At a time when sea travel was far from the luxury cruises we know today, we will learn why many of our forefathers placed their hopes for surviving the voyage to "Nanyang" not in lifeboats and life vests, but in a mysterious ancient goddess known as Mazu (妈祖).

Known as the Goddess of the Sea, Mazu remains today one of the most recognisable and important icons in Chinese culture. She is famous not only in Singapore, where she is the patron deity at Thian Hock Keng, Singapore's oldest temple and a top tourist attraction, but also among the global Chinese diaspora scattered around Southeast Asia and the West.

In our workshop, we will use the dramatic arts in the form of immersive story-telling, role-play, unique props, and personal reflections to help students step into the tattered shoes of our forefathers and rediscover the sea - our fascination of it, our dependence on it, and its power over us.

We will introduce the ancient legend of Mazu from birth and the important life values she embodies, to help students appreciate the sacrifices our forefathers made for the lives they enjoy today.