History literally came alive for the 30 or so lucky senior citizen participants of Explore Singapore! at the National Museum on 18 November.
With an effervescent and dynamic Mandarin-speaking guide leading the way, it was a walk back in time with a difference!
For many of these senior citizens, it was probably their first trip back to the museum in a very long while. The History Comes Alive! tour was specially created for seniors as part of Explore Singapore! and was fully booked well in advance! The original group of 20 had swelled to some 30 pax by the time the tour was about to start.
The tour started with a history of Singapore during the Japanese occupation in the History Gallery. Here, the guide brought them into Singapore’s war-torn past on that fateful day of 15 February 1942 when Singapore officially fell to the Japanese. Complete with sounds of sirens, scenes of bombings, and darkness and shadow, it was the beginning of a tour that would jolt many memories…
A very special part of this tour was the use of street theatre and the singing of war-time folk songs. Touching performances by the actors about the hardship of life during the war moved the participants visibly. Song sheets were even distributed so that they too could take part and sing the old songs from a past long ago…
Our tour guide also shared the story of war heroine Elizabeth Choy, whose bravery and stoicism in the face of terrible torture remains an inspiration to all. Participants also got to see first-hand the outfit that Ms Choy wore during her more than 200 days in the hands of the Japanese. In a kneeling position, it was a raw reminder of her sufferings then.
History Comes Alive! is part of Explore Singapore! which happens from 10 November 2007 to 31 December 2007. For more information on Explore Singapore!, visit www.museums.com.sg/explore/ or call 62214463.
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