Sim Yong Huei

This article uncovers the alternative conceptions that students have of the study of Singapore during the Temasek period through students’ cartoons, in the process deriving implications for future teaching through an analysis of the work performed by students. The discussions are drawn from a workshop session conducted by a History Master Teacher at the Academy of Singapore Teachers and cartoons from a selected batch of Secondary 1 students from a school that chose to participate in the learning of Singapore’s pre-modern (Temasek) history through the cartooning approach. The investigation of alternative conception demonstrates that students’ concepts of old Singapore can be affected— not surprisingly—to some extent by presentism in the categorical aspects of life identified on Temasek (architecture, religion, royalty, ordinary life). While it is pertinent to rectify students’ inaccurate alternative conceptions, teachers’ responses and class instruction should not devolve into an identification exercise of ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ interpretations. Surfacing alternative conceptions creates classroom opportunities to induct teachers into certain aspects of the topic more deeply and to link the alternative conceptions of presentism to other concepts of history such as historical evidence, perspectives, as well as change and continuity, which allow students to better appreciate history along with contemporary issues of heritage.

The story of the Portuguese / mixed Portuguese / Portuguese Eurasian community in Singapore and Malaysia saw increasing voice (albeit in different intensity) on both sides of the border to assert their identities. While the theories and modelings of mixed race and related studies for contemporary society have made great strides in progress, similar paradigms are not always been applied to the study of communities in history. Past paradigms (involving theory of tribe) have been applied to the study of the Portuguese / mixed Portuguese communities in Southeast Asia, such as by L. Andaya, focuses to some extent on the attributes (traits/outcome) of the community. This paper induces a few perspectives about the Portuguese / mixed Portuguese communities in the Singapore-Melaka region which showed them to locate themselves in more than one strata of society. At the extreme, certain sub-groups could even hold more than one identity. With the sub-group affiliated with the Dutch, which was most well-supported in evidence, the traits were maintained implicitly and explicitly in the families through the women married into them as well as the posts held under the Dutch cum indigenous colonial administration. With the transition into the British era, Portuguese / mixed Portuguese sub-communities embraced Anglicized influence in Melaka and Singapore while the lower sub-groups were very likely indigenized further. The political economy of the Dutch (and British) activities in the East Indies impacted directly to mold the traits and behaviors of the Portuguese / mixed Portuguese sub-communities; influencing at times to some extent on the faith and religious aspect of these sub-communities. The formative influences of the 1780-1840 that the Dutch and British colonial authorities left behind set the tone of the development of these sub-communities in the next hundred years or so.

The strategic survey of the Western Indian Ocean unveiled the major and minor players in the Western Indian Ocean region: the English, Dutch, Omanis, Sidis, Angria, sea bandits and smugglers. Britain’s acquisition of bases and advances in the abolitionist campaign indicated a gradual progression in the demarcation and politicization of the sea space, as discussed by E. Mancke. While attempts were made in Portugal to reform the naval establishment (to which the overseas colonies were linked in jurisdictional powers) in terms of organization, unit types, etc., the changes were not always effected in the colonies as jurisdictional powers were being devolved in the colonies during periods of tumultuous developments. Other than a survey of skirmishes on the western coast of India, the chapter will also probe whether this sea region had become a potentially more violent place as the British established a more sustained presence there.

Presents a case study for comparison with more prominent imperialist powers. Encapsulates facets of military developments of the remnant Portuguese empire in India in the 18th & 19th centuries. Extends the work on the military history of India, beyond areas covered by prominent writers such as K. Roy.