Wan's Ubin Journal

Hi all! Pesta Ubin 2020 will begin on 12th September and end on a high-note with Ubin Day 2020 on 26th September! As large gatherings are not allowed as part of COVID-19 safe distancing measures, having nearly a thousand visitors flocking to the island (just as how we have seen for the previous Pesta Ubins) clearly is not possible. So that's why we're taking the annual festivities online, instead! Organised by passionate individuals and groups from the Friends of Ubin Network (FUN) and supported by the National Parks Board (NParks), this year's Pesta Ubin celebration revolves around the theme of "Remembering Pulau Ubin". Various stakeholders have some exciting activities lined up just for you; for you to join in from the comforts of your home or wherever you may be! Come and learn about the island's socio-cultural heritage and efforts to revitalise Singapore's final offshore kampung community, find out about ongoing and future restoration and conservation ...

来自 / 联合早报 文 / 黄伟曼 发布 / 2020年9月8日 3:30 AM 沙兹万记录乌敏岛故事有两年多时间，他希望除了认识自己的家族，也能透过各个渠道协助保留和重建乌敏岛的社区精神，当小岛的守护者。（受访者提供） 沙兹万的母亲是乌敏岛马来村的前村民，1989年搬到本岛居住。因为这段渊源，他从2018年开始透过社交媒体平台撰写“岛屿日志”，记录一些家族史和小故事。  过去两三个月，沙兹万相继接到两名乌敏岛长辈逝世的消息，近期报章又报道岛上一家脚踏车出租店已停业。这让他顿时感到记录乌敏岛故事的迫切感，因为就连看似远离瞬息万变世界的纯朴小岛，也无法阻挡一些改变。 沙兹万（Syazwan Majid，23岁）的母亲是乌敏岛马来村的前村民，1989年搬到本岛居住。因为这段渊源，他从2018年开始透过社交媒体平台撰写“岛屿日志”（Wan's Ubin Journal），从记录一些家族史和小故事开始，重新认识长辈熟悉的这个地方，也因此认识了岛上的村民和前村民。 沙兹万指出，在冠病阻断措施期间，他听闻自己认识的一名前村民病逝。上个月底，乌敏岛马来村里大家都熟悉、亲如他祖母的另一名村民“Nenek Piah”也过世，享年78岁。他在日志中回忆说，他今年6月开斋节才与她透过视讯通话，两人还相约要尽快见面，没想到这个承诺无法实现。 他说：“她是多么善良、亲切和温柔的奶奶。乌敏岛失去了一颗宝石。” 沙兹万记录乌敏岛故事有两年多时间，他希望除了认识自己的家族，也能透过各个渠道协助保留和重建乌敏岛的社区精神，当小岛的守护者。在阻断措施结束后，他依旧每周涉足乌敏岛，也透过直播给网民介绍乌敏岛的甘榜和特色建筑。 今年“乌敏岛日”因疫情无法举报大规模活动，但沙兹万将在本月12日和26日上午10时至下午1时在Wan's Ubin Journal的面簿页面开直播，并将分享马来甘榜双溪榴梿的故事。 - Read this news article straight from the source here . May Pulau Ubin thrive again, with its people in its heart. ════ ⋆★⋆ ════ Follow WUJ on social media! Facebook https://www.facebook...

Hi all! Left: The last photo taken together in Dec '19. Right: Photo by Jeffrey Cheng It's been a while since I wrote a post on my actual blog - been spending most of my time making quick posts on Facebook and Instagram instead. However, I feel that this post deserves to be written in as full a content as possible here. Just a few hours after midnight into August 31st, 2020, it was with a heavy heart for me to have received the news from Khairudin that his mom, Nenek Piah - who is also Pak Ahmad's wife - has passed away in the late hours the previous evening. As with other news of peoples' passing, it was one that was greeted with much sorrow and your mind can't help but redirect yourself to the most recent memories or encounters that you had with the dearly departed. My last encounter with Nenek Piah was on May 28th, 2020. It was also the 5th day of Syawal, 1441H so we were still in the early stages of celebrating Hari Raya Aidilfitri; virtually as we were still in...

Updated: 07 Sep 2020 05:04 PM Published: 05 Sep 2020 07:24 PM Hi all! I'm absolutely ecstatic to share with you that WUJ will be launching its second community outreach initiative in conjunction with Pesta Ubin 2020 and in celebration of Ubin Day 2020! Come explore the beauty of Pulau Ubin's Malay kampungs (virtually) together with me, as I show you around Kampung Sungei Durian and the former Kampung Surau, "live" from the comforts of your phone, TV or computer screens!  Join me as I tour you around Singapore's last remaining offshore Malay kampung; including awesome historical sites such as the former Sekolah Melayu Pulau Ubin, Pulau Ubin Mosque and Kg Surau WWII fort and much more! I'll also be relaying to you the stories and memories passed down to me by the residents, on the time they had growing up on this beautiful island. Be sure to join me "LIVE" on: Date: 12 and 26 September 2020 Time: 10 am - 1 pm Only on WUJ's Facebook page! You can a...

Hi all! Photo courtesy of ExpatGo In the spirit of the holy fasting month, I'd like to share with you how a typical Ramadan was like during my mom's time growing up in Pulau Ubin. As soon as the alarm clock strikes 4 in the morning, it would give a loud ring in which it would wake my late grandmother up. With eyes still half-opened, she would reach out for her torchlight and make her way out from her hut and into the house to wake my mom and aunt up first.  My mom would always recall her mother's gentle voice as she stood by the hallway into their room to wake them up. The next thing that my mom would hear would be the sounds of crickets chirping and frogs croaking; breaking the silence of the pre-dawn. My mom and aunt would then make their way to the kitchen to join my late grandmother to help her in preparing sahur  (pre-dawn meal) for the family. They did not have any running electricity, neither did they also have any generator to light up their home...

Hi all! My mom is the ninth of over thirteen children and was actually the first among her siblings to be born on Ubin. That of course raised the question as to where then would her elder siblings be born at and where exactly were my late grandparents, Sulong Yunos (Awang Minyak) and Jariah Salim from as well. I asked my mom this question and luckily enough, she knew the answers to them. In this post, I'll be sharing about what I've learnt so far of my late grandfather's origins. My late grandfather was originally from Kampung Pahang in Pulau Tekong. Historical map of Pulau Tekong. Photo courtesy of "Public Lecture - Tales of Tekong (I): Telling the Story of Tekong Through Historical Maps " My mom fondly remembered visiting her paternal grandmother on the island with her father when she was a small child. She recalled how she would eagerly get on board her father's sampan as he rowed the small boat out from Sungei Awang Minyak, along the mangr...

Hi all! Following the Government's latest call for a greater need to take social distancing measures seriously amid our fight against COVID-19, I will be suspending all community outreach initiatives and projects on Pulau Ubin indefinitely - this includes WUJ Kampung Clean-Up, "WUJ Wan Go Jalan?" and Kampung Sungei Durian Musollah/ Community Gallery Project.  I will also be on hiatus for a while, which means that you will not see any new posts - be it on the blog or on social media - for quite some time as well. Do not worry about me, I will be fine in due time; but before I leave, I would like to leave the following message: Ubin businesses continue to be significantly impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. I urge any individuals who are healthy, and whom for the past 21 days, have not been linked or in close contact to those who have been found to be linked to known COVID-19 cases and clusters, to head down and lend a helping hand to our residents; ...

Published: 9 Mar 2020, 9:30 AM Updated: 13 Mar 2020, 5:00 PM UPDATE: Event cancelled due to recent development in the COVID-19 situation in Singapore, as announced in the late evening on 12th March 2020. I apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank all 35 people who have registered in under such short notice. I hope you may join me in future when conditions permit. The official cancellation notice can be found here for your perusal and reference. Hi all! I am happy to launch WUJ's newest and second community outreach programme called "WUJ Wan Go Jalan?"! Join me on a simple leisurely heritage stroll around Pulau Ubin's Malay kampungs - Kampung Sungei Durian and the former Kampung Surau - and discover the hidden stories and histories that make the kampung a special part in the residents' lives. Details for the event are as follows:  Date  Sunday, 15 Mar 2020  Time  9 am - 12 pm Please gather at the following loc...