Saying “Goodbye”
A food paradise; a clean and green city; a modern, cosmopolitan city-state - these are some of the common words and phrases that come to mind when one describes Singapore.
“Death” is not one such common word. Yet, death has been an important dimension of the everyday lives of Singaporeans. Our perceptions and conceptions of death, and the rituals, beliefs, practices and spaces associated with it are deeply embedded in the cultures, heritage, and identities of the different communities in Singapore. Nevertheless, they have also changed with the rapid development and transformation of Singapore economically, socially, and spatially. The topic of death in Singapore allows us to explore interesting perspectives on how burial and exhumations have continuously evolved as Singapore develops.
