Gedung Kuning Book |
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Gedung Kuning: Memories of a Malay Childhood was launched on: 9 January 2010 (Saturday) at The Pod, National Library (Singapore).
Through 28 short stories, readers get a historical narrative of the lives of the people living in Gedung Kuning and the Malays of Singapore from 1850s to 1999.
- 240 pages, more than 70 photos, 7 architectural drawings & 5 maps
- ISBN: 978-981-08-4756-2
The book is published by Singapore Heritage Society and Helang Books. The publication is supported under the National Heritage Board's Heritage Industry Incentive Programme (Hi2P).
Read 2 stories from the book:
Piah Hitam
The book is available in major bookstores in Singapore & Malaysia. You may also order with
APD Singapore Pte Ltd (Singapore)
MPH Online (Malaysia)
Select Books (Other countries)
What Readers Say?
'Gedung Kuning' brings the reader back to a time gone by, a time when Singapore was a regional trading entrepot tied to the economies of the Malay Archipelago. Hidayah’s heartfelt vignettes introduce the reader to one extended family’s journey from those days into the modern age of the developed city state. The writing brings the characters to life, weaving together the fabric of a complete story out of individual narratives.
This book is a reflection on the development of a family, a culture and a country; a reflection on what has been lost and what has been gained in the last century. Once started, it’s hard to put down; readers will surely finish the book with a more nuanced understanding of Malay culture and Singaporean history.
- Ira Renfrew
'Gedung Kuning' provides insights into generations of Malay and Islamic way of living in Singapore. The book also signposts stages of Singapore's development as a thriving community of remarkable personalities. For a non-Malay and non-Muslim reader like me, the book not only opens up views of life in Singapore that I never came close to knowing, but also evokes a sense of familiarity in places. An enjoyable read! - Kuo-Yi Lim
As an expat very interested in all things Singaporean, I really enjoyed reading 'Gedung Kuning'. It was an especially interesting way to learn more about Malay culture and Malay family life, subjects for which I have found little written about in English. 'Gedung Kuning' is very accessible for readers of all ages and let the reader learn about Singapore and its history through the eyes of one family living in a most wonderfully fascinating house. I found myself envious of the author and her childhood and family history – what a rich tapestry of personalities and memories she has as a heritage. - Tom Estad
I must say it’s a sweet book. I did feel so good reading it. It was rich in history and culture of the Muslim communities. It made me so want to go there and see the place and meet your family too…..It was simple and touching in its childlike loveliness. The book did give me a good insight into the Javanese Malays and did ring lovely common chords in humanity with each anecdote.... I was sad to finish the book. - Sivam Subramaniam
Many congratulations on the fabulous book and the equally fabulous book launch on Saturday. I am enjoying the book immensely and enjoyed the launch even more! - Andrew Price
Saya dan suami sedang seronok membaca buku Hidayah dan rasa bangga sekali dengan usaha Hidayah - ternyata ia diusahakan dengan rasa kasih yang mendalam terhadap warisah sejarah keluarga, rasa bangga budaya dan agama yang utuh! Tahniah Hidayah! - Prof Hadijah Rahmat
Laughed and cried reading Gedung Kuning: Memories of a Malay Childhood. Thumbs up to the author Hidayah Amin for this new national treasure. - Rilla Melati
I learned so much history facts, malay culture as well as Islam practices in a malay family in one book! GEDUNG KUNING IS AN AWESOME READ! I really really really like your book! I feel myself immersed in your childhood memories. - Hazimah Salikemin
What I enjoy about the book, other than the richness of information, is how you have written it in a manner that can be easily understood by people even without a deep background on Singapore's Malay History. Also, the plentiful pictures illustrate some of the associated points very well. - Ibrahim Iqbal
Remembering Gedung KuningOctober 1, 2009
In 1972, when most babies were born in hospitals, Hidayah Amin was born within Gedung Kuning (“Yellow Mansion”), and there began an inextricable bond with the home of her ancestors. BY LIM SAY LIANG
Gedung Kuning today, home to restaurant
“There is a Malay saying ‘Tanah tumpah darah’, which literally translates as ‘the place where blood was shed at birth’,” she said to Singapore by way of explaining her bond with the house of her birth. “My mother ‘shed blood’ in Gedung Kuning in giving birth to me. In that, I forged a close bond with the Yellow Mansion, my ‘birth soil’.” In 1999, when Hidayah was 27, the house was reclaimed by the government as part of a cultural project in the area. The act triggered dormant memories in Hidayah and a keen sense that she was losing something precious. Hidayah’s grandmother used to tell stories from her childhood and of Hidayah’s great-grandparents. Then, Hidayah couldn’t fully understand why it was important to know about her heritage. When Gedung Kuning was acquired, it struck her that a part of her family’s history was gone, “taken away” and she felt “lost”. Moved by this, she started to record the rich history of the house, launching her website (www.gedungkuning.com) in 2004. This year, she will be publishing a collection of 27 historical narratives with the Singapore Heritage Society, entitled Gedung Kuning, Memories of a Malay Childhood (see below for an excerpt). In the book, Hidayah retells family tales and memories of her great-grandfather, Haji Yusoff, whom history records as a pioneering Malay merchant. He sold tali pinggang (belts) and songkok (traditional Malay caps), hence his nickname Haji Yusoff ‘Tali Pinggang’ – ‘Haji Yusoff the Belt Merchant’. The merchant invested his profits in real estate, buying houses and lands in various parts of Singapore and Malaysia, including rubber, coconut and oil palm plantations in both countries. But his prized possession was Gedung Kuning, purchased in 1912, which became home to his descendants. “Gedung Kuning was our paradise,” said Hidayah. Most members of her maternal side of the family were born and raised in the Yellow Mansion. There, they were taught religious and moral values, welcomed the poor who came to ask for alms and honoured the legacy of their ancestors for four generations. It was a simple but contented life for Hidayah and her extended family. “When I reminisce about Gedung Kuning, it is the faces of various people I once knew that comes to mind,” she said, “The smiles and laughter of the family, the simple games played with my cousins under the rambutan tree, the occasional trips to the open field nearby to watch the wayang Cina (Chinese opera) during the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival, joyous family gatherings, running up and down the steep wooden stairs, and playing a simple game of hide and seek around the house.” Diners at Tepak Sireh today may admire the Anglo-Regency architecture of Gedung Kuning, but for Hidayah and her family, Gedung Kuning – the memory, if not the place – remains a potent symbol. Her book is a way to revisit and capture those childhood memories and history, which for the young woman, represents the essence of identity and home.
4 Responses to “Remembering Gedung Kuning” |
I was told by your kakak angkat, Cik Zaleha Ahmat to visit your blog and website. Thanks to Cik Leha to introduce me to you. I will alway try read your blog and web from today.
Pn. Liza
deserve to be maintained in the colourful
history of Singapore. I read her blog with
great interest and look forward to reading
more!
Ron