My Grandfather River with Syazwan Majid (Wan's Ubin Journal)

Welcome to episode 3 of the Mynah Podcast, brought to you by Mynah Magazine! Editors Ruby and Karen are joined by Syazwan Majid, or Wan, to discuss his project Wan’s Ubin Journal and his heritage work on Pulau Ubin. We talk about Wan’s family history on Ubin, nature conservation at Chek Jawa and Sungei Durian, islander values vis-a-vis contemporary interpretations of “kampung spirit” and “gotong royong”, and more. Syazwan (Wan) is a descendant of an Ubin Orang Pulau and through his online social platform, Wan’s Ubin Journal, he advocates for the conservation and celebration of the Ubin Orang Pulau community, culture, heritage and identity. To learn more about Wan’s work and for more context on this episode, check out our newsletter at mynahmag.substack.com Some notes on the podcast and additional resources: Wan’s Instagram post on the 2021 incidents of indiscriminate foraging on Changi Beach and the traditional foraging practices of the indigenous people of Singapore https://www.instagram.com/p/CQEAMIYhJqQ/ The Channel News Asia article about the 8,000-tree OCBC Mangrove Park due to open in Pulau Ubin in 2026 https://www.channelnewsasia.com/sustainability/pulau-ubin-mangrove-park-2026-nparks-ocbc-sungei-durian-3032241  Wan on Chek Jawa and its place in Ubin Orang Pulau history as an important source of sustenance  https://www.wansubinjournal.com/post/chek-jawa-and-how-it-provided-for-the-ubin-orang-pulau  Biology lecturer and longtime Singaporean ecologist Sivasothi N on Chek Jawa in 2001, noting the irony of resettlement of “‘squatters who are affected by reclamation work’ that has finally allowed easy public access to Chek Jawa” https://chekjawa.nus.edu.sg/articles/AG/AGart4.htm Orang Laut SG is a platform founded by Firdaus Sani, a fourth-generation Orang Laut/Pulau descendant from Pulau Semakau. Pulau Semakau and neighbouring Pulau Seking were acquired from the islanders by the Singapore government in 1987 to build Semakau Landfill: https://oranglaut.sg/  A Facebook page collecting memories of life on Pulau Brani run by Izyan Nadirah, a second generation islander: https://www.facebook.com/memoriesofpulaubrani  In 2023, Firdaus of Orang Laut SG and Asnida Daud, whose family lived on Pulau Sudong, collaborated on the performance Air Da Tohor, staged at the Esplanade’s Pesta Raya festival: https://www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/remembering-singapore-s-disappearing-south-islander-cultures-in-air-da-tohor  On the restoration of House 6J on Pulau Ubin: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/watch/developing-dedicated-kampung-house-restoration-programme-pulau-ubin-4429141  Mynah Magazine started as a print magazine for untold Singaporean stories in 2016. We’ve published four issues to date. Our fifth issue will be published in the second half of 2025. Find out more about Mynah Magazine on our website: ⁠mynahmag.com ⁠ Subscribe to the Mynah newsletter: ⁠mynahmag.substack.com ⁠ Follow Mynah on Instagram: ⁠instagram.com/mynahmag⁠ The music for The Mynah Podcast was written and recorded by⁠ Daniel Seah⁠.