By Low Lee Koong

 

The Makers & Keepers of Singapore History features 23 essays by a diverse group of historians and researchers, each exploring different aspects of studying Singapore’s history. The collection is organized into three thematic sections—referred to as ‘gates’: ‘front gates’ (official Singaporean archives), ‘side gates’ (foreign archives), and ‘memory gates’ (oral history). The book draws on the authors’ own research experiences and the challenges they faced. Many of the essays reflect personal insights into the process of historical research. As Loh Kah Seng notes in his chapter, “The contributors to this volume have, in their own creative ways, made concerted attempts to unlock the gates to Singapore’s multiple, multi-faceted histories and gain access to crucial historical sources.”

In the first section “Front Gates”, the book highlights several issues related to accessing official Singaporean archives. Researchers often face limitations due to the restricted availability of government records, with some documents remaining classified and inaccessible. Files deemed critical to national security are kept from public view, forcing researchers to seek alternative sources such as private and foreign archives.

The section on ‘Side Gates’ examines the challenges of researching through foreign archives when local records are unavailable. Historians caution that materials from these archives often carry a Western bias, which can skew interpretation.

In the ‘Memory Gates’ section, the focus shifts to oral history, which provides details often missing from official records. This poses a dilemma for researchers who must decide whether to include both official and personal perspectives or to prioritize one over the other.

The book also explores unconventional sources like films and social media platforms (e.g., YouTube) that offer new ways to document activism, political events, and viewpoints that may not be fully covered in official archives. In chapter 22, filmmakers Martyn See and Tan Pin Pin discuss their experiences in documenting Singapore’s recent pasts, while in chapter 21, Eng Yee Peng describes capturing the voices and memories of rural residents who were relocated from Lim Chu Kang due to urban development.

Some key reflections include:

• In chapter 2, Huang Jianli discusses the loss of contemporary source materials on Chinese intellectuals and Nanyang University students, which are often held by civic organizations or private collectors in Malaysia. Huang emphasizes the importance of preserving Singapore’s cultural heritage and advocates for the acquisition, preservation, and digitization of these sources.

• In chapter 10, Syed Muhd Khairudin Aljunied describes how interviews with families and witnesses of the Maria Hertogh controversy provided opportunities to reassess and reinterpret colonial records. He argues that decolonizing these records can lead to a more nuanced understanding of Singapore’s history, free from the ethnic and political myths that shape our current perceptions.

• Kelvin Low, in chapter 18, addresses the ethical dilemmas in researching the Samsui women, exploring issues of social memory and the impact of public attention on personal narratives. He discusses the moral responsibilities of historians as gatekeepers of knowledge—protecting the privacy of the samsui woman on one hand, and giving back to society through sharing one’s research on the other.
  

Overall, The Makers & Keepers of Singapore History highlights the varied experiences of historians and researchers, shedding light on the challenges, restrictions, and solutions encountered in their quest for historical knowledge. The book underscores the crucial role of those who manage information sources and how their perspectives can significantly shape the narrative of history.