Lanterns & Lions

Today I went on a field trip to 2 craftsmen who are the last of their kind in Singapore. Our first stop was at a company that makes paper gifts for funerals and Gods. I was on a mission to buy a large lantern.

The lanterns on the left are used at funerals along with the horses.

We dropped several obvious hints that we sure would love to buy a drum like this one. 

They ignored the hints and opened the drum and other instruments 

to show us how they are used at funerals. 

There are paper shoes for the gods.

 These are the kind of lanterns I am very interested in buying but I was flat out told no. 

They said they are too difficult to make and the Australians have placed too many orders already. I 

will be persistent and will bring something like this home! 

Most Singaporeans can't tell by our accents if we are 

American, Australian or European. 

I am often asked if I am from Australia. 

After the lantern shop we went to the Lion Man's home. He is an artist who hand crafts 

lion heads for the lion head dance. 

He is the last Singaporean who does this. He told us the story behind the lion dance, and how it is changing from telling a story to being a show, the old way is no longer. 

He can't find an apprentice who is humble, patient, respectful or desirous enough to learn the craft. When he was talking about this I kept thinking about the original karate kid 

and how he had to prove his worthiness. 

These are the balls that spin around during the dragon dance. 

He was painting this lion head when we arrived at his home. He said that he has a hard time doing all the work because so many people want to come and visit his home. He lives on the 24th floor 

of an HDB - 

a government housing development where most Singaporeans live. 

Many artists are losing their trades because the government has moved them 

out of the shophouses where they use to live and work. Now they must rent shops and it is too 

expensive. In the shophouses the whole family 

would do the business and children grew up helping out everyday as they ran in and out of the shop.

Now parents don't pass their trades to their children because they work away from their 

families in offices.  

It is difficult to find an apprentice when the youth can earn so much more money in technology. Many 

of these trades will be gone in the next generation. 

Lanterns:
Yeo Swee Huat
Blk 6 Toa Payoh Industrial park Lor 8 #01-1307  319058
Phone 6255 7512 pr 6255 7592

Lion Heads:
Hong Nam World Handicraft Trading
Ng Hong Kiang
Blk 552 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 #24-1978
Call to arrange visit 9662 6618