SINGAPORE - A smattering of boats and shacks along a small coastal section of West Coast Park marks the last community space of Singapore’s indigenous Orang Laut, or sea people.

Gesturing at the docking point, a guide told attendees of Hari Orang Pulau, or Islanders’ Day, about threats – including the risk of development – faced by the space, which sits on state land.

The day-long festival on June 14, held by initiative Orang Laut SG, celebrated the culture and stories of Singapore’s coastal communities that once lived off the land and sea. Most of them were relocated to the mainland to make way for national development.

Braving the heat, dozens of people watched practitioners perform a martial art originating from Pulau Sudong, learnt maritime skills, and participated in a high-octane two-hour-long Joget Dangkong, a communal dance that was once common on special occasions in the Southern Islands.

“This is an important day for us, because we want to make sure that our culture is not left in the textbooks,” said Mr Firdaus Sani, 37, who founded Orang Laut SG in 2020 to preserve the disappearing memories and heritage of Singapore’s seafaring folk.

The event was held at West Coast Park to highlight its importance as an embarking point for Southern Islanders when they first arrived in Singapore, added Mr Firdaus, whose maternal grandparents lived on Pulau Semakau until they were moved to the mainland in 1977.

Addressing an audience of former inhabitants of offshore islands and their descendants, Education Minister Desmond Lee said it was important for Singapore to understand its roots as the country moves forward, as such knowledge strengthens confidence in its identity and unique diversity.

The West Coast-Jurong West GRC MP announced that a work group will be set up for representatives of these indigenous groups to collaborate with government agencies, including the Urban Redevelopment Authority, Singapore Land Authority as well as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

He said: “We are going to come together and work hand in hand with you... to see how we can further the initiatives, further the community building.”

There is a sense of urgency in recording the stories of offshore islanders now, as many of those with such memories were very young when they left the island, said speakers at the first panel of the day on the histories of Singapore’s islands.

Said National University of Singap...