BALANCING AUTHENTIC REMEMBRANCE & SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - CONSERVING THE HERITAGE OF PORTUGUESE EURASIANS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Conservation in Singapore lacks understanding of true cultural and heritage value, often focusing on the form rather than its history. A skewed focus on authenticity and sustainability results in a loss of connection to our past, the root of our identity. Multi-racialism, as the crux of local identity, being an island of gathered immigrants, it is essential for Singapore to remember her history, and by extension, the heritage of ethnic minorities. Categorised by the state as “others”, it highlights a lack of appreciation of these complex cultures. Among them are the Portuguese Eurasians, who are easily forgotten in the discourse of race. Recognising and preserving the heritage of the Portuguese Eurasians would be a first step in recognising and preserving the heritage of ethnic minorities. A conservation of their built heritage finds a balanced approach between cultural preservation, meeting the needs to the community, and contemporary relevance.