PATRON OF HERITAGE AWARDS 2008

This year, the awards go to 42 organisations and 24 individuals. The breakdown for the awards is as follows:

Donations in cash, kind or material :
• Distinguished Patron of Heritage (S$2 million and above): Four winners
• Patron of Heritage (S$1 million to S$1,999,999): Three winners
• Partner of Heritage (S$150,000 to S$999,999): 23 winners
• Friend of Heritage (S$50,000 to S$149,999): 34 winners

The Recipients

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Dr Kenson Kwok, Director of ACM recieved the award

Dr Kenson Kwok, Director of ACM recieved the award

PATRON OF HERITAGE AWARDS 2008

The Patron of Heritage Awards celebrates a record year in heritage philanthropy. Now in its third year, the prestigious national accolade by the National Heritage Board (NHB) recognises S$110 million of donations and loans contributed to heritage causes islandwide in 2008 – the highest sum received within a year.

Mr Michael Koh, CEO of NHB said: “It is heartening to see our selfless benefactors continuing to support the arts and heritage cause.

CEO of NHB with his opening welcome speech

Rear Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, will grace the awards ceremony as Guest of Honour on 17 April 2009 at the National Museum of Singapore.

Rear Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts

Established in 2006, the Patron of Heritage Awards is an annual event that aims to boost heritage philanthropy in Singapore by honouring individuals and organisations who have made significant contributions towards enriching our national heritage

The recipients

French Ambassador reciving the award

The View from the top of Capital Land Tower

View of Singapore Central District before sun down

Singapore City at night

My recent visit to Jurong BirdPark gave me an impression it was not doing well. The main restaurant was closed and even the Weaver Birds at the Waterfall Aviary was caged instead of free ranging within the waterfall areas. Not a very goodsight. Birds are born to be free….not caged.

Free ranging Egret with fish

Raptor landing

Dongzhi Festival

In China, Dongzhi was originally celebrated as an end-of-harvest festival. Today, it is observed with a family reunion over the long night, when pink and white tangyuan are eaten in sweet broth to symbolise family unity and prosperity.

Chinese Rice Ball

Traditionally, the Dongzhi Festival is also a time for the family to get together. One activity that occurs during these get togethers (especially in the southern parts of China and in Chinese communities overseas) is the making and eating of Tangyuan (湯圓, Cantonese jyutping: tong1 jyun2; Mandarin Pinyin: Tāng Yuán) or balls of glutinuous rice, which symbolize reunion. Tangyuan are made of glutinuous rice flour and sometimes brightly coloured. Each family member receives at least one large Tang Yuan in addition to several small ones. The flour balls may be plain or stuffed. They are cooked in a sweet soup or savoury broth with both the ball and the soup/broth served in one bowl.

Chinese Rice Ball

Portraiture of Devotees at Prayers sessions. Shaving at Thaipusam. The boy was crying his heart out as shaving progress.

Hindu Temple in Singapore

On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.

Women shaving off their hairs

Pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion.

pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion

Hindus take a vow to offer a kavadi to idol the for purpose of tiding over or averting a great calamity.

Take a vow

Thaipusam Festival in Malaysia Batu Cave.
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). It is also referred to as Thaipooyam or Thaippooyam in the Malayalam language. Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (spear) so he could vanquish the evil demon .

Kavadi Attam

Kavadi Attam is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Murugan, the Tamil God of War.[1] It is often performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The Kavadi itself is a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from the God Murugan.[2]

Devottees at Thaipusam

Thaipusam Festvial

Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting.

Cleansing

Christian Lacroix the costumier

The virtuoso haute couture designer Christian Lacroix, who is known for defining the look of the 1980s with its bright colours and extravagant embellishments, presents his splendid costume design Christian Lacroix twork of 20 years for the ballet, theatre and opera in this exclusive exhibition in National Museum of Singapore.

Spectacular costumes

Christian Lacroix the costumier

Christian Lacroix personal collection

Christian Lacroix personal collection

Christian Lacroix the costumier

Minister opening the Christian Lacroix the costumier

spectacular costumes

The interior of Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Singapore

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Mandarin Oriental Hotel Lobby

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

The Hotel Atrium

Signing of the MOU between the community heritage institutions and the National Heritage Board

THE National Heritage Board (NHB) has inked an agreement under which it will help in the running of three community heritage institutions.
With a budget of $30 million, it plans to beef up the programmes and collections of the Malay Heritage Centre in Kampong Glam, the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall near Balestier Road and the soon-to-be-built Indian Heritage Centre in Little India. The Heritage Institutions Division has been set up to look at the operations, curation, programming, marketing and promotion of the three centres.

Minister of State Lui Tuck Yew giving speech

Signing of the MOU

Memorandum of Understanding yesterday at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM).

Memorandum of Understanding yesterday at the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM).

The Collabration of the heritage centres

The Collabration of the heritage centres

Puppets and Legends Series

The Out of the Box Programme uses handling artefacts from the National Museum’s collection and two popular Asian Legends, Journey to the West and Ramayana, to teach students on values and ideals. The programme engages students through story-telling, puppet play and characterisation. Students get to play with selected musical instruments and develop their motor and creative skills through making the puppets and handling them during performance on our custom-made puppet stages. The workshop also included a guided tour of the Film & Wayang gallery to introduce the students to the museum’s puppet collection.

Students guided on puppets making

National Museum Education series

Student having fun preparing their puppets show.

Puppets and Legends in action

The play on Puppets and Legends

Show on Puppets and Legends

The show on Puppets and Legends

Puppets and Legends

Children visit to the Museum will never be boring again! The National Museums new interactive tour for 5 to 9 year olds History Alive! is a walk through Singapore’s history. Kids were delighted by the interesting characters from the past whom they will meet in the gallery. History Alive! is part of the National Museum Christmas and New Years Day Open House celebrations.

Kids learn at the Museum

Kids learn the history of Singapore at the National Museum

Kids learn the history of Singapore

Kids learn about the war on drugs in the old days

The War on drugs

The children learn the History of Singapore at National Museum.

Learning history at the National Museum

Out of the Box! My 60s Fashion Wardrobe

The workshop was meant for kids from 5 to 6 years old. It takes a light-hearted approach in introducing young and inquisitive minds on fashion, colours and patterns. The kids get to touch and feel the textures of different fabrics used for making clothes and try on a variety of fashion accessories like wigs, curlers, clogs, cat sunglasses and many more. The kids have the opportunity to an iconic fashion accessory of the 1960s and take it home after the session.

Kids having a fun time

Kids having fun with their fashion works

The Fashion Gallery of National Museum

The Fashion Gallery of National Museum

The kids get to take part in hands-on activities, touch different fabrics and try on vintage fashion accessories.

Kids at The Fashion Gallery of National Museum

STORM at National Museum of Singapore

The National Museum of Singapore was given a colourful display of design and patterns by an Artise, Jinnie Seo from Korea in September 2008. The Glass Atrium was covered with various colourful shapes and patterns of stickers on the Glass Panel.

National Museum of Singapore Glass Panels

National Museum of Singapore - The Glass Wall

National Museum of Singapore - The second level Atrium

National Museum of Singapore the Night Colours of STORM

National Museum of Singapore - The STORM at night

National Museum of Singapore STORM Event

The Media launch for National Heritage Board of Singapore in 2009 was launch at the Singapore Philatelic Museum. The CEO of National Heritage Board of Singapore addressed the media on the comprehensive plans for the year 2009.

Singapore Philatelic Museum

Singapore Philatelic Museum

The world’s first wildlife park built for visits at night, the Night Safari is not like any ordinary zoo illuminated by the night or a modern version of nocturnal houses found in many zoos around the globe.

Nestled in 40 hectares of lush secondary forest, the Night Safari offers guests the unique experience of exploring wildlife in a tropical jungle at night. Through the use of subtle lighting technique, guests are able to view over 1,000 nocturnal animals of 100 species in vast naturalistic habitats.

The night Keeper and his pet

The Spotted Hyena, the largest Heyna in the world

The Long-Tailed Porcupine

Hippo

Night Safari Stage show

The Nigth Safari Stage sow

Otter teaching recycle waste

The Lantern Festival, which occurs on the 15th day of the First Month of the Chinese Year, marks the end of the New Year’s Holidays. In 2009, it falls on February 9. In Singapore, it was celebrated under a rather low key event as compared to Taiwan and China. The following photos were captured on9 Feb 2009 at the oldest Temple in Singapore.

Lantern Festival Yuan Xiao Jie

Lion Dance

Lanterns are everywhere. A most interesting tradition is the posting of riddles called ‘Lantern Riddles.’ Riddles are written on pieces of paper and posted on lanterns or wall. Any one solving the riddle is awarded a prize.

Lantern at Yuan Xiao Jie

Lantern Festival Yuan Xiao Jie

City Alive! is the biggest and funkiest street dance party in Singapore, where party revellers can expect a night of adrenaline rush as they witness the city coming alive with the transformation of the street at the City Hall Front (one of the Singapore’s iconic building) into a mega dance floor.

City Alive! promises a stellar line up of renowned international female DJs from United Kingdom and Japan and a top local DJ, a battle for street dance supremacy and live performances such as Street Percussion and roving acts. Party revellers can also dance alongside or take memorable photos with party mascots and enjoy great food and drinks.

Singapore Streets Party

Singapore Streets Party at City Hall

Dance Competition at Singapore City Hall

The Party Goers

Streets Party renowned international female DJs from United Kingdom

Singapore Streets Party having fun

The Parade Chingay ended with a spectacular series of fireworks at the City Hall.

Fireworks at Singapore Chingay 2009 Finale

Spectacular closing of Singapore Chingay 2009

More pictures of Chingay can be view here