“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet” is a suitable adage to describe the town of Joo Chiat because of the sheer number of names associated with this neighbourhood, including Geylang, Katong, East Coast and Paya Lebar.
As people settle into a district and form a community, very commonly, they would refer to themselves by the name of the place they live by. Given its many names, it is no exaggeration to suggest that Joo Chiat town today is “Little Singapore”, complete with a melding of various ethnicities (Malay, Peranakan, Eurasian), cuisines, old and new architectures as well as trades.
This tour is broadly based on A Penniless Boy, Chew Joo Chiat (Ethos Books, 2017) written by Philip Chew, the great-grandson of Chew Joo Chiat, whose name the town is named after. Learn about the historical development of the town and significant moments that allowed the community to determine its identity.
This Walking Books Tour is a collaboration between Ethos Books and SCC Travel, and co-presented with the Singapore Heritage Festival 2018. For more details, click on the event links provided below.
VENUE: Joo Chiat Complex
ADDRESS: 1 & 2 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 420001
EVENT WEBSITE: Facebook, WOWGETAWAYS (for registration)
DATE AND TIME
14 Apr 2018, 2pm–5pm, $45
21 Apr 2018, 2pm–5pm, $45