"Why did your father name you after a road?"

This is one of the common questions that Dr. Mariam Aljunied gets asked about her name from other Singaporeans. Her response to the question is tongue-in-cheek: "No, he didn't name me after the road. That's my grandfather's road!".

Many know Aljunied Road and Aljunied GRC; but not many Singaporeans know about the close links between the Aljunieds and development of modern Singapore.  In this talk, Dr Mariam Aljunied will share insights about her family history and heritage, and how these have shaped and influenced the lives of her family today. From the first Arab who came to Singapore in 1819, i.e. her ancestor Syed Omar Aljunied, to the pre-war multi-family Aljunied grand-household in Balestier (known as ‘Kebun Limau’), and to the Aljunied descents in Singapore today, she will share stories of how the family has had to continue its efforts to integrate culture and tradition, with the demands and needs of living in a modern, multi-racial Singapore.  A journey and a quest, which began 200 years ago, still continues today, i.e. to make Singapore a home, truly. 

Talk conducted in English.

Speaker: Dr. Sharifah Mariam Aljunied