First published 2024
Singapore's keramat tell stories older than the nation itself. These sacred graves and shrines once dotted the island, serving Muslims and broader communities alike as sanctified gathering places. Self-appointed guardians tended them for generations, weaving together historical facts with local folklore that reflected their neighborhoods' character. The post-independence development boom destroyed many of these sites. Now a second erasure threatens as aging caretakers die and their memories fade with them. Modern Muslim reformers often view keramat as shirk, a form of forbidden idol worship, and quietly support their removal. Gibson examines the fraught relationships between these sacred spaces and power structures both secular and religious, tracing conflicts from colonial administrators to contemporary authorities. Through case studies from Singapore and Southeast Asia, he explores how communities navigate between puritanical religious interpretations and grassroots spiritual practices, revealing the complex politics of preservation in a rapidly modernizing city-state.
Genres: history, anthropology, non-fiction, 21st-century, academic, cultural-studies
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-clash, power-dynamics
Setting: Singapore, Southeast Asia
Period: Colonial, Post-Independence
230 pages · Hardcover · Routledge