Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity Available Now in English and Mother Tongue Languages

Date

Programme

26 Feb 2023
5pm – 6pm

Ang Mo Kio Public Library, Tomato Room

Vasagar Vattam Book Discussion (Tamil)
வாசகர் வட்டம் வழிநடத்தும் கதை கலந்துரையாடல்

In this session conducted in Tamil, discover new perspectives as you engage in a discussion with Vaasagar Vattam Book Club members on Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity.

5 Mar 2023
2.30pm – 4pm

National Library Building, L5, Possibility Room

Behind the story: Sharing by Chia Joo Ming (Chinese)
谢裕民与牛油小生对谈：35岁的传统与马桶

Mr Chia Joo Ming wrote the short story Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity when he was about 35 years old. What was the author's state of mind at the age of 35? What is his state of mind now? Join guest speakers, Mr Chia and Mr Tan Yu Xin, a Lianhe Zaobao Correspondent, as they discuss their views towards life.

12 Mar 2023
5.30pm -7pm

Woodlands Regional Library, Pacific Room

Maya Ilakiya Book Discussion (Tamil)
மாயா இலக்கிய வட்டம் வழிநடத்தும் கதை கலந்துரையாடல்

In this session conducted in Tamil, discover new perspectives as you engage in a discussion with Maya Ilakiya Vattam Book Club members on Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity.

14 Mar 2023
8pm – 9pm

Zoom

Small Spaces, Big Dreams: Writers on the Heart and the Hearth (English)

What does home ownership mean to Singaporeans? The promise of marriage; an investment opportunity; a site for familial memories; or simply, a roof over one's head? Hear from authors Ms Ang Shuang, Ms Heng Siok Tian and Ms Liyana Dhamirah as they speak to moderator Ms Yu-Mei Balasingamchow about the pains and pleasures (and everything in between) of having a house of one's own.

15 Mar 2023
1pm – 3pm

Zoom and on-site at Bukit Panjang Public Library

Interacting @ Bukit Panjang Book Club (Chinese)
交流点读书会导读《蹲向传统或坐看现代》

Join this session for a discussion with Interacting@Bukit Panjang Book Club on Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity.

18 Mar 2023
2.30pm – 4pm

National Library Building, Level 16, The Pod

Panel discussion: Tradition or Modernity (Chinese)
爱情、婚姻、家庭 – 坐看或蹲看？

What is tradition? What is modernity? How is tradition viewed in modern society? Can tradition and modernity be blended and complement each other, or are they in confrontation with each other? Get an insight to the thoughts of the author of Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity and three panellists, Assoc Prof Tan Chee Lay, Dr Lim Wooi Tee and Ms Moh Lee Fair.

19 Mar 2023
2.30pm – 4pm

National Library Building, L5, Possibility Room

Local architect’s talk on heritage and conservation (Chinese)
老建筑“旧瓶新酒”

Local architect, heritage preservation expert, author, and illustrator Mr Francis Wong Hooe Wai will share the challenges and interesting stories of preserving old buildings in his professional career and what living in preserved buildings may be. He will talk about how architects can break through the limitations while adhering to the principles of retaining old buildings.

24 Mar 2023
6.30pm – 8.30pm

National Library Building, L5, Possibility Room

The Challenges in Following Traditions in a Multicultural Modern Society (Tamil)
கலாசாரத்தை பின்பற்றுவதில் எற்படும் சவால்கள் - கருத்தரங்கம்

A Tamil language discussion and debate on the challenges in following traditions in a multicultural modern society.

25 Mar 2023
3pm – 5pm

Woodlands Regional Library, Programme Zone

Colours of Our Heritage (English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil)

An afternoon of songs and poetry in four official languages celebrating our heritage that lives through time and are still celebrated today. Performers will present their creative showcases in their respective Mother Tongue Languages followed by a translation in English.

25 Mar 2023
7pm – 8.30pm

Ang Mo Kio Public Library, Programme Zone

Taxi Shifu and Friends Reading Club (Chinese)
德士师傅与好友读书会导读《蹲向传统或坐看现代》

Taxi Shifu and Friends Reading Club will discuss Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity.

1 Apr 2023
2.30pm – 4.30pm

Zoom

From Kampung to HDB: Have Things Changed? (Malay)
Dari Kampung ke HDB: Yang Kekal, Mekar dan Menyepi?

Di Tanjong Katong is a famous Malay song that captures the beauty of the sea. Now, everything has changed. The adored physical landscape with scattered kampung houses has been replaced with high-rise buildings. The old dwellers have moved into HDB flats. However, there are things that they brought along, that would forever unite them as one. What are these “things”?

8 Apr 2023
2.30pm – 4pm

Zoom

Talk on how our local toilets have evolved (Chinese)
华人的厕所文化 – 人人有“粪”

The speaker, Mr Jack Sim, founder of the World Toilet Organization who is best known as Mr Toilet, will be sharing on Singapore’s progress in sanitation from night soil collection to modern-day toilets.

13 Apr 2023
7pm – 8pm

Zoom

Five Questions for a Conservation Planner (English)

Ever wondered what went into conserving a shophouse in Chinatown or the work that went into it? The Urban Redevelopment Authority’s (URA) conservation master plan in 1989 identified historic areas for conservation, one of which was Chinatown. Today, URA has conserved more than 7,000 buildings in more than 100 areas, including Chinatown, which is one of our four historic districts.

Tune in to hear from Ms Tan Peng Ting, Senior Planner for Conservation Planning at URA, who will speak about the importance of conserving our built heritage, the challenges in balancing modern needs and solutions to rejuvenate our districts!

20 Apr 2023
7pm – 8pm

National Library Building, L5, Imagination Room

Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity | Sing Lit Book Club (English)

Join us at the Singapore Literature Book Club as we chat with Cultural Medallion Recipient Mr Chia Joo Ming about his short story Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity. As this will be an interactive session, please come prepared to discuss the book and share your thoughts!

22 Apr 2023
11am – 12pm

Bishan Public Library, Programme Zone

From the Pit to the Bowl: A Brief History of Toilets in Singapore (English)

What is the significance of a humble toilet? Join Mr Jack Sim, also known as Mr Toilet, for a talk on how Singapore has progressed from night soil collection to modern-day toilets. Discover the wide impact of toilets and sanitation and find out how the World Toilet Organization has been championing the global sanitation movement.

23 Apr 2023
11am – 1pm

Zoom

Tamil Short Story Writing Workshop for Teens (Tamil)
உயர்நிலைப் பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கான தமிழ் புனைகதை எழுதும் பட்டறை

Budding writers will learn creative writing techniques to form their own short stories. The workshop will explore the theme and writing methods used in Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity.

29 Apr 2023
11am – 12.30pm

National Library Building, Level 16, The Pod

Love in Other Tongues (English)

Love 爱, cinta, அன்பு. This multicultural panel discussion invites the authors of NLB’s One Story titles to speak about the theme of love. We will examine not only romantic love, but also love that exists between friends, families, and communities.

What are the great love stories in one’s culture? How does one’s understanding of love evolve as one grows old? What are the unique forms and expressions of love and kinship in various communities in Singapore? Join us as we contemplate love and all of its beautiful and messy facets in Singapore.

Featured Authors: Mr Chia Joo Ming, Mr Sithuraj Ponraj, Dr Sa’eda Buang
Moderator: Mr William Phuan

20 May 2023
2.30pm – 4.30pm

library@esplanade,
Open Stage

An Afternoon of Reminiscing Heritage (Malay)
Sepetang Meraikan Warisan

Enjoy an afternoon of songs and poetry recitations to the strumming tune of the guitar by a guest musician. These creative pieces will rekindle fond memories of the past – both tangible and intangible – which is still alive and celebrated by many. Walk along old bustling streets, take a bus ride, smell the air of famous places and cherish the friendliness of the kampong dwellers in this open-mic session.

27 May 2023
10.30am – 12.30pm

Woodlands Regional Library, Everest Room

Documenting Us: Heritage@Home (Malay)
Mendokumentasi Kami: Warisan@Kediaman

Digitisation and advancements in technology help to preserve our past heritage. Our smartphones supported by various applications have made documenting our lifestyle and surroundings more fun and exciting. This workshop will provide participants with basic guidance in creating short creative videos with their phones to document what heritage means to them.

27 May 2023
2.30pm – 4.30pm

Woodlands Regional Library, Pacific Room

Squat for Tradition, Sit for Modernity: A Discussion on Tradition and Today by Ilham Pustaka Reading Club (Malay)
Kelab Membaca Ilham Pustaka: Tentang Tradisi & Masa Kini

What is tradition and its role in today’s society? Join us for a casual, engaging discussion on traditions and their relevance to modern society. Session will be led by well-known award-winning local authors, Dr Subari Sakaini, Ms Sharifah Mohamed, Mr Hamed Ismail, and Mr Jamal Ismail!

Book

Detail

SYNOPSIS
Palaniappan, a cloth merchant, sells a shipment of defective cloth to his old friend Jamal in order to pay the rent for his shop in Arab Street. However, Palaniappan begins to feel guilty as Jamal had helped him set up his business. Will the values of friendship, culture and tradition prevail?

Dharma’s Chariot offers a glimpse of what life was like for the community of businessmen in the small Indian import and export trade which prospered in the 1970s and 1980s, but gradually declined when technology made their middleman skills obsolete.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mr Sithuraj Ponraj began writing fiction and poetry at 18 years old and his works have since been published in several leading periodicals in India, Malaysia, and Singapore. In 2016, he won the Singapore Literature Prize for Tamil Fiction for his debut short story collection, Maariligal (The Unchangeables), as well as the Singapore Literature Merit Prize for Tamil poetry for his debut poetry collection, Kaatrai Kadanthaai (You Passed Like the Wind).

He also wrote two Tamil novels – Bernoulli Peigal (Bernoulli’s Ghosts) in 2016, and Vilambara Neelathil Oru Maranam (A Death in the Span of an Advertisement) in 2017. His second Tamil poetry collection, Sanikilamai Kuthiraigal (The Saturday Horses), was also published in 2017. A year later, he wrote his second Tamil short story collection, Ramon Enum Thevadai (Ramon Becomes an Angel).

Mr Sithuraj also writes in Spanish and English. His first Spanish poetry collection, The Crocodiles No Longer Pass Here, and English poetry collection, The Keynesian Crocodiles were published in 2019. In the same year, he published a Tamil book of literary criticism on the classic tale of 1001 Arabian Nights, titled Kathaisolliyin 1001 Iravugal.

SYNOPSIS
Each day is a painful struggle for Nani, the mother of Razi, a boy with special needs. As Nani finds herself increasingly frustrated by society’s lack of understanding and empathy for Razi’s condition, she is by turns swayed and pressured by her sister’s incessant cajoling to seek help from a traditional Malay healer.

Nani keeps the treatment a secret from her husband, out of fear and perhaps guilt, as Razi is slowly tamed into obedience. The healer sees it as progress, but is silent submission a cure at all?

Razi explores the nature of a mother’s love and how society could do more to support the people with special needs among us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 
Dr Sa’eda Buang is a Senior Lecturer in the Asian Languages and Cultures academic group, National Institute of Education (NIE) at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. Her research interests are in the areas of comparative literature, cultural studies, curriculum development and reformation, critical literacy, Muslim education, alternative assessments, and Jawi manuscripts.

Dr Sa’eda writes poetry, short stories, and academic papers on literature. She won the much-coveted Literary Prize (poetry) for Pustakaku Dalam Remang Senja (My Reading Room in the Twilight) awarded by the Singapore Malay Language Council in 2003; the Literary Prize (short story) for Ke Puncak Pun Tidak (To Summit No More); and the Literary Prize (commendation, poetry) for Malang, Senda dan Citra (Misfortune, Hope and Comedy), both in 2005. Her award-winning poem, Pustakaku Dalam Remang Senja was translated into Mandarin and was featured in Singapore’s Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao in 2003.

Apart from conducting workshops on creative writing at schools and for the public, she currently serves as Singapore’s representative in the Southeast Asian Literature Council (MASTERA) as well as an advisor and consultant in the international and local Malay literary industry. In addition to being a member of several editorial advisory boards in Indonesia and Malaysia, Dr Sa’eda was also the guest editor for the Asia-Pacific Journal of Education’s special issue on Muslim Education − Challenges, Opportunities and Beyond (2007) and Associate Editor of the Asia-Pacific Journal of Education (Routledge), NIE-NTU (2014-2016). She also reviews numerous international journals.