Have you ever heard of Queen Street being referred toby the Chinese community as Sek A Ni Koi (derivedfrom the Malay word “serani”, which referred to Eurasians)? The Jewish community, on the other hand, referred to Queen Street as Mahallah (which means“neighbourhood”).
These nicknames reflect the diversity of the communities thatlived, worked and played around Queen, Waterloo and Bencoolen Streets in Singapore’s Bras Basah.Bugis precinct.
There, temples, churches, a mosque and asynagogue are all within a stone’s throw of one another. This is testament tohow the different communities have embraced each other, exemplifying the valuesof understanding and openness that have allowed them to exist and thrive together.
In a new programme titled Harmony Walks, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will explore the commonthreads of Singapore’s diverse communities in the areas of religion, cultureand built heritage.
Featuring three guided walks that will cover the areas of Waterloo, Queen and Bencoolen Streets, Telok Ayer, and South Bridge Road, Harmony Walks invites participants to better understand and celebrate the religious and cultural harmony that is a pillar of our multicultural society.
About the National Heritage Board
The National Heritage Board (NHB) was formed on 1 August 1993. As the custodian of Singapore’s heritage, NHB is responsible for telling the Singapore story, sharing the Singaporean experience and imparting our Singapore spirit.
NHB’s mission is to preserve and celebrate the shared heritage of our diverse communities, for the purpose of education, nation-building and cultural understanding. It manages the national museums and heritage institutions, and sets policies relating to heritage sites, monuments and the national collection. Through the national collection, NHB curates heritage programmes and presents exhibitions to connect the past, present and future generations of Singaporeans. NHB is a statutory board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth. Please visit www.nhb.gov.sg for more information.
