http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,195143,00.html?
THE BUZZ
Let the Merlion remain scarred by Nature's strike
By Tan Mae Lynn
March 09, 2009
PICTURE: REUTERS
AUSTRALIA has the kangaroo, New Zealand has the kiwi, Malaysia has the tiger, and Singapore has the Merlion.
So what if the Merlion is mythical?
It is still our national icon.
And going by the buzz in cyberspace after the Merlion got zapped in the head by lightning last Saturday, Singaporeans feel passionately about the creature.
Even if they don't readily admit it.
Think about it, if lightning had struck, say, the chopsticks-like war memorial nearby (assuming the structure doesn't have a lightning conductor) and chipped a portion off its tip, would people care?
Would there be such a flurry of comments in chatrooms about whether this act of nature bodes well or ill?
I doubt it.
So, should we or shouldn't we have put Merlion under cosmetic surgery so quickly?
One forum writer to The Straits Times suggested that the authorities leave the Merlion alone with its head injury, rather than repair it.
The scar, he said, would give it character and may even draw more visitors to the attraction.
I initially found the idea of leaving the Merlion botak absurd.
After all, the Merlion ain't no Leaning Tower of Pisa, which dates back to the 1100s. It's hard to even compare it with the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania, which dates back to 1752 and is the symbol of the American Revolutionary War. The bell had cracked as it was being tested and the crack remains to this day.
But after much discussion with colleagues, I've changed my stance and now feel that the Merlion could do with some 'character'.
Firstly, the Merlion's new look was courtesy of Mother Nature. The leaning tower of Pisa and the Liberty Bell crack were the results of man-made flaws. And works of nature are more marvellous than human errors.
A botak Merlion could show that we're not stereotypical conformists.
Then, people might ask: What does the zapping symbolise for Singapore?
We're facing our worst recession ever. And the light at the end of the tunnel remains a delusion.
Merlion zapped on its head, aiyoh, bad omen.
Fast forward 100 years to 2109.
The Merlion has green hair (algae) and wears a flourishing crown where the battle scar from fighting off evil economic devils used to be (a tree has grown out of the hole in its head).
Superstitious Singaporeans believe it signifies Singapore's rebound from adversity into prosperous times.
Back to reality in the present day.
Would any other structure in Singapore have generated the same kind of talk?
Probably not. Again, simply because Singaporeans see the Merlion as our national icon.
So, I say, leave it. Not many are fortunate enough to get a make-over courtesy of Mother Nature.
And it will leave a historical milestone for future generations to discuss.
THE BUZZ
Let the Merlion remain scarred by Nature's strike
By Tan Mae Lynn
March 09, 2009
PICTURE: REUTERS
AUSTRALIA has the kangaroo, New Zealand has the kiwi, Malaysia has the tiger, and Singapore has the Merlion.
So what if the Merlion is mythical?
It is still our national icon.
And going by the buzz in cyberspace after the Merlion got zapped in the head by lightning last Saturday, Singaporeans feel passionately about the creature.
Even if they don't readily admit it.
Think about it, if lightning had struck, say, the chopsticks-like war memorial nearby (assuming the structure doesn't have a lightning conductor) and chipped a portion off its tip, would people care?
Would there be such a flurry of comments in chatrooms about whether this act of nature bodes well or ill?
I doubt it.
So, should we or shouldn't we have put Merlion under cosmetic surgery so quickly?
One forum writer to The Straits Times suggested that the authorities leave the Merlion alone with its head injury, rather than repair it.
The scar, he said, would give it character and may even draw more visitors to the attraction.
I initially found the idea of leaving the Merlion botak absurd.
After all, the Merlion ain't no Leaning Tower of Pisa, which dates back to the 1100s. It's hard to even compare it with the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania, which dates back to 1752 and is the symbol of the American Revolutionary War. The bell had cracked as it was being tested and the crack remains to this day.
But after much discussion with colleagues, I've changed my stance and now feel that the Merlion could do with some 'character'.
Firstly, the Merlion's new look was courtesy of Mother Nature. The leaning tower of Pisa and the Liberty Bell crack were the results of man-made flaws. And works of nature are more marvellous than human errors.
A botak Merlion could show that we're not stereotypical conformists.
Then, people might ask: What does the zapping symbolise for Singapore?
We're facing our worst recession ever. And the light at the end of the tunnel remains a delusion.
Merlion zapped on its head, aiyoh, bad omen.
Fast forward 100 years to 2109.
The Merlion has green hair (algae) and wears a flourishing crown where the battle scar from fighting off evil economic devils used to be (a tree has grown out of the hole in its head).
Superstitious Singaporeans believe it signifies Singapore's rebound from adversity into prosperous times.
Back to reality in the present day.
Would any other structure in Singapore have generated the same kind of talk?
Probably not. Again, simply because Singaporeans see the Merlion as our national icon.
So, I say, leave it. Not many are fortunate enough to get a make-over courtesy of Mother Nature.
And it will leave a historical milestone for future generations to discuss.
