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What is Hari Orang Pulau?
What is Hari Orang Pulau?
For centuries, Singapore’s Southern Islands were home to thriving communities, whose traditions, beliefs and livelihoods were deeply rooted in the surrounding land and seas.
Decades ago, these communities were gradually relocated to mainland Singapore to make way for national development. With limited access to the islands and the pressures of city living, the community risked losing precious beliefs, practices and knowledge that had been passed down for generations prior. Today, a community of Orang Pulau persists in keeping this heritage alive, even on the mainland.
With Hari Orang Pulau, we want to honour the culture and narratives of the people who first shaped Singapore, and let their stories live on.
If you’re in Singapore on 14 June 2025, you’re invited to celebrate with us! Come and connect with the rich history and diverse identities of our country’s numerous islands.
who are the orang pulau?
who are the orang pulau?
The Orang Pulau are coastal communities of multiple ethnicities, including descendants of the Indigenous Orang Laut. Many of these communities have navigated Singapore’s waters for centuries, and played key roles in the wider Nusantara story. Some Orang Laut settled on Southern Islands such as Pulau Semakau, Pulau Sekijang Bendera (St John’s Island), and Pulau Belakang Mati (Sentosa), and were eventually joined by other groups of seafarers or migrants.
The Orang Pulau possessed an unmatched understanding of the natural world – reading the winds and waves with ease; skillfully fishing using traditional bubu (fish traps) and serampang (spears). Closer to shore, they foraged for food, medicine, building material, and other cultural practices. After relocation, most Orang Pulau moved to areas near the South-West coast, like Telok Blangah and Pasir Panjang.
islands that once made up singapore
islands that once made up singapore
Anak Pulau • Batu Putih • Berhala Reping • Buran Darat • Pulau Anak Bukom • Pulau Ayer Chawan • Pulau Ayer Merbau • Pulau Bajau • Pulau Bakau • Pulau Berkas • Pulau Biola • Pulau Biscul • Pulau Bismut • Pulau Blakang Mati • Pulau Brani • Pulau Buaya • Pulau Bukom • Pulau Bukom Kechil • Pulau Buloh • Pulau Busing • Pulau Damar • Pulau Damar Laut • Pulau Hantu Besar • Pulau Hantu Kechil • Pulau Jong • Pulau Keppel • Pulau Ketam • Pulau Khatib Bongsu • Pulau Malang Siajar • Pulau Merlimau • Pulau Mesemut Darat • Pulau Mesemut Laut • Pulau Meskol • Pulau Palawan • Pulau Pawai • Pulau Pergam • Pulau Pesek • Pulau Pesek Kechil • Pulau Renggis • Pulau Saigon • Pulau Sakra • Pulau Salu • Pulau Sambulan • Pulau Samulun • Pulau Sanyongkong • Pulau Sarimbun • Pulau Satumu • Pulau Sebarok • Pulau Sejahat • Pulau Sejahat Kechil • Pulau Sekijang Bendera • Pulau Sekijang Pelepah • Pulau Seking • Pulau Sekudu • Pulau Seletar • Pulau Selugu • Pulau Semakau • Pulau Semechek • Pulau Senang • Pulau Serangoon • Pulau Seraya • Pulau Seringat • Pulau Seringat Kechil • Pulau Subar Darat • Pulau Subar Laut • Pulau Sudong • Pulau Syahat • Pulau Tekong • Pulau Tekong Kechil • Pulau Tekukor • Pulau Tembakul • Pulau Ubin • Pulau Ujong • Pulau Ular • Pulau Unum • Selat Jurong
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN?
As memories and knowledge of island life fade a little more with each passing year, the urgency to commemorate Hari Orang Pulau grows. Many island elders, whose lives once thrived on the Southern Islands, hold rich yet untold stories of their communities, traditions, and way of life.
For the Orang Pulau, seeing their culture finally recognised and celebrated also provides invaluable validation of their (often overlooked) contributions and experience.
We call to all island descendants to gather at Hari Orang Pulau to reconnect, celebrate their roots, and reclaim the community’s narratives.
We also welcome anyone in Singapore who is interested to hear and experience the stories and teachings of our elders, and carry these with us through time and tide.
Where we gather, we share, we laugh, we learn. Join us in our most significant attempt to conserve and celebrate what’s left.
WHY WEST COAST PARK?
WHY WEST COAST PARK?
West Coast Park holds special significance for the Southern Islanders. Historically, it was one of the embarking points for both islanders and mainlanders. After their relocation, the shores of Pasir Panjang remained important to the Orang Pulau. Today, the beach area next to the park is one of the few places where they can dock their sampans.
Along the beach, they built makeshift shacks that served as informal communal spaces for storytelling, sharing fishing tips, and practising maritime crafts. Beyond serving as a physical gathering space, it is where vital traces of island life can be lived, not just remembered – for both the Orang Pulau, and all in Singapore who identify with our islander heritage.
what to expect at hari orang pulau?
what to expect at hari orang pulau?
We’ve curated a full day of programmes, including cultural performances, workshops, film screenings, thought-provoking panel discussions, games, family-friendly activities and more!
