Development of the Singapore Heritage Society

Roots is the Society's annual newsletter. Apart from reporting on the Society's activities, it also contains intellectual articles or discusses topical issues related to cultural heritage.

Pages from yesteryear was launched in 1989 to coincide with Heritage Week that year, summarizing important and fascinating publications from 1819 to 1959 in the four languages of the various communities in Singapore, as well as Living legacy.

The publication of Zhaonan: Singapore under Japanese Rule in English, Chinese and Japanese between 1991-1993 was a collective recollection of the period of Japanese rule in Singapore by the Chinese, Malaysian, Indians, Eurasians and British prisoners, and gave people of all races an opportunity to understand the actual situation and feelings of the various races under Japanese rule. By April 1994, *** had hosted three traditional cultural search competitions.

The main event of Traditional Culture Week in 1988 was the first contest. This contest was divided into three groups of questions: buildings and architectural styles, natural environments, and historical figures. Two rare creatures, the freshwater crab and the wax fruit tree, were discovered.

The 1989 competition unearthed many treasures related to economy and culture; such as eight account books and personal correspondence of the 19th century philanthropist, Huyaki; Romenshine Departmental Store, a merchandise brochure of 1900; a driver's license of 1941; a concert program of the 1940s; books printed in Tamil of the period 1915-1940, and so on.

The 1991 competition was based on soliciting certificates, badges, photographs, uniforms, etc. from the Japanese rule period. The collected artifacts were displayed at the Ford Motor Factory in 1992 and were used as an important part of the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Japanese Occupation of Singapore.The Society's activities planned for 1994 are: one is to hold a workshop at the end of the year tentatively titled Heritage, the other is to publish a series of booklets on the multiracial cultural heritage of Singapore, titled History and Memories, as well as organizing an activity to promote a better understanding of the local customs and traditions. The other is the publication of a series of booklets on Singapore's multiracial cultural heritage, called "History and Memories", and the organization of an event to raise awareness of local customs and traditions.

Many of these activities are co-organized with or in conjunction with the National Museum, the National Archives and the Centre for Oral History. Almost all of them are suitable for participation by people from all walks of life, and provide opportunities for those with expertise to make use of it professionally, thus gaining enthusiastic support from all walks of life, and increasing membership and influence.