SGExplained

What a privilege we had to chat with Mr. Lim Eng Lam from Nanyang Old Coffee about the meaning of kopi to the Singaporean identity. Find out why Singapore style kopi uses sugar-glazed coffee beans, or how kopitiams used to be associated with gambling. A simple session of "lim kopi" connects you to decades of history and tradition. If you're still keen to learn more, do visit Nanyang Old Coffee's Coffee Museum at their Chinatown outlet. You can also sign up for their kopi making workshops directly with them!

*Apologies for the change in audio quality. Due to recording constraints, we weren't able to preserve the same audio quality, but we hope the kopi-licious episode makes up for it!*

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They're all over Singapore - Ann Siang Hill, Fraser Street, Aljunied among others. Who were these people and why are there so important to the Singapore story? We take a look at the mercantile story of Singapore - the stalwarts of community and enterprise that shaped so much of our identity today. Hear under-told stories like how Ngee Ann Kongsi (behind Ngee Ann Polytechnic and Ngee Ann City) was formed or whether there were actually Buffalos on Buffalo road. This episode brings a blockbuster list of Singaporean merchants who have shaped the face of Singapore. Thanks to the National Library Board and Remember Singapore for being a great source of information.

This episode focuses on the following merchants:

If you've done Social Studies in Singapore, you've likely heard about Maria Hertogh. She was a lightning rod character for religious tensions in Singapore between the Catholic/ Christian community and the Muslim community as her birth family and adopted family tussled for custody over her. We spend some time unpacking the nuances of the custody case and we also look at how the riots unfolded,  but perhaps the most interesting part of the episode begins where the textbooks end off - in the follow-up life of Maria. See how the trauma of broken relationships shaped Maria's eventual adulthood and how she finally managed to find some closure in the end. All this and more in our latest episode!

One of three UNESCO World Heritage Sites that is a garden and Singapore's sole representative on the list, the Singapore Botanic Gardens is simultaneously one of the most under-rated and yet culturally significant parts of Singapore. Hear about the history of the Gardens, including its lesser-known episode during the Japanese Occupation, as well as about the different features and research that are so well associated with it! We hope you're excited to go check it out yourself whenever you can!

World Mental Health Day is on 10 October but we've wanted to do this episode for a long time now. This is an introductory episode to the structure and statistics of how mental health is approached in Singapore, greatly supported by our guest Dr. Pearlene Ng who is a Senior Clinical Psychologist!

Did you know that there are only 4.4 psychiatrists and 8.3 psychologists per 100k population in our country? You may also have wondered what's the average cost of treatment in Singapore! Also, do we fully appreciate the type of stigma we face here - locals will remember the unhelpful "You belong in Woodbridge" remarks. We have an open conversation in this episode where Elliot and Rovik share their own personal stories on mental health in the hope to encourage others to do the same in their own spaces. Take care and be kind!

Here are the resources we mentioned:

This one is for the loyal listeners. Join Elliot and Rovik as they reminisce on all 20 episodes for this season and share some of the never heard before discussions behind the episodes. We also talk about why we miss Willie and what we plan to do for future episodes. We're also open to expanding the team producing our SGExplained episodes so if you're interested, make sure to reach out to our Twitter accounts below. See you in Season 3!

We have to look beyond Joseph Schooling to  bring back the Gold medals for Singapore, and we may have found hope in Esports! Naturally not as well known as the traditional sports, given that it's new and gaming has usually had an affiliation with low productivity, but Esports is actually creating a way for Singaporeans to thrive on the global scene. Join us as we follow some of the organizations that make up the Esports scene, trace the stories of major players such as iceiceice and nutz and talk about what the future of the scene could look like!

As always, do let us know your ideas for future topic!

Join stand-in guest host Ben Wong and Rovik as they unearth the true story of Sir Stamford Raffles, the supposed founder of Modern-day Singapore.  We ask the difficult questions of whether he deserves to be memorialized the way he currently is, and whether our history needs to be refreshed to incorporate broader perspectives. Learn about Raffles' exploits in Java, including his challenge against slavery, and his tenuous relationship with William Farqhuar, the potential real hero of Singapore. All this and more in this juicy episode!

If you're interested in mentorship in the digital age, check out Kinobi. Kinobi connects you to a wide array of people in the region to help you build the capabilities you need to thrive.

With special guest Ajay Govinda, Slam Poetry Enthusiast,  we explore the understated world of Singapore Poetry. From understanding our Poetic Roots to appreciating the Singapore-originating Twin Cinema format, we rhyme and vibe our way throughout the poems that have followed our narrative. Hear us actually recite some of the poems as well - our first time trying this! 

Here are some of the links we mentioned: