Cajeput
Cajeput depicts a typical Singaporean Peranakan house in the Kampong Glam District. This quaint district was once the village where the Javanese ancestors sailed as merchants and settled there long before colonial times. They lived in harmony with other tribes with different beliefs and formed a pluralistic community. At the time, the blue pigment of indigo plants and lapis lazuli were luxury commodities in vogue. I learnt that the word ‘Glam’ came from ‘Gelam’—an ancient Malay word for a particular species of ‘Kayu Putih’ (Indonesian Eucalyptus) or Cajeput plant. The people from Java, Sulawesi, and Sumatra who moved there named this area ‘Gelam’ because they were seamen and shipbuilders. They used the timber from this plant for building ships, the bark for waterproof woven finishing, and leaves for traditional remedies. This story reminds me of my Indonesian ancestors, who were affluent in cultural diversity and rich in knowledge.
