Who knew it's possible to learn more about a country's heritage and history by visiting several tombstones at a very old cemetery?
Sounds creepy, huh? Maybe when you do it at night. But when you do it on a hot Sunday morning, together with twenty-plus other people eager to learn about their country's heritage and a very knowledgeable heritage walk guide, the whole activity actually becomes one unique learning experience.
Even though I had a late Saturday night, I found myself waking up at 730 in the morning on a Sunday to meet up with Singaporean nature-tripper friend Melvin and his friend Norman at Bishan Junction 8.
Our destination for that morning was one not too many would probably be very keen on going to. Yes, it still still involved the greenery. Yes, there was a lot of walking/hiking involved. But around you are hundreds, even thousands, of tombstones and gravemarkers. Hehe.
After a quick breakkie at MickeyD's Bishan, we got into Melvin's car and hit the road for our destination - Bukit Brown cemetery.
The plan: to join a guided tour of the cemetery led by members of the Asia Paranormal Investigators (API).
A brief background on the cemetery. It was a public Chinese cemetery that had been established some time in the 1920s. The cemetery is located between Lornie Road and Mount Pleasant Road and was named after the land's first owner, George Henry Brown. Brown sold the land to three Ong families (?) who then passed on the land to the municipal authorities for a public cemetery. It was abandoned since its closure in 1973. Close to 100,000 tombs are found in the cemetery.
The largest grave in the cemetery belongs to one of the Ongs - Ong Sam Leong.
What makes Bukit Brown extra special?
Many of Singapore pioneers and forefathers from the late 19th century to the early 20th century were laid to rest here. Chew Boon Lay. (as in the Boon Lay MRT station) Cheang Hong Lim. (as in Hong Lim Park). Son and daughter-in-law of Chia Ann Siang (as in Ann Siang Hills). The mother of Eu Tong Sen (as in Eu Tong Sen in Chinatown). The aunt of Lee Kwan Yew who was the first woman doctor of Singapore.
We managed to visit several of the graves of these prominent Singaporeans. In each grave, the tour guide Raymond gave a very good story/historical information about the deceased. It was really impressive. He gave info on how the person contributed to the Singapore society, how the person is related to contemporary prominent Singapore people.
What also made the tour interesting was that there were a number of descendants were present. So we got stories straight from the horse's mouth.
The other interesting features were the intricate carvings of dragons, phoenixes, Chinese mythological creatures, Peranakan tiles, that decorate the tombstones.
Several markers also had inscriptions on them, which according to our API guide, was meant to serve as life lessons to be remembered by the descendants of the deceased.
"In every tombstone, there is a life lesson to learn," said our API guide.
Today, the Bukit Brown Cemetery is in danger of being cleared. With the site slated for redevelopment, the dead might make way for the living. Pretty soon, it will all be gone. (I just learned that Bishan HDB estate and Ngee Ann City Shopping Centre were once cemetery grounds as well)
Though I am not Singaporean, it's saddening to learn these. The country is not just losing another cemetery. It is losing a historical landmark, a significant part of the rich cultural and historical heritage.
There's a part of me though that also feels lucky for being able to set foot on these grounds before it disappears and becomes one more relic of a bygone era.
