The Ostrich of Kampong Glam, by Kane Wheatley-Holder
Tanjong Rhu by Minfong Ho
Mustafa Centre. A Fact Sheet by Pooja Nansi
A Story, or History, Perhaps? by Abdul Ghani Hamid
Chinatown I by Tan Chee Lay
little red comma
A Story, or History, Perhaps? by Abdul Ghani Hamid
A poem about the forgotten histories of Singapore’s East Coast. Play with its sounds and create your own unique spoken word track.
Click to explore A Story, or History, Perhaps?
Originally in Malay and translated into English by Annaliza Bakri, A Story, or History, Perhaps? (2008) is a melancholic rumination on sweeping transformations of the land and intergenerational change in the eastern part of Singapore.
This experience was part of Cipta Cita, presented by Esplanade from 2 – 4 Sep 2022. Loosely translated as "inspiring creativity", Cipta Cita is held in conjunction with Bulan Bahasa (Malay Language Month), and celebrates the Malay language through a diverse range of art forms.
Contributed by:
Abdul Ghani Hamid
Abdul Ghani Hamid is a pioneer of Malay arts in Singapore, whose wide-ranging work includes poetry, fiction, plays, non-fiction writings on art and architecture, as well as paintings and cartoons. He received several prestigious awards including the Anugerah Tun Seri Lanang (1997), Southeast Asia Write Award (1998), and the Cultural Medallion (1999).
Apart from his contributions to literature, Abdul Ghani also co-founded and led the non-profit arts group Angkatan Pelukis Aneka Daya (APAD, Association of Artists of Various Resources), which organised exhibitions, classes, and other activities to encourage appreciation of visual arts. He passed away in 2014 at the age of 81.
Acknowledgement:
Written by Abdul Ghani Hamid
Translated by Annaliza Bakri
Original publisher: Math Paper Press
Audio production: Artwave Studio
Voice artist: Tysha Khan
Produced by Tusitala
Commissioned by Esplanade Offstage
Supported by National Arts Council Singapore
