Wednesday 1 April 2015

Treasure of the Orang Laut? - A dramatic start to the month





As your may be aware, we are taking the brief April holiday period to carry out a critical piece of works at the corner of the old main hall and the new building to construct the fire engine access into the tent plaza. This is a complex and challenging piece of work that requires the demolition of the current walkway and the construction of a new 4.5m high linkway.

During construction the morning, the construction team uncovered what seems to be ancient artifacts buried near the oldest building in the campus - The Main Hall. What a fantastic start to the month.



The ancient objects seeing the first light of day for many years

The objects positions underneath the tent plaza

An except from some of the coverage generated by this unusual event:

BREAKING NEWS - ANCIENT TREASURE UNEARTHED IN SINGAPORE SCHOOL

APRIL 1st 2015

SINGAPORE, SOUTH EAST ASIA - A discovery of rare artifacts at the renowned International School, UWCSEA (Dover Campus) has renewed speculation that they may have stumbled across the fabled treasure of the Orang Laut (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orang_laut ), the location of which has frustrated generations of treasure hunters.

First samples of the artifacts indicate local trading tokens, coins gold, jewels and silver bowels

Simon Thomas,  Director of Operations and Facilities commented
“Although the jury is still out on the origin of these finds, I am confident that further research will reveal that this is the lost treasure of the Orang Laut. The irony is that their old pirate look out post, from which inflicted such misery on the Malacca Straits has now become a school educating for peace. He added (but) " I don't suppose they would have expected their old hunting ground at the mouth of the Singapore river would have become a huge 3 story air conditioned greenhouse either”

He added “I would like to think they would have been proud of what we have achieved since the demise of piracy as a legitimate career"”

When asked what they intended to do with this unexpected windfall, Mr Thomas “ As you may be aware the school has a long established history in Singapore, I believe our ancient charter may have considered the presence of a treasure of sorts on the site and this document will have to be consulted before we can distribute this significant find”

More information is expected to be released following contact with the school management and community as the school is currently enjoying its holidays.

END

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1st April -  9:07am UPDATE FROM SITE - Tests prove Origin of Ancient Artifacts

A number of items have been excavated from the site now, there is a flurry of professionals on the site, access some of state of the art in-house scientific facilities. Three items has been passed to the professionals from the excavation site:

1) Coloured animal feathers
2) Wooden pole 
3) Black Fabric










10:17am - UPDATE FROM SITE

Following extensive tests the ball of coloured animal fur has been confirmed as originating from the coat of the Psittaciformes species. (Now thought extinct in Singapore)
10:32am - UPDATE FROM SITE
The tests on the wood are inconclusive - Microscopic study have showed fashioning with a
dirk often used by seafarers, wear marks on the wood, indicate that this wood might have been used as an early type of artificial limb. The fabric has been found to be a black canvas, often used for sails or fashioned into a jolly roger type flag.. This excavated sample has been shaped as some sort of eye or ear patch secured with a leather string.

11:02am - UPDATE FROM SITE

Evidence is pointing to this to be the treasure of the Orang Laut, this is of course an historic breakthrough, ancient maps suggest that the site of the Orang Laut raiding campus to be a little East of the current campus but historical experts point to the nomadic nature of the tribe and the frequent raids by the colonial powers which could have forced them to the hastily hide their hoard.




11:43 - UPDATE FROM SITE.

The presence of a possible treasure under the school site has been a persistent rumor for decades, Boon Chye, a member of the facilities team and one of the longest serving members of the school community with over 35 years service recalls " When I first started at St Johns (The precursor to UWCSEA) I remember clearly part of the outdoor education and service programme was digging holes around the campus - Whilst the teachers claimed regular digging built character, at the time the rumor within the support staff was that it was management hoping the students of the day would discover the treasure"

The constitution of the school seemed to anticipate the presence of a treasure. It is clearly states the method distribution of the treasure if found.

f'r those that chance upon the fabl'd treasure of malacca, the wealth of a thousand lifetime may bestowe on thou. to avoideth the treach'rous beshrew of the damn'd this wealth and good f'rtune wilt be disp'rs'd amongst the broth'rs and sist'rs of the community of the landeth. the treasure wilt be distribut'd amongst these good men and true within the hours of daylight of the day of discov'ry to avoideth the p'rpetual beshrew of wealth and jealously

(It seems that even lawyers of old also found it difficult to add plain English clarity!)


Ancient Constitution and Charter

11:52am - UPDATE - URGENT!!!

The treasure is almost 99% determined to be part of the legitimate treasure of the Orang Laut .Our legal team have confirmed that the ancient constitution holds!!! Any treasure can be dispersed to current students and staff of UWCSEA (DOVER Campus only) (and of course those that can show straight line ancestry to the Orang Laut.)

Claimants must personally write to the owner of this blog, stating the nature of claim, qualification for the claim, this MUST be formulated in the language of the Orang Laut (Orang Laut - Sentence formulation) to be assessed. This claim must be made by MIDNIGHT 1st April 2015 - Any claims after this time will be invalid both in person and under the jurisdiction of the courts.