Think Singapore was the only place in history to hold the title of “Singapura” or Lion City? Not quite. Throughout history there have been many places in Asia that have carried the name Singapura. In The Many Places of Singapura, explore four “Singapuras” in Southeast Asia: Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and of course, Singapore.

Singapore, of course wasn’t always known as “Singapura” – it once bore the name of Temasek, a name which in Old Malay means “city of the sea”. In 14th century Chinese accounts, Wang Dayuan, a trader who traveled through Southeast Asia mentioned Temasek (Dan-Ma-Xi). There, he noted a settlement where the natives and Chinese lived side-by-side. He also noted that the Dan-ma-xi barbarians were pirates, often letting ships passing to the west unmolested, but plundering returning ships when they reached Karimun island. So it’s quite amusing that the latest Pirates of the Carribean movie features Chow Yun-fat as the pirate king of Singapore. A case of life imitating art imitating life?

Read about The Many Places of Singapura in three parts:
The Many Places of Singapura – Part 1
The Many Places of Singapura – Part 2
The Many Places of Singapura – Part 3

Tags: Singapura, Temasek, toponymns, Southeast Asian Archaeology