Page 14 - MustangEbook

We have never tried setting deadline trying
PREFACE to complete this task. We reckoned this

would take a long time because the research,
questioning and the interviewing of those
Singapore, being a young and vibrant nation who were instrumental in creating customs
for almost 40 years has a good harvest of and traditions of one kind or another proved
inheritance never-ending, but tremendously fascinating.
We sometimes get from our
confused with “Old Wife’s forefathers In this book, what we have tried to do is to tell
Tales”. These stories who lived off the story of, and the story behind the principal
have great bearing to this land way customs and traditions of the Army. There are
some of our practices before we many that we must have overlooked or have
which has logical ever existed. had to omit.
meanings and accepted Many
even today. These influences We hope that some of our readers who know
accepted practices were brought
became our customs and down by of customs and traditions prevailing in our
tradition. foreigners Army may highlight their views and
perspective so that we can include them in
like the British, Dutch, Chinese, Malays, later editions of this book. So, let’s begin our
Indians and others. All these nationalities, journey together.
races and their religion have a great impact on
what we practice today. However, changes We have defined the three main ideas in this
have been made over time to suit our modern book as follows:
society.
We sometimes get confused with “Old Customs: The usual ways of behaving or
Wife’s Tales”. These stories have great acting.
bearing to some of our practices which has
logical meanings and accepted even today. Traditions: The handing down from
These accepted practices became our generation to generation of customs, beliefs,
customs and traditions. etc.

We have tried to answer as many queries as Heritage: Anything that has been
possible. It was great fun delving into the transmitted from the past or handed down
archives trying to find answers to the by tradition.
questions that were posed. The idea for this
book was conceived from those faded and With this understanding now, it gives us
crumpled papers on the early historical files. more meaning and interest in our heritage
where customs and traditions were formed.

Happy reading.