Research Article
The Merlion and Museums: Nation Building in Singapore
서강대학교 동아연구소
Published: January 2011 · Vol. 60, No. 0 · pp. 189-222
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33334/sieas.2011.30.1.189
Full Text
Abstract
Nation building was one of the most important tasks for New nation, Singapore since the nation declared its independence. The people in Singapore had not enough time to make their own national identity, which was multi-racial, multi-lingual, multi-cultural. It was definitely necessary and impending job for the governors to invent their own nation. The former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew gave a public speech twice in 1972 and 2002 at the ceremony to celebrate the completion and re-location of the first Merlion statue near The Fullerton House. And his son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took the lead in establishing the Asian Civilization Museum. Another former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong talked to the congress that their museums had to cohere the memory of the nation. All the bureaucrats of Singapore knew how to use various relics, visual artifacts and symbols for the nation. Through the all kinds of exhibitions, dioramas, motion pictures about their history and culture, and electronic devices they successfully built their national identity. Even if their ancestors originated from all over Asia, now they get to perceive one nation as Singaporean.
