Deadpoet’s Cave

On Saturday, I went on a mini shopping spree. I came back with a few treasures - books and DVDs about Singapore.

None of these are likely to become required reading or viewing as part of National Indoctrination Education. Nevertheless (or is it ‘Because of’?), this unlikely quintet are more authentic than most of what you see on Channel 5 and 8.

Ah, actually, there is something to be said about that - the Channel 8 reference - particularly regarding The Resident Tourist series. I think the graphic novels will strike a chord with many English-educated Chinese here. Troy Chin’s observations, experiences and asides about Singapore will have you nodding and laughing in agreement.

Troy is The Resident Tourist. He details his return to Singapore from New York, where he worked as a music executive. Having been away, he plays tourist in Singapore since he is busy being a bum illustrating and writing a comic about himself - The Resident Tourist.

Very meta.

I read Part 1 online, after finding out about it via Tomorrow.sg. Even before I was halfway through, I decided to buy the book. Troy (and Adrian Teo, the publisher), if you are reading this, please publish Part 3!

Moving on to the DVDs.

Remember Chek Jawa, by Eric Lin, documents the journey of ordinary Singaporeans in their valiant effort to survey and ultimately save Chek Jawa from the threat of destruction. If you believe our gahmen doesn’t listen - and I often do - then this documentary will at least make you think twice about that sentiment. Though I still think that on balance, the gahmen generally doesn’t. Think IR and others.

The documentary reveals that we do have natural resources. Perhaps non-exploitable, but they exist.

The Tan Pin Pin Collection is a compilation of three documentaries by Tan Pin Pin - Moving House, Singapore GaGa and Invisible City.

Moving House explores the theme of displacement and development through the exhumation of the director’s great grandfather’s grave.

Singapore GaGa is a documentary about the sounds that make up Singapore. Sounds that we take for granted. Sounds that we might not even notice. There is an interview with the Old Voice of MRT. And you’ll discover why you had to learn to play the recorder in school.

Finally, there is Invisible City, a study of the hidden histories of our land. If Remember Chek Jawa reminds us that we have natural heritage, Invisible City highlights that we have many alternative historical narratives besides the grand story of how we got kicked out of Malaysia and eventually made good.

The common thread that binds these books and DVDs is that they all touch on our identity as Singaporeans. None provide answers. What they serve to do is to make us reflect and to question truisms. The books and DVDs open our eyes to different and sometimes hidden aspects of our existence as Singaporeans.

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• Invisible City
• Visit Chek Jawa
• One man’s trash is another man’s artifact - Invisible City previewed
• Commemorating, Remembering and Reflecting