USP alum Muhammad Nadjad bin Abdul Rahim (Life Sciences + USP, Class of 2014) spearheaded a book project, Brani: Memories of an Island, with a team of volunteers who wanted to uncover more about life on the unknown island of Singapore.

Pulau Brani, which means "Isle of the Brave" in Malay, is an island located at the southern part of Singapore. The island was once a home to the Orang Laut (Sea Nomads) in the 1820s. Few among the younger generation of Singaporeans are however aware of such islands. A descendant of Pulau Brani islanders, Nadjad broached the idea of documenting memories of the islanders. The book is a collection of narratives made up of 23 interviews, countless anecdotal memories shared by islanders and descendants on social media, and conversations with extended family members.

Join Nadjad for his book project sharing session at the National Library Building – Possibility Room on 19 November 2016, Saturday from 2.00pm to 5.00pm. He will be sharing the motivations behind the project and the effort of documenting the experiences and memories of the islanders. The session will be moderated by USP alum and NUS Assistant Professor Imran Tajudeen (Architecture + USP, Class of 2004).

Learn more about the book at Memories of Pulau Brani Facebook page. Good news for USP community — a copy of the book is available in the USP Reading Room!

We congratulate Nadjad for his commendable effort in bringing the local community together through this book!