Preserving Singapore’s Orang Laut Heritage

They met him on a coastal walk – an uncle descaling a fish he had caught that morning using a handmade bubu trap. For SUSS students Kyliesa Nip and Koo Wai Ying, that encounter shifted something. “We had assumed fishing was done with rods and commercial tools,” they said. “Seeing their traditional methods firsthand left a deep impression.”

When Kyliesa and Wai Ying selected their SUSS core module NIE301 Learning with Communities project, they chose to spend time with the Orang Laut community in partnership with Orang Laut SG, their Community Partner for the module and a crucial co-educator and guide throughout the process. Through conversations, participation in heritage activities, and close collaboration with community members, they co-developed programmes that culminated in an activity booth at Hari Orang Pulau (Islanders' Day) — an event organised by Orang Laut SG, comprising a wide range of activities, talks, workshops and performances.

Their efforts brought the community’s stories to life through thoughtful, engaging experiences:

• Pulau Lingo, a language game, sparked shared conversations among strangers and families
• Interactive checkpoint activities guided visitors across community booths, encouraging deeper exploration
• 250 hand-stamped fans were created as keepsakes, capturing memories of the day

Kyliesa and Wai Ying co-developed projects, such as Pulau Lingo, to honour the culture and narratives of the Orang Laut as part of Hari Orang Pulau.

Together, these elements bridged past and present, inviting the public to better understand the heritage of the Orang Laut. The project was later presented to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at SUSS Patron’s Day on 2 April.


Kyliesa (left) and Wai Ying (middle) presented their project to President Tharman Shanmugaratnam at SUSS Patron’s Day.

Through this experience, Kyliesa and Wai Ying built meaningful relationships, amplified local voices and contributed to greater visibility of the Orang Laut culture. Projects like this extend learning beyond the classroom and into active participation, deepening understanding through interaction and a platform for students to play a direct role in shaping meaningful and lasting impact. 

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