Experiencing George Town With Ceritalah

There are many ways to experience a city. Sometimes it’s on a viral food hunt, scratching off the ‘Top 10 Sights’ list, riding public transportation or asking the locals for recommendations. But nothing comes close to experiencing a city, place, or community through a story. 

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The story of George Town, Penang begins even before Francis Light stepped foot on the Esplanade and built Fort Cornwallis. Over the years we have uncovered and rediscovered more about the Island, her people, and the heritage we carry throughout generations. If you’re reading this at a Kopitiam or by the street in George Town, take a good look around you. We are all connected because of the stories that have continued to shape the people we are today. 

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As the Ceritalah platform has been made with love in George Town, Penang, we decided there was nowhere else we wanted to start this story. So Ceritalah's First Edition brings history to life around you in the vibrant streets of George Town. Inviting you on a journey through time, the mobile app's augmented reality archives and walking trails follow the stories of city makers - those who have lived and worked in George Town for decades and built this city through trade, tradition, courage and passion. As you walk along the streets, take a moment to look at the tangible and intangible reflections around you, from signboards and doors to the scents of spices and medicinal herbs, and multiple languages ringing in the air. Ceritalah brings stories to life and guides you through the streets for a truly immersive and engaging experience of the city. 

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Stories in Digitalscapes

Ceritalah was created to make history accessible to locals and visitors alike. Centred on stories inherited and shared within the community, the mobile app features multiple applications of creative technology including augmented reality heritage trails, AR street art, an immersive self-guided audio experience and an NFT Collectors Series. This makes reliving histories enjoyable across ages while contributing to innovation within storytelling, exploring how digital means can support the preservation of a community’s history and cultural heritage. 

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While there is always a lot to consider in terms of the benefits of using digital technology within the sphere of cultural heritage preservation, such as its potential to over commodify cultural heritage or erode authenticity, digital technologies have also had a significant role in safeguarding cultural heritage over the last two decades. Consider projects such as Google's Arts and Culture Open Heirtage Project or CyArk - high resolution scanning of heritage sites like Angkor Wat, both contributing to making cultural heritage more accessible worldwide, raising awareness, fostering greater appreciation and facilitating research without geographic limitations. Physical objects like heritage sites, manuscripts, sculptures and paintings, which can deteriorate over time, can also be preserved through methods like 3D scanning. This creates digital copies that preserve information and the aesthetics of these objects for future generations, even if eventually, the originals are damaged beyond restoration, or lost.
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Ceritalah's approach with digital aims to bridge this gap by always centring the community first, and then considering what technology may support or enhance the story the community wants to tell - whether its focusing on community stories shared through oral history, interviews or observations. The app also features artistic responses to spur (re)imaginations and interpretations of cultural landscapes, traditions, practices, ecosystems and local knowledge. By utilising creative technology in a balanced and sustainable manner, this community-driven initiative ensures the maintenance of knowledge of these practices, allowing current and future generations to have a record of their cultural and collective identity. Ceritalah also helps document and preserve the heritage of underrepresented or marginalised communities that may not have had the resources or opportunities to do so through traditional means. This further helps safeguard their cultural legacy and increases knowledge and understanding of the challenges these communities face in contemporary times. 

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There is so much to learn about the city, its identity, the community and even the nation. Ceritalah offers a path into the myriad of stories waiting to be discovered. 

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These are our stories and our heritage. We hope that along the way, you uncover yours too. 

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