Siapa Aku (Who Am I)?
branding and identity. cultures and community. graphic design. print and publication.
Siapa Aku (Who Am I)? digs deep into the hidden stories of Singapore’s former southern islanders (Orang Pulau). The graduation project puts a spotlight on the Orang Pulau’s way of life, all while attempting to preserve its diminishing intangible cultural heritage. Siapa Aku (Who Am I)? was considerably designed with the intent to shed light onto the islanders’ humble and rustic way of life that were tightly tied to their maritime environment. These lesser-known personal anecdotes are revolved around their livelihoods before the resettlement of the Orang Pulau on the mainland. The project takes on various mediums to sensitively and appropriately showcase the displacement of the Orang Pulau.
Segmented into three key chapters: 1. Re-Introducing Displaced Identities - showcases an interview excerpt with Dr. Hamzah Muzaini, a cultural geographer
2. Before It Came To Be - features spatial transformations of the Southern islands over the years, since the 1930s
3. Kita Orang Pulau - personal and national archives of the islanders’ lives before their migration in the 1970s, paired with their anecdotes
The viva voce set-up to encapsulate the theme of the graduation project. The object on the right (above) is a maritime craft called the bubu. The two elderly gentlemen featured on the right are the last few practitioners of the bubu as a fishing trap - making this craftsmanship an endangered heritage as efforts to preserve this craft is unrecognised and diminishing.
Ethnographic Study PosterA1, printed on Naturalis White
Places visited to conduct an ethnographic study on the Orang Pulau. Locations like the West Coast Park, St. John’s Island and Lazarus Island were visited to capture the remnants of the former islanders. Furthermore, these are the only two accessible sites at present.
I filmed a two-parts short film as one of the final deliverables for the project. First part of the film features an anecdote of a Pulau Sudong former resident, followed by the fishing routine of the final practitioners of bubu fishing in the second part.
Siapa Aku (Who Am I)?
Self-publication, 124pp
Buat Bubu (Bubu-Making)
Zine, 16pp.