湿漉漉的温情

近日来昇菘超市以2555万元的献议价，向准备转换跑道的喜敦控股（Heeton Holding)收购五个湿巴刹。在这个自由贸易挂帅的大千市场，你情我愿的商业交易本来屡见不鲜，没想到湿巴刹与超市竟然成为热门课题，一些新加坡老百姓还签名请愿，表现了他们认真和感性的一面。

单从商业利益考量，或许湿巴刹转型成为超市是大势所趋，这就如当年的传统杂货店在面对NTUC、Cold Storage等超市十面埋伏；小书局面对大众书局、MPH、Time Bookshop 等大型书商的包抄下，挣扎求存的困境。以卫生与安全条件来说，超市确实比湿巴刹优异多了。货物的价格则半斤八两，各有千秋。

超市货品琳琅满目，一站式的采购方式方便紧张的都市人，尤其是对湿巴刹有认知但不怎么认同的年轻一族。不过超市还缺乏浓郁的人情，给人冷冰冰的感觉。对湿巴刹的怀念，在于甩不掉都市生活中被抑制，逐渐流失的人情味；甩不掉交换生活资讯、说说闲话和讨价还价的乐趣。所以湿巴刹与超市的抗衡，是历史与前瞻、商业与道德之争，也是人的情感与归属之争。

当年的湿巴刹并不局限于同在屋檐下的菜市场。潮州巴刹、三马路（奎因街，Queen Street)、牛车水戏院横街（丁加奴街，Trengganu Street)、福南街（今天的福南中心所在地）等都是显赫一时的露天市场。大清晨一天的生活便开始了。将近入午时分，摊贩们或挑着担子、或推着三轮车、或骑着三个轮子的摩哆车，各自打道回府，繁忙的街市回复宁静。生活简单，周而复始。

三马路（奎因街，Queen Street)

丁加奴街，Trengganu Street， 中午打烊时分

福南街（今天的福南中心所在地）

当年跟祖母上巴刹，短短的一条福南街可以呆上一个多小时。还不是在街头跟鱼摊大婶闲话家常，谁家的老婆又被好赌的老公揍了一顿泄愤，谁家快要嫁女儿，在小坡的鸿运楼摆喜酒；然后走到街尾跟街坊嘘寒问暖，好像久未谋面一样。扭伤了脚踝么？黑鬼拳头油最好，擦两次就痊愈了；孩子吃不下饭？去药材店买三毛钱山楂墨芽谷芽，煮二十分钟，喝了不久就会上厕所大解放，过后就胃口大开了.....。

过去的事物总叫人缅怀。站在福南中心，脚底下是童年的福南街，精心营造的福南中心唤不回昔日街景昔日情。倒是在台湾转一圈，台北的士林夜市、基隆港的基隆夜市、高雄的六合夜市等，还蛮贴切地保留了当地人的生活与回忆，也给生长在岛国的我们一些怀念。这种不纯粹以旅游为出发点，在现代化的过程中还保存着缕缕相思情的温馨处事方式，叫人津津乐道。

湿巴刹不止是湿巴刹这么简单，它有多重功能，集资料室、情报局、心理咨询、大众学堂于一身，更难能可贵的是市井小民的“情”。邻里之间的友情亲情温情，就维系于一线人情。人情线是很脆弱的，就像风筝断线后，只有扼腕叹息的份儿。湿巴刹是爱的学堂，在潜移默化中教育数代人如何面对生活，如何建立起人与人之间的关系，如何珍惜都市生活里的温情。

1987年，新加坡最后一摊街头菜贩搬入牛车水大厦，新加坡早晨街市的风景线从露天进入屋檐下。二十余年后的今天，正好是另一代人成长，组织新家庭的时刻。未来属于这一代人，他们会维护上一代人的感情线吗？

基隆港，基隆夜市

唔...简单的商业收购活动其实一点也不简单。

堆砌情感

年初通过参与Christian Lacroix的舞台服装设计展览，对登上世界级舞台的服装制作有多一些认知，不得不佩服服装设计师的灵感巧思。一张桌布、破旧的窗帘、手术室用过就丢的‘纸衣’（特卫强，Tyvek）、跳蚤市场的二手货都可以登上大舞台，演绎一场场的古典与现代神奇。

Christian Lacroix的一款服装设计是补丁式(patch work)服装，用于《卡门》这部歌剧。年少时见过也穿过补丁的衣服。补丁的衣服其实就是衣服穿了洞，用另一块布把洞补好，就可以继续穿了。

（卡门-吉普赛女郎的舞衣）

（Christian Lacroix 的补丁式礼服, patchwork gown）

后来进入嬉皮士年代(70年代初期)，补丁的牛仔裤成为时尚。为了跟得上潮流，好些同学还把好端端的新裤子剪几刀，再来个补丁大行动。时尚的魅力可见一般。

（补丁被，也叫百纳被）

童年时代祖母从三姐（我的同学明才家中的妈姐）那儿学会了缝制补丁被。住尾房的女装裁缝师雪姐知道祖母的心愿，义不容辞，把大大小小的布头布尾送给祖母。补丁被的制作是针线功夫与图案彩色的结合体，过程看似简单但费精神，先把碎布剪裁成一般大小，然后一片片堆砌妥当，一针一线缝合在垫底的布料上，就制成一张美观的被子了。当时睡前盖上这么漂亮的爱心被，梦境也特别香甜！

1998年重回伦敦工作一年，抵达时正值严冬。一年后离开伦敦，还是严冬。这一年的光景已经跟桂平的妈妈建立起忘年之交。离别前她叫我把手信带回家。大纸袋所承的是两张补丁被。噢，童年！

（桂平的母亲送的百纳被）

她说从马来西亚来到伦敦这些年，带大两个外孙，现在有空重拾女红，缝制了两张补丁被。外孙在不同时代不同地方成长，对补丁被没有感情，也许我会有兴趣，就让我带回新加坡吧！

陡然间想起祖母在黄色的灯光下，一针一线缝制第一张补丁被时，那副全神关注的神情。

樟宜博物馆也有一张补丁被，不过是义工的复制品。通过补丁被，还可以看得到来自不同国籍的人士在新加坡樟宜这片土地上所流露出的缕缕真情。

日战时期，被囚禁在樟宜监狱的不只是军人俘虏，还包括他们的家属。加拿大籍妇女Ethel Mulvaney 想到缝制补丁被，一方面让妇女们打发时间，另一方面或许可以通过补丁被来传达讯息给正在受苦的丈夫、爸爸和孩子，叫他们支持下去。只要有求生的信念，就会有回家的一天。

（樟宜博物馆内复制的百纳被）

据说有四百人参与补丁被活动，她们在被囚禁的首六个月缝制好四张补丁被，给男人带来勇气与希望。

六十七年眨眼流逝，这段时间已经足以孕育三代人。四张补丁被的下场如何？一张补丁被下落不明，至于另外三张补丁被，两张保存在澳洲Australian War Memorial Museum, Canberra；一张补丁被在英国Surrey的红十字会展示。

桂平一家人就住在这儿附近，她妈妈在Surrey送补丁被给我，不晓得是巧合，还是冥冥中的安排？

Armenian (part 2 of 2) - from ancient times

Armenia was the first country in the world adopted Christianity as the national religion (310 AC). Today's Armenia is surrounded by Islamic countries (north: Georgia, south: Iran, east: Azerbaijan, west: Turkey). Religion is a likely source that could ignite security instability in this region.

Was Armenia built by Noah? According to the Book of Genesis, Noah's Ark was built by Patriarch Noah at God's command to save himself, his family and the world's animals from a worldwide deluge. It happened to be more than 2500 years ago.

God also instructed Noah to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, along with every kind of food to be stored as food for the animals and his family while on the ark. Noah obeyed everything God commanded him to do.

After they entered the ark, rain fell on the earth for a period of forty days and nights. The waters flooded the earth for a hundred and fifty days, and every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out. As the waters receded, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. Noah and his family continued to wait for almost eight more months while the surface of the earth dried out.

(A picture of what people say is the remains of the real Noah’s Ark)

Finally after an entire year, God invited Noah to come out of the ark. Immediately, he built an altar and worshiped the Lord with burnt offerings from some of the clean animals. God was pleased with the offerings and promised never again to destroy all the living creatures as he had just done. Later God established a covenant with Noah: "Never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." As a sign of this everlasting covenant God set a rainbow in the clouds.

Traditional Armenia lies in an area between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, in the region known as the Caucasus(高加索). Many argue that Armenia fits the legendary location of the Garden of Eden, and travellers from ancient times to this day give testimony that Noah’s Ark still rests on Mt. Ararat, the heart of Armenia. From Ararat, Noah walked to Yerevan and built the city (The capital of Armenia).

At the beginning of 19th century, Armenian already settled down in India, Burma, Java and Malay Peninsula (Penang and Malacca). In 1830, the Armenian merchants started their businesses in Singapore, mainly involved in spice and opium trading. In that era, most of the people came to Singapore to earn money. Once they accumulated enough wealth, they would return to their homeland. They were mostly transitional. In comparison, the Armenian were more sincere and committed. They brought their families to Singapore and made Singapore their home.

The Armenian still left their legacy behind which lasted many decades. The Armenia church (The Armenian Apostolic Church of St Gregory the Illuminator) was constructed in 1835. In 1973, the building was gazetted as a national monument.

Catchick Moses (1812-1895) was the co-founder of The Straits Times in 1845. The Sarkies brothers (Martin, Arshak, Aviet and Tigran) set up the Raffles Hotel in 1887.

In 1981, out of more than 40 orchid varieties, Vanda Miss Joaquim was selected as the Singapore national flower. Although Agnes Joaquim only lived a short 45 years, she had extended her life into the 21st century with the nation called Singapore.

Armenian (part 1 of 2) - Vanda Miss Joaquim (卓锦万黛兰)

Last year I wrote a short article about Armenian community in Singapore. About eight months later, my NMS MD friend Evelyn (若琳) continued with more research and presented a series of well written articles. These articles are archived in the NMS MD websites:

http://nmsmandarindocents.wordpress.com/2008/10/26/%e5%8d%93%e9%94%a6%e4%b8%87%e9%bb%9b%e5%85%b0-%e4%ba%9a%e7%be%8e%e5%b0%bc%e4%ba%9a%e4%bc%a0%e5%a5%87/

http://nmsmandarindocents.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/%e4%ba%9a%e7%be%8e%e5%b0%bc%e4%ba%9a%e4%ba%ba%e7%9f%a5%e5%a4%9a%e5%b0%91%ef%bc%88%e4%b8%8a%ef%bc%89/

In year 1880 where the local Armenian’s population reached the peak, Singapore had about 100 Armenian families. The Armenian were loyal to the British and paid for the price of imprisonment by the Japanese forces during World War II. During post war period, many Armenian chose to migrate to Australia. At present there are about 20 Armenian still staying in Singapore.

(1917. Note: all the Armenian group photos are obtained from http://armeniansinasia.org/ )

(1926)

(1960)

Friends asked me where did I obtain the latest magic figure of 20. As the article was not meant for deep research purpose, I was not serious enough to capture all sources of information then. I could only relate based on what I read, who I spoke to when I stepped on the site of Armenian Church and what struck me in my own memory.

Now we can access to more information through the website titled “Armenian Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator Singapore”. The Armenian always reminded us how a small community could create an impact on Singapore.

http://armeniansinasia.org/

(2008)

(2009)

The website has been updated with group photos of Singapore Armenian community spanned between 1917 and 2009. For those who could understand the Armenian language, there is an article originally published in Նունե Կարապետյան (It takes life to know how to live). The blog is owned by Aljbucit, an Armenian grew up in Yerevan (Armenia) and now staying in the Netherlands.

http://aljbucit.livejournal.com/4606.html

When I first found out that the Singapore’s national flower Vanda Miss Joaquim (卓锦万黛兰) was named after an Armenian horticulturist, it struck me to learn more about Armenia.

Ashkhen Hovakimian, (Agnes Joaquim) hybridised the Vanda Miss Joaquim orchid. In April 1899, Agnes showed her hybrid orchid and won a first prize in the annual flower show. But within three months she passed away at 45 years old due to illness.

In 1981, the orchid was chosen as the national flower of Singapore. However, whether Agnes Joaquim actually spent effort to hybridise the hybrid orchid or merely through natural discovery had created some controversies.

Justice was restored thank to a year 1893 document and the ex-director of the Singapore Botanic Garden.

After producing her orchid by crossing the Burmese Vanda teres with the Malayan Vanda hookeriana, Agnes Joaquim showed the hybrid to Henry Ridley, the director of the Singapore Botanic Garden. Ridley examined it, had it sketched and sent a description to the Gardeners' Chronicle writing that:

‘A few years ago Miss Joaquim, a lady residing in Singapore, well-known for her success as a horticulturist, succeeded in crossing Vanda Hookeriana Rchb. f., and V. teres, two plants cultivated in almost every garden in Singapore.’ (Gardeners' Chronicle 24 June 1893, p.740).