Feature Article: The Singapore River Story
More than just a tourist attraction, the Singapore River holds many secrets and stories that go beyond its scenic and modernized appearance today.
The crystal-clear waters of the Singapore River sparkles under the night sky in Singapore’s central region. Around the river were a seemingly endless stream of multi coloured town lights from the Surrounding bars and food joints. Multicoloured boats are aplenty and were always seen cruising through the river gracefully, just like how swans would in their lake.
The area was always bustling with tourists and even locals who would be there to enjoy the views of the Singapore River and simply be away from the usual skyscrapers that were always around them wherever they go. In contrast to that, being around the Singapore River feels just like being inside a painting of a scenery to many locals.
To many, such a view that the Singapore River gave is regarded as ‘picture perfect’. However, behind this beauty lies a history that not many are aware about. The tourist attraction today was once upon a time nowhere near attractive, with heaps of trash and wastes that polluted the river. The same river was also a place where secret societies were abundant and even thrived. That same river was also once a trading port where many significant business transactions happened. A Boat operator who worked there, Siti Farzanah, shared a fact about the Singapore River. “The river used to pass by many heritage centres, including a Chinese Opera Theatre at Clarke Quay.”.
To many Singaporeans, the stories of the Singapore River are the ones that make the iconic landmark a significant part of the country’s history. These stories and historical significance are the same factors that draw tourists to visit this place to have a look and learn more about its story.
The Early Days of The Singapore River
Cruising back to the early 19th century, the entire area around the Singapore River was abuzz with Coolies and fishermen who spend their livelihood making a living out of running businesses and trading goods of significant value with both locals and traders from foreign lands. They arrived at the mouth of the Singapore River looking for rare goods that were abundant in this tiny fishing village. Boat operator, Farah, 25, is familiar with the river’s history of trade. “This used to be a popular trading spot. Now, it is more of a tourist attraction.”
As Singapore, an island that sits on a location where many different nations and lands surround, quickly became a trading hub where traders and businessmen could flock to, so they could sell resources to traders of other nations who saw their resources as treasured goods, that were only aplenty in lands other than their own. The Singapore River was the gateway for trading ships and visiting businessmen to come into the country and carry out their trade. There was never a point in time when the river was silent and empty, because the area was always alive with the consistent arrivals of trading ships and fishermen going about their jobs at the river.
Trading Hub by Day, Gang Haven by Night
However, The Singapore River also has its own dark moments while it thrived in businesses and trade. The 19th Century was also a time where there were countless of secret societies that would emerge by the late nights at the river whilst the bustle of the business and trading environment was at bay. The very gateway of a potential world-class trading hub of that era was that by day, and a dragons’ den of members from different secret societies by night. These secret society members also carried around tokens with them as a form of identity of their role and status in the hierarchy of their own secret society.
It was especially common to have so many secret societies around the Singapore river, especially during the 19th Century. Whenever there were Chinese Immigrants who arrived at the mouth of the river in their boats seeking new homes and employment for themselves in Singapore, they often found themselves at the river’s banks being welcomed by a secret society member. Oftentimes, they offered vulnerable potential migrants, a sense of security, belonging as well as friendship.
For many of these new migrants, being a part of these secret societies provided opportunities for them to find work and housing to go about their lives. It did not take long for them to find themselves heavily in debt to these secret societies because they were so reliant on them to help them get about their lives in Singapore.
A Brand New Look
The Singapore River continued having the same vibrant and flourishing trading culture that surrounded its banks. This eventually led to the river being constantly overcrowded with boats over many years, causing the river to be polluted with garbage and wastes from these trading boats, making the iconic gateway to Singapore an unsightly, garbage-filled mess.
Finally, in the 1970s, the local community that valued the Singapore River as part of their homeland started being involved in a clean-up campaign for the Singapore River. This movement heavily involved the relocation of street hawkers and vegetable sellers whose food waste flowed in the river and removing all the garbage that gave the river a powerful stench that drove everyone away. The effort contributed by everyone involved in the clean-up campaign eventually dolled up the Singapore River to its scenic look that has ultimately become a sight of tranquility to many people today.
The Singapore River Today
Today, The Singapore River is a renowned tourist attraction in Singapore and a place of relaxation for both locals and tourists alike. Employees who work in nearby office buildings would sit and unwind by the river after a long day’s work. Tourists from all over the globe can always be found at the area snapping photographs and admiring the view. The Singapore River has never lost its wonder even after many generations of both good and dark times for the river.