About the Author

Shawn Seah is an author and public speaker on local history and heritage. He has been part of the Singapore Heritage Festival (2018 and 2020), and has given talks and lectures in diverse venues such as the Peranakan Museum (2017 and 2019); Fort Canning Centre during the Singapore Bicentennial (2019); and even a Chinese temple, the Nanyang Sacred Union (2019).

Shawn holds a Master's degree in Economic History (Distinction) from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor's degree in Economics (First Class Honours), with a minor in History, from the National University of Singapore. He is interested in Singapore's history and heritage, as well as economic development in Southeast Asia.

He aims to make history come alive.

Reviews

"Shawn's book takes us on a wonderful journey that explores a part of Singapore that no longer exists on local maps. Through meticulous research in the archives and interviews, he has put together a book that tells the history of Aukang. But this is not simply a 'History of ...' book. This book weaves together a story of one man's search for his family's past, the stories he discovered, and the history of Aukang and Hougang, and its Catholic community. It presents the history of a place through the personal stories and memories of those who once lived there. His book ensures that local memories of a place and community live on."; Dr John Kwok; Research Fellow; "The Montfort Alumni is proud to support this book by Shawn Seah which documents in great detail the history of Aukang, incorporating the long and distinguished history of Montfort School."; Montfort Alumni; "The lively interviews with prominent Teochews of the area and the apt photos and illustrations all add up to a comprehensive and intriguing tale.; A third reason for recommending this book is that, while he focuses on the Teochew Catholics, he has included those who are Eurasians, Malays, Indians, Hokkien Peranakans, and others who made up the multi-ethnic composition of Aukang. The constituency is thus seen as a typical patchwork of the larger Singapore identity.; Finally, he has cleverly linked the old Aukang, which comprised the fifth and sixth mile precincts, and Kangkar and Punggol, to the new, enormous developments that is now Sengkang and other districts. In this way, he has provided continuous engagement between the OLD that his father knew with the transformed, beyond-recognition — NEW."; Robert Yeo; Poet, playwright, and author of Routes 1940–75: A Singaporean Memoir; "Colourful, cultural, and creative: Shawn Seah's book is an excellent read. It is not easy to make history accessible but this dynamic young man has managed to bring local history alive. We strongly support his efforts in the area of writing about local culture and heritage."; Jeremy Seah; Executive Committee Member, Singapore Seah Clan Association; "I've always had a special place in my heart for Hougang's history and the culture of the Teochew Catholics. Shawn Seah's book is not to be missed, for all Aukang-nang, as well as those interested in the history of this unique enclave."; Bryan Goh; Hougang resident; "Shawn: this is a man who is deeply passionate about his heritage."; Victor Yue; Heritage enthusiast; "Reading this work is like unveiling a time capsule for the area we now know as Hougang. Skilfully drawing on historical developments and relevant personal anecdotes, Shawn breathes life and colour into the Aukang of yesteryear. His effort serves well to educate the next generation of Singaporeans that underpinning our modern metropolis is a rich history which should be remembered."; Joseph Tan; Former Educator and Republic of Singapore Air Force Pilot; "Shawn Seah is a true inspiration in his efforts to promote and preserve local history and identity. He absolutely dazzles with his passion and talent."; Dr Kenneth Lay; Researcher;