Singapore Malay Heritage Center

Malay Heritage Centre

Language, Literature & Publishing

Kampong Gelam was also known for its printing and publishing industry which grew during the second half of the 19^th century following the influx of Javanese printers who were escaping restrictions on printing and publishing imposed by the Dutch. At its zenith in the 20^th century, Kampong Gelam was recognized as one of the most important Malay publishing centres in the region and gained a reputation as a Muslim printing hub outside of the Middle East. Although the industry was initially focused on the production of religious texts, it eventually expanded to include newspapers, magazines and novels. The industry was critical to the promotion of intellectual debate and the print medium served as an effective channel for disseminating discussions on Malay identity and other social issues.

 An Intellectual & Cultural Hub

With the establishment of Singapore as a British-controlled port and colony, several waves of new immigrants arriving both from within and beyond the Malay Archipelago dramatically changed the composition of the island’s society. Although Malays were a minority community,Singapore played a significant role in the development of Malay intellectualism and activism. In fact,Singapore’s status as a colony existing out of the traditional Malay negeri (state) framework created the spaces required for the growth of intellectual and alternative ideas which would otherwise have been restricted by the Malay courts in the north. Moreover,Singapore’s status ensured that it remained open to new ides emanating from the Indonesian islands in the south.

 Malay Musical Heritage

Popular traditional Malay music covers a range of musical forms which bear influences from other cultures. The different forms encompass a variety of vocal, dance and theatrical genres from ghazal, dondang saying to zapin and inang. Elements from both Malay folk and classical music traditions have been combined by foreign elements including Indian, Arabic and Persian music and theatre. The incorporation of such diverse influences harks back to the Malay world’s position as an intermediate stage for international sea trade where alongside the exchange of goods, cultural influences were also exchanged.

The anak dagang (traders) communities who came to Singaporealso brought with them other traditional art forms and practices that originated in other parts of the Malay Archipelago such as gamelan and zapin music. At the turn of the 20^th century,Singapore’s position as a port-city within British Malaya facilitated the transfer of modern media technologies such as the gramophone and the influx of musical influences from other parts of the world. As a result, a recording industry (which initially capitalized on the popularity of bangsawan songs) was quickly established. At the same time, traditional Malay music also evolved into a syncretic and dynamic form, which was able to incorporate diverse influences.

The anak dagang (traders) communities who came to Singapore brought with them the traditional art forms and practices which originated from other parts of Malay Archipelago such as wayang kulit. As Singapore grew as a port-city during the period 1900s to 1960s, these traditional art forms gradually evolved by borrowing from other cultures and/or embracing new media technologies. The vibrant and dynamic development of the performing arts extended to their practitioners and audiences. While a play or film might be performed in Malay, the actors and crew often included Chinese, Indians or Eurasians.