Music is the thread woven through our history, from the Sumatran-born Zubir Said, the composer of Singapore’s national anthem to his fellow migrants who made their life in Singapore. We came together for Hari Warisan on the 25th of January, 2025 to celebrate their musical talents and all the Kampung Gelam elders on whose shoulders we now stand.
Together with Artusik, a music enselmbe of vocalists, percussionists, string instrumentalists and traditional music maestro Riduan Zalani, we brought back the Kampung Gelam of the ‘50s.
Participants were regaled with the iconic “Kenari Biru” while learning to sing it in both Malay and English! The performance revived the lively music of yesteryears while translation activities formed a linguistic bridge between attendees and the Malay language, as well as drawing a common thread of understanding between them. We hope to have fostered a greater appreciation for our shared musical heritage and promoted a sense of appreciation for the Malay language.
