Five lauded for sharing intangible cultural heritage

A rangoli artist, a Chinese tea master, and a Malay drum maker were among five people or businesses given awards on April 2 for promoting and passing on their skills and traditions in intangible cultural heritage to the community and younger generation.

- Sheo Chiong Teng

The five recipients of the National Heritage Board's (NHB) Stewards of Intangible Cultural Heritage Award received certificates from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Edwin Tong at the National Gallery Singapore.

Each received a $5,000 cash award and is eligible for a project grant of up to $20,000.

They will also have the opportunity to display and promote their intangible cultural heritage at NHB festivals and programmes.

The five recipients are rangoli artist Vijayalakshmi Mohan, Malay drum maker Mohamed Yaziz Mohamed Hassan, Peranakan-style jeweller Thomis Kwan, Chinese tea shop Pek Sin Choon, and Teochew pastry shop Thye Moh Chan.

'ANYONE CAN LEARN RANGOLI'

Every morning at 6:30am, Madam Vijayalakshmi draws an intricate rangoli pattern with rice powder outside her door.

Rangoli is a 5,000-year-old form of Indian folk floor art comprising ornamental designs with symmetrical and geometrical shapes.

Traditionally, it is drawn on the floor with coloured rice powder or marble powder and lasts only a day or two.

Madam Vijayalakshmi, 66, picked up the art form when she was five and later became a rangoli practitioner.

Growing up in Trichy in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, she learnt the art form from her mother, who would draw rangoli every morning on their doorstep.

Madam Vijayalakshmi moved to Singapore in 1992 and became a citizen in 2005.

In 1993, she took part in her first rangoli competition in Singapore, and drew the Hindu god Ganesha using coloured rice powder.