When we think of Singapore’s history, we think of a “sleepy fishing village” complete with sampans and fishing nets. But most of us may be unaware of the lesser known stories of places and people from our past.
The Future of Our Pasts Festival – or TFOOPFest for short – is a month-long pop-up event in support of the Singapore Bicentennial. Happening from 16th February – 17th March 2019 all over the city, the event will revisit our history through immersive performances, exhibitions and films by young artists.
You can look forward to exhibitions such as “First Storeys” and complimentary music performances by Sarong Party and Project IDIOM. Here’s more of what you can expect at the festival:
Only a few places in Singapore come to mind when we think of nature, such as Coney Island or MacRitchie Reservoir, but we weren’t always the sprawling metropolis that we are today. Embark on a walking tour of Orchard Road’s underground canals and drains, and discover how this bustling shopping belt was once a valley with a natural stream.
ORchard: A Stroll Between Valleys Public Installation
Date: 19th February – 14th March
Venue: Outside Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Rd, Singapore 23887
Tickets: Free Admission
ORchard: A Stroll Between Valleys Walking Tour
Date: 2nd March
Venue: Orchard Road
Tickets: $10
Image credit: The Future Of Our Pasts
While we may be familiar with BTOs and HDBs, high rise housing was a new concept to people in the 1950s when they were rehoused from kampungs. First Storeys lets you participate in a re-enactment of the resettlement exercise through theatre performances, allowing us to have a glimpse of what our grandparents experienced themselves.
And if that’s not enough, there’ll be forums discussing our housing history, and a First Steps workshop for kids to learn more about urban planning and stories surrounding the move from kampung to metropolis.
First Storeys Theatrical Installation
Date and Time: 1st – 3rd March, 6th – 10th March: 7.30PM | 3rd March and 10th March:3PM
Venue: 300 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore 169566
Tickets: $15
First Storeys Forum: Singapore Housing History
Date and Time: 2nd March | 3PM
Venue: 300 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore 169566
Tickets: Free
First Storeys Forum: Challenging the Nuclear Family
Date and Time: 9th March | 3PM
Venue: 300 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore 169566
Tickets: Free
First Storeys Workshop: First Steps
Date and Time: 3rd and 10th March |10AM
Venue: 300 Jalan Bukit Ho Swee, Singapore 169566
Recommended Age: 8 – 13 years old
Tickets: Free
Think of a flea market and we picture dream-catchers or nifty iPhone gadgets – things you’ll be hard-pressed to find back at Sungei Road Thieves Market, Singapore’s oldest flea market. Remembering Sungei brings this vintage flea market back to life in an exhibition that lets you sift through old artifacts and watch video interviews of past vendors.
Remembering Sungei
Date: 20th February – 3rd March
Venue: DECK, 120A Prinsep Street, Singapore 187937
Tickets: Free Admission
Image credit: The Future Of Our Pasts
News of the JC mergers came as a big shock, and while the paired Junior Colleges will have new names that reflect their history and heritage, the last days of the JCs are still sacred to us.
Immerse yourself in nostalgia with Merged, an interactive documentary with videos, photos and 360-degree VR content that keep Tampines Junior College’s last days frozen in time. It’ll offer a snapshot of how different students were affected by the merger, so you might even spot your friends in it!
Merged
Date and Time: 15th March: 7PM – 9.45PM | 16th March: 12PM – 7PM
Venue: Found., 128 Prinsep St, #01-01, Singapore 188655
Tickets: Free
Image credit: The Future Of Our Pasts
Singaporeans may be familiar with the heritage of the Chinese, Malays and Indians living in Singapore, but a veil of mystery still shrouds local Eurasian history, culture and identity. Enter Boka di Stori, a graphic novel that demystifies local Eurasian heritage with a story inspired by personal accounts from the community’s elderly members.
There’ll also be a book launch and a Eurasian Writers’ Panel featuring authors and a performance poet. For those looking to take their experience further, there’ll be a free Eurasian language crash course, trivia night, film screenings and board games to make you ditch your Netflix plans for a weekend.
Book Launch & Eurasian Writers’ Panel
Date: 1st March
Time: 6.30PM – 9.30PM
Venue: Centre 42, 42 Waterloo St, Singapore 187951
Tickets: Free
Kristang Language class (Prendeh Kristang) & Other Activities
Date: 2nd – 5th March
Time: 1PM – 3PM
Venue: Centre 42, 42 Waterloo St, Singapore 187951
Tickets: Free
Image credit: The Future Of Our Pasts
We know Singaporeans can’t do festivals without free music performances. Luckily, Sarong Party will entertain with original compositions that spotlight Singapore’s relationship with her colonial past.
Sarong Party
Date and Time: 22nd – 23rd February: 7.30PM – 9.30PM | 23rd February 2.30PM – 4.30PM
Venue: LASALLE College of the Arts, Flexible Performance Space (Block F Level 1, #F102)
Tickets: Free
Image credit: The Future Of Our Pasts
Project IDIOM will present a series of concerts featuring local classical music. You can also look forward to a free web repository with video interviews and profile stories of local classical composers, in line with their concerts.
Project IDIOM
Date: 9th March
Time: 1.30PM – 3.30PM, 7PM – 9PM
Venue: Esplanade Recital Studio, 1 Esplanade Drive, Singapore 038981
Venue: Free
You won’t find unique SG-themed pins like these anywhere else
Image credit: The Future of Our Pasts
The Future of Our Pasts Festival lets you ditch your history textbooks and delve into exhibitions, performances and films that bring past events to life. Now you can visualise and reimagine the past using your own unique perspectives through the untold stories and real-lived experiences of others. Plus, receive free festival merch when you attend these events!
This post was brought to you by The Future of Our Pasts Festival.
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