Jane's Walk movement.

Raffles Hotel Singapore releases short film by local director

Source: Raffles Hotel, Singapore. The Grand
Lobby, Raffles Hotel, pre-renovation.

Raffles Hotel Singapore has announced We Were Built, a short film directed by Singaporean award-winning film-maker and director Kirsten Tan.

The film draws inspiration from the history of Raffles Hotel Singapore, with a focus on its close bond to the history of Singapore and its literary heritage. The film’s title comes from a poem of the same name, specially commissioned by the hotel and penned by writer-poet Amanda Lee Koe, Singapore’s youngest Literature Prize winner.

Tan has had works showcased at over 60 international film festivals. In 2017, she became the first Singaporean to have her debut feature film compete at the Sundance Film Festival; it subsequently won the Special Jury Award for Screenwriting. She was also honoured with the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council, the highest accolade for artistic achievement for young art practitioners in Singapore.

We Were Built was conceptualised through Kirsten’s personal interactions which she experienced during her stay at Raffles Hotel Singapore. Tan said, “The moment I stepped in, its distinctive quality is inescapable: you feel like you've been transported to a different time altogether. Corinthian pillars, a tinkling piano, dark wood patios, a scented pillow. I wanted to capture that aura of lyrical timelessness, that sumptuous pause that counteracts the hectic fever of modern life.”

“Like many Singaporeans, I’ve felt special reverence for Raffles Hotel through the years: a magical oasis in the heart of Singapore. I've always been particularly moved by the proud literary history of the Raffles – it hosted and inspired world-famous writers from Somerset Maugham to Rudyard Kipling. This film is an ode to these writers, to time, to Raffles' exquisite affiliations with these great minds through the 130 years of its existence. Raffles Hotel is a landmark and a constant, quietly and proudly bearing witness to our shared histories and futures. It was imperative for me to illustrate how she stands silent, strong and storied – as elegant, eternal and essential as time itself,” said Tan. “We’re also deeply honoured to have legendary Chinese American movie star, Lisa Lu, who performed in acclaimed titles like The Last Emperor and The Joy Luck Club, make a special appearance in our film.”

Christian Westbeld, GM, Raffles Hotel Singapore, said, “The film perfectly captures the hotel’s storied history, and offers viewers a glimpse into what it means to be a guest at Raffles Hotel Singapore. We would like to invite the public to view this short film and accompany us, as we journey through time, and discover the story of how a national icon came to be.  This story of Raffles Hotel Singapore continues to be told, while we anticipate the beginning of its next chapter, when the newly restored icon is unveiled later this year.”

Raffles Hotel Singapore is currently in its third and final phase of its restoration, which sees the full closure of the hotel before its planned reopening in 2H18. During the closure of the hotel, signature Raffles experiences will be showcased at 3 Seah Street, which remains open throughout the restoration.

Opened in 1887, Raffles Hotel Singapore is one of the few remaining great 19th century hotels in the world. Till today, its architecture is perfectly preserved both inside and out, giving it an intoxicating blend of luxury, history and classic colonial design. Within its walls are more than a hundred expansive suites, framed by polished teak verandas and white marble colonnades, clustered around lush tropical gardens.  Each is serviced by the legendary Raffles butlers and offers every modern convenience necessary.

Details:

View the film

Al Ain Cultural Programme for 2017/2018 in full swing

As part of the annual Al Ain Cultural Programme, the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi has hosted three events exploring Emirati culture and heritage.

Events at Qasr Al Muwaiji (قصر المويجعي Al Muwaiji Palace) on 19 October included the Bisht Workshop, which explored the history of the traditional garment worn by UAE rulers, and the different kinds of bisht (البشت) patterns associated with each ruler. Visitors also took part in a practical sewing workshop where they created their own bisht.

The monthly Poetry Evenings season also kicked off at Qasr Al Muwaiji on 19 October where visitors could take part in educational workshops, celebrating the nation’s poets and writers.

Source: Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. Poetry evening at the Qasr Al Muwaiji.

The historic Al Jahili Fort (قلعة الجاهلي) held the season’s first session of Memory of the Emirati Song with a diverse selection of performances, discussions and exhibitions exploring traditional songs from the 50s through to the 70s and original Emirati poetry that are deeply connected to the history and heritage of the UAE.

The 2017/18 programme at Al Jahili Fort will include Abu Dhabi Classics and The Trucial Scouts: Life and Times, an exhibition in collaboration with the UAE GHQ Armed Forces Administration and the Manpower Staff Museum & Military History Centre.

Visitors to Al Jahili Fort will also have the chance to participate in traditional handicrafts workshops every Tuesday, as well as police dog shows at the fort’s courtyard every Wednesday. Military band performances will take place every Thursday.

Details:

Check for upcoming events in the Al Ain Cultural Programme

World Heritage Committee inscribes new sites on World Heritage List for 2017

Source: UNESCO. Kulangsu: a Historic International Settlement, China. © Cultural Heritage Conservation Center of THAD / Qian Yi | Image Source: Nomination File (Update).

The World Heritage Committee inscribed 21 new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2017, and extended or modified the boundaries of five sites already on the list. The new inscriptions bring to 1,073 the total number of sites on the World Heritage List.

In Asia Pacific the new natural sites are:

Source: UNESCO. Mount Bukadaban at dusk. Qinghai Hoh Xil, China © Peking University / Hoh Xil Nature Reserve Administration | Image Source: Nomination File. 

Qinghai Hoh Xil (China) 

Qinghai Hoh Xil, located in the north-eastern extremity of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, is the largest and highest plateau in the world. This area of alpine mountains and steppe systems is situated more than 4,500 m above sea level, and subzero average temperatures prevail all year round. The site’s geographical and climatic conditions have nurtured a unique biodiversity. More than one third of the plant species, and all the herbivorous mammals are endemic to the plateau. The property includes the complete migratory route of the Tibetan antelope, one of the endangered large mammals that are endemic to the plateau.

Landscapes of Dauria (Mongolia/Russian Federation)

Shared between Mongolia and the Russian Federation, this site is an outstanding example of the Daurian Steppe eco-region, which extends from eastern Mongolia into Russian Siberia and north-eastern China. Cyclical climate changes, with distinct dry and wet periods lead to a wide diversity of species and ecosystems of global significance. The different types of steppe represented, such as grassland and forest, as well as lakes and wetlands serve as habitats for rare species of fauna, such as the white-naped crane and the great bustard, as well as millions of vulnerable, endangered or threatened migratory birds. It is also a critical site on the migration path for the Mongolian gazelle.

The new cultural sites in Asia Pacific and the Middle East are:

Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura (Cambodia)

The archaeological site of Sambor Prei Kuk, “the temple in the richness of the forest” in the Khmer language, has been identified as Ishanapura, the capital of the Chenla Empire that flourished in the late 6th and early 7th centuries. The vestiges of the city cover an area of 25 sq km and include a walled city centre as well as numerous temples. The art and architecture developed here became models for other parts of the region and lay the ground for the unique Khmer style of the Angkor period.

Kulangsu: a Historic International Settlement (China)

Kulangsu is an island located on the estuary of the Chiulung River, facing the city of Xiamen. With the opening of a commercial port at Xiamen in 1843, and the establishment of the island as an international settlement in 1903, this island off the southern coast of the Chinese empire suddenly became an important window for Sino-foreign exchanges. Kulangsu is an exceptional example of the cultural fusion that emerged from these exchanges. There is a mixture of different architectural styles on the island, including traditional Southern Fujian style, Western classical revival style and veranda colonial style. The most exceptional testimony of the fusion of various stylistic influences was a new architectural movement, the Amoy Deco Style, which is a synthesis of the Modernist style of the early 20th century and Art Deco.

Historic City of Ahmadabad (India)

The walled city of Ahmadabad, founded by Sultan Ahmad Shah in the 15th century, is on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati river. It presents rich architectural heritage from the sultanate period, notably the Bhadra citadel, the walls and gates of the Fort city and numerous mosques and tombs as well as temples of later periods. The urban fabric is made up of densely-packed traditional houses (pols) in gated traditional streets (puras) with characteristic features such as bird feeders, public wells and religious institutions. The city flourished as the capital of the state of Gujarat for six centuries, up to the present day.

Historic City of Yazd (Iran)

Yazd is located in the middle of the Iranian plateau, 270 km southeast of Isfahan, close to the Spice and Silk Roads. It bears living testimony to the use of limited resources for survival in the desert. Water is supplied to the city through a qanat system developed to draw underground water. The earthen architecture of Yazd has escaped the modernisation that destroyed many traditional earthen towns, retaining its traditional districts, the qanat system, traditional houses, bazaars, hammams (bath houses), mosques, synagogues, and the garden of Dolat-abad.

Sacred Island of Okinoshima and Associated Sites in the Munakata Region (Japan)
Located 60 km off the western coast of Kyushu island, the island of Okinoshima is an exceptional example of the tradition of worship of a sacred island. The archaeological sites that have been preserved on the island are virtually intact, and provide a chronological record of how the rituals performed there changed from the 4th to the 9th centuries.

Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town (Palestine)

The use of local limestone shaped the construction of the old town of Hebron /Al-Khalil during the Mamluk period, between 1250 and 1517. The centre of interest of the town was the site of Al Mosque -Ibrahim / the tomb of the Patriarchs, whose buildings are in a compound built in the 1st century to protect the tombs of the patriarch Ibrahim and his family. This place became a site of pilgrimage for the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

The town was sited at the crossroads of trade routes for caravans travelling between southern Palestine, Sinai, Eastern Jordan, and the north of the Arabian Peninsula. Although the subsequent Ottoman period (1517-1917) heralded an extension of the town to the surrounding areas and brought numerous architectural additions, particularly the raising of the roof level of houses to provide more upper stories, the overall Mamluk morphology of the town is seen to have persisted with its hierarchy of areas, quarters based on ethnic, religious or professional groupings, and houses with groups of rooms organised according to a tree-shaped system. 

The site of Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town was inscribed simultaneously on the List of World Heritage and on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the only addition this year.


Aphrodisias (Turkey)

Located in southwestern Turkey, in the upper valley of the Morsynus River, the site consists of the archaeological site of Aphrodisias and the marble quarries northeast of the city. The temple of Aphrodite dates from the 3^rd century and the city was built one century later. The wealth of Aphrodisias came from the marble quarries and the art produced by its sculptors. The city streets are arranged around several large civic structures, which include temples, a theatre, an agora (marketplace), and two bath complexes.

Interested?

Read the WorkSmart Asia blog post on the 2016 World Heritage Site additions, including and explanation of the qanat.

posted from Bloggeroid

A Celebration of Heritage Delights at Min Jiang at One-North

Source: Min Jiang at One-North is the only Chinese restaurant housed in a 3,000 sq ft, two-storey colonial-era bungalow.

From 1 July to 31 August 2017, Min Jiang at One-North (岷江在纬壹), a contemporary Sichuan and Cantonese restaurant in Singapore, will present A Celebration of Heritage Delights（欢庆怀念佳肴), giving guests the opportunity to savour iconic dishes that were popular in the 60s to 80s in Singapore.

Master Chef Goh Chee Kong ( 吴志光), who has been garnering many fans with his elegantly-presented dishes since 2006, has crafted nine dishes inspired by traditional recipes and given them a contemporary makeover. All of the dishes require time-consuming, meticulous preparation and some must be ordered a day in advance.

Master Chef Goh said, “I am happy that my guests will have the opportunity to reminisce about or discover these distinctive creations that made such an impression on the fledgling restaurant scene then, and hopefully have left an indelible impression in Singapore’s unique culinary history.”

Some of the heritage dishes include:

Roasted Boneless Chicken stuffed with Minced Prawns | 金龙百花鸡 S$30 (half), S$60 (whole)

Requiring almost two days to prepare, this seemingly unassuming dish is a result of several detailed steps that begin with thinly filleting the chicken, then air-drying it for eight hours before a home-made minced prawn paste is added. The resultant wafer-thin delicacy is then deep-fried before it is served with a home-made chilli-calamansi-plum sauce-ginger flower dip.

Stir-fried Crabmeat and Egg White served in Yam Ring | 鸟巢芙蓉炒蟹肉 S$24 per order

This dish is a mark of a chef’s wok-handling skill in creating a dish that results in a pristine white colour and silky texture. Freshly-peeled Alaskan crab is used to lend extra sweetness. Master Chef has also updated the look of the yam ring to an elegant latticed bowl.

Stir-fried Shredded Chicken with Stem Lettuce served in Yam Ring | 鸟巢鸡丝炒呙笋 $24 per order

Reminiscent of home-style flavours, this robust dish includes an uncommon vegetable known as ‘stem lettuce’ or ‘asparagus lettuce’ (莴笋) and is topped with deep-fried anchovies.

Banana Toffee | 拔丝香蕉 S$8 per order (eight pieces)

These battered bite-sized morsels are lightly crisp and drizzled with caramelised sugar. Traditionally they are dipped into ice water to harden the toffee shell.

Min Jiang at One-North is the only Chinese restaurant housed in a heritage 3,000 sq ft, two-storey ‘black and white’ colonial bungalow. It was established in this location in 2006 following the success of its first outlet at Goodwood Park Hotel. Complementing the bungalow is an alfresco wooden deck and an adjacent courtyard that serves as a dining area.

Min Jiang at One-North is also an authentic Beijing duck restaurant This signature dish is prepared by chefs from China according to an ancient recipe. The ducks are freshly delivered daily, and skilfully roasted to a golden hue over fragrant apple wood in Singapore’s first custom-made wood-fired oven at the restaurant. The dining experience is further enhanced with the chefs carving the aromatic piping hot duck tableside, before presenting it in two unique servings.

In addition to Beijing Duck, diners can also enjoy other delicacies such as the stewed lobster with eggplant and minced chicken in Sichuan chilli sauce, braised Wagyu beef cheek with papaya paste, and homemade tofu with crabmeat and assorted mushrooms. 

The restaurant is part of the Goodwood Park Hotel. An icon on Scotts Road, Goodwood Park Hotel is housed in a building that dates back to 1900. The hotel has five distinctive restaurants, including the original Min Jiang, along with a deli and a bar.

Interested?

View the full list of delights

A Celebration of Heritage Delights at Min Jiang at One-North (欢庆怀念佳肴 )

1 July to 31 August 2017

A la carte only 

Min Jiang at One-North 

5 Rochester Park, Singapore 139216 

11.30am to 2.30pm (lunch) and 6.30pm to 10.30pm (dinner), daily 

For reservations, call +65 6774 0122, or visit www.goodwoodparkhotel.com . Senior citizens aged 60 and above will enjoy a 15% discount on the heritage dishes during this period. 

Hashtag: #goodwoodparkhotel 

New World Heritage Sites in Asia Pacific for 2016

The World Heritage Committee, part of UNESCO, has inscribed new sites on the list of world heritage sites as part of its 40^th session which opened on 10 July, 2016. The list includes a transnational site, which is found in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

The newly inscribed sites include:

Khangchendzonga National Park (India) – Located at the heart of the Himalayan range in northern India in the state of Sikkim, the Khangchendzonga National Park includes a unique diversity of plains, valleys, lakes, glaciers and snow-capped mountains covered with ancient forests, including the world’s third highest peak, Mount Khangchendzonga, also known as Kangchenjunga. The area is also part of the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve.

Archaeological Site of Ani, Turkey – This site is located on a secluded plateau of northeast Turkey overlooking a ravine that forms a natural border with Armenia. The site presents a comprehensive overview of the evolution of medieval architecture through examples of almost all the different architectural innovations of the region between the 7th and 13th centuries CE.

This medieval city combines residential, religious and military structures, characteristic of medieval urbanism built up over the centuries by Christian and then Muslim dynasties. The city flourished in the 10th and 11th centuries CE when it became the capital of the medieval Armenian kingdom of the Bagratides and profited from control of one branch of the Silk Road. Later, under Byzantine, Seljuk, and Georgian sovereignty, it maintained its status as an important crossroads for merchant caravans. The Mongol invasion and an earthquake in 1319 marked the beginning of the city’s decline.

Watch a video on conservation at Ani, from the World Monuments Fund

Zuojiang Huashan (左江花山) Rock Art Cultural Landscape, China – Located on the steep cliffs in the border regions of southwest China, in Ningming County, Guangxi, these 38 sites of rock art at Huashan (花山壁画) illustrate the life and rituals of the Luoyue people. They date from the period around the 5th century BCE to the 2nd century CE. In a surrounding landscape of karst, rivers and plateaux, they depict ceremonies which have been interpreted as portraying the bronze drum culture once prevalent across southern China. This cultural landscape is the only remains of this culture today.

Watch a video of the Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art area from the Bradshaw Foundation

Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University) at Nalanda, Bihar, India – The Nalanda Mahavihara site is in Bihar, northeastern India. It comprises the archaeological remains of a monastic and scholastic institution dating from the 3rd century BCE to the 13th century CE. It includes stupas, shrines, viharas (residential and educational buildings) and important art works in stucco, stone and metal. Nalanda stands out as the most ancient university of the Indian subcontinent. It engaged in the organised transmission of knowledge over an uninterrupted 800 years.

The Persian Qanat, Iran – Throughout the arid regions of Iran, agricultural and permanent settlements are supported by the ancient qanat (قنات‎) system of tapping alluvial aquifers at the heads of valleys and conducting the water along underground tunnels by gravity, often over many km. The 11 qanats representing this system include rest areas for workers, water reservoirs and watermills. The traditional communal management system still in place allows equitable and sustainable water sharing and distribution. The qanats provide exceptional testimony to cultural traditions and civilisations in desert areas with an arid climate.

Read about the significance of the qanat system in a chapter extract by the late Edward Goldsmith, environmentalist, author and philosopher. In it Goldsmith says: "...until recently, qanats still supplied 75% of the water used in Iran, for both irrigation and household purposes."

Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia, Federated States of Micronesia – Nan Madol is a series of 99 artificial islets off the southeast coast of Pohnpei that were constructed with walls of basalt and coral boulders. These islets harbour the remains of stone palaces, temples, tombs and residential domains built between 1200 and 1500 CE. These ruins represent the ceremonial centre of the Saudeleur dynasty, a vibrant period in Pacific Island culture.

The huge scale of the edifices, their technical sophistication and the concentration of megalithic structures bear testimony to complex social and religious practices of the island societies of the period. The site was also inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to threats, notably the siltation of waterways that is contributing to the unchecked growth of mangroves and undermining existing edifices.

The List of World Heritage in Danger is designed to inform the international community of conditions which threaten the very characteristics for which properties were inscribed on the World Heritage List and rally the support of the international community for their protection.

Natural sites include:

Source: Hubei government tourism website. Shennongjia.

Hubei Shennongjia (神农架), China – Located in Hubei Province, in central-eastern China, the site consists of Shennongding (神农顶)/Badong (巴东县) to the west and Laojunshan (老君山) to the east.

Hubei Shennongjia is one of three centres of biodiversity in China. The site features prominently in the history of botanical research and was the object of international plant collecting expeditions in the 19th and 20th centuries. It protects the largest primary forests remaining in Central China and provides habitats for rare animal species such as the Chinese giant salamander, the golden or snub-nosed monkey, the clouded leopard, common leopard and the Asian black bear.

Lut Desert, Iran – The Lut Desert, or Dasht-e-Lut (دشت لوت), is located in the southeast of the country. The property represents an exceptional example of ongoing geological processes. Between June and October, this arid subtropical area is swept by strong winds, which transport sediment and cause aeolian (wind-caused) erosion on a colossal scale. The site presents some of the most spectacular examples of aeolian yardang landforms (massive corrugated ridges). It also contains stony deserts and dune fields.

Western Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan) – The transnational site is located in the Tien-Shan (天山) mountain system, one of the largest mountain ranges in the world. Western Tien-Shan is situated at an altitude of 700 to 4,503m. It features diverse landscapes, which are home to to many forest types and unique plant communities.. It is of global importance as a centre of origin for a number of cultivated fruit crops.

The new mixed, cultural and natural, sites include:

The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of the Mesopotamian Cities, Iraq – The Ahwar (الاهوار) of Southern Iraq – also known as the Iraqi Marshlands – are unique as one of the world’s largest inland delta systems, in an extremely hot and arid environment. The Ahwar is made up of seven sites: three archaeological sites and four wetland marsh areas in southern Iraq. The archaeological cities of Uruk and Ur and the Tell Eridu archaeological site form part of the remains of the Sumerian cities and settlements that developed in southern Mesopotamia between the 4th and the 3rd millennium BC in the marshy delta of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Some accounts say this area is the Biblical garden of Eden.

Besides Nan Madol, the World Heritage Committee has also added Uzbekistan’s Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz to the List of World Heritage in Danger due to the over-development of tourist infrastructure in the site.

The Committee expressed concern over the destruction of buildings in the centre of the site’s medieval neighbourhoods and the construction of modern facilities including hotels and other buildings which have created irreversible changes to the appearance of historic Shakhrisyabz. The Committee has requested that UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) send a joint mission to assess the extent of damage and propose appropriate corrective measures.

The Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz, located on the Silk Road in southern Uzbekistan, is over 2,000 years old and was the cultural and political centre of the Kesh region in the 14th and 15th century. The Historic Centre of Shakhrisabz bears witness to the city’s secular development and to centuries of its history. Its peak was  particularly to the period of its apogee, under the rule of Amir Temur and the Temurids, from the 15th to 16th century.

Interested?

Watch the Committee’s video recordings (B-roll)

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World Heritage Map available for sale

Source: UNESCO website.

The latest version of the World Heritage map, produced by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and National Geographic Maps with the generous support of Turkey, can now be ordered from the World Heritage Centre website.

The featured image on the Map presents the Historic Areas of Istanbul in Turkey, the country hosting the next session of the World Heritage Committee in July 2016.

The poster-sized wall map features all 1,031 World Heritage properties and is illustrated with photos with detailed captions. It also presents brief explanations of the World Heritage Convention and its related marine, earthen architecture and other conservation programmes.

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Kimchi-making in North Korea, Arabic coffee rituals recognised as our intangible cultural heritage

The UNESCO committee for the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage meeting in Namibia has inscribed 20 new elements on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Representative List includes forms of expression that testify to the diversity of the intangible heritage and raise awareness of its importance. The review of nominations for inscription on this list is finished for this year, which saw 23 elements inscribed out of a total of 35 that were proposed.

The following elements from Asia Pacific and the Middle East were inscribed on December 2:

Azerbaijan - Copper craftsmanship of Lahij
Copper craftsmanship of Lahij is the traditional practice of making and using copperware in the Lahij community of the Caucasus. The copper-smelting master prepares the copper which the coppersmith-hammerer then moulds it into thin plates. A craftsperson engraves the plates with designs that represent their environment and reflect traditional knowledge and values. People from Azerbaijan buy the copperware for daily use. The practice is transmitted from father to son and said to be a clear marker of Lahij identity.

Cambodia, Philippines, South Korea and Vietnam – Tugging rituals and games
Tugging rituals and games in the rice-farming cultures of East Asia and Southeast Asia are enacted among communities to ensure abundant harvests and prosperity. They mark the start of the agricultural cycle. Teams on either end of a rope try to tug it from the other. The practice is non-competitive, strengthening community solidarity and identity. Elders lead young people and the rituals.

North Korea - Tradition of kimchi-making in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Kimchi is a dish made with various vegetables, including wild greens, as well as spices, fruit, meat, fish or fermented seafood before undergoing lactic fermentation. It is served for daily meals and special occasions. Bearers and practitioners of the element are mainly women. However, when preparing large quantities for winter, family members, neighbours or other members of the community contribute, enhancing social cohesion.

Indonesia - Three genres of traditional dance in Bali
Traditional Balinese dances, performed by men and women, symbolise particular traditions, customs and religious values. The dances consist of various movements and facial expressions to music played on the gamelan. The performers, who wear brightly coloured costumes with floral and faunal motifs, need to be disciplined, humble, charismatic and inject spiritual energy into the performances. The dances are mainly transmitted informally to groups of children.

Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan - Aitysh/Aitys, art of improvisation
Aitysh/Aitys is a contest between two people on poetry improvisation spoken or sung to music of traditional instruments like the Kazakh dombra. The audience chooses the topics and the contestant who demonstrates the best musical skills, rhythm, originality and wit wins. Aitysh/Aitys is a popular cultural component and identity marker of bearer communities in multiethnic societies of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, featuring at local festivities or nationwide events often to raise important social issues. Transmission is from older to younger generations.

Saudi Arabia - Alardah Alnajdiyah, dance, drumming and poetry in Saudi Arabia
Alardah is a traditional cultural expression combining dance, drumming and poetry chanting that is considered fundamental to practising communities. It involves a poet chanting verses, which are then sung by other performers carrying swords and moving in time to beating drums. Featured at family, local and national events, it is performed by males while women design the costumes. Neither age nor class acts as a barrier to participation, assisting social cohesion. Practice transmitters are individuals, schools, troupes, neighbourhoods and provinces.

Turkmenistan - Epic art of Gorogly
The epic art of Gorogly is an oral performing tradition that describes the achievements of legendary hero Gorogly and his 40 cavalrymen. Practitioners are performers in Turkmenistan who specialise in the epic, which incorporates narration, singing, poetry, vocal improvisation and music. It gives bearer communities a strong sense of identity, reflecting aspirations of the Turkmen people for a happy life and promoting values such as bravery, honesty, friendship, and fairness. Masters combine informal teaching with skills transmission during public performances.

United Arab Emirates, Oman - Al-Razfa, a traditional performing art
Al-Razfa is a traditional performing art of the United Arab Emirates and Sultanate of Oman that was initially used in victory celebrations. Now, it is a popular form of communal entertainment seen at festive events, involving groups of men holding wooden replica rifles chanting verses, often featuring traditional Nabati poetry, to music.  To appeal to a younger audience, instruments and music have been adapted. Skills transmission is informal within families.

In the act of serving coffee, or qahwa, in a majlis in Oman, with a traditional coffee pot. The coffee cups are traditional Chinese tea cups. Qahwa is traditionally offered with dates to balance the bitter taste. Fresh fruit is also served.

UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar - Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity
Serving Arabic coffee is an important aspect of hospitality in Arab societies. Traditionally prepared in front of house guests by men and women, it is also served by sheikhs and heads of tribes. The beans are roasted, ground with a mortar and pestle then brewed in a pot. The most important or oldest guest is served first. The practice is passed on within families and includes young people visiting the market with their elders to learn how to select beans.

UAE; Saudi Arabia; Oman; Qatar - Majlis, a cultural and social space
Majlis (sitting places) are community spaces where people discuss local issues, settle disputes, exchange news and be entertained, playing an important role in the transmission of oral heritage. The areas are usually large, comfortable and equipped with beverage-making facilities. Elders with extensive local knowledge are the main practice bearers, while judges and religious sheikhs adjudicate on disputes. Women have their own Majlis, although prominent figures may attend others more academic. Practice transmission occurs when children attend with older community members.

Interested?

Get the recipe for Omani coffee