Contributed by: Chow Sau Wai, 60
Mdm Chow, 60, lived in a Kampong since she was born till the year 1979, when she moved to a HDB flat. The people in her kampong were extremely close-knitted. She remembers that when she was young, she would experiment on riding a bike with the other children in the kampong. At night, they would secretly come together with bikes belonging to their parents or elder siblings and help each other learn to cycle. In those days, her kampong was like one big family and they were really close to one another.
Another memory was catching fishes in the drains beside her house, which were connected to the Kallang river. Whenever it rained, the drains would flood with fishes. She recalls catching rainbow fishes and on lucky occasions, eels. This was one benefit of living beside a drain. However, occasionally, some irresponsible neighbours would dispose dead carcasses of chickens, pigs or ducks into the drains. The smell this caused was revolting. Only when high tide or rain came, would they be washed away into the sea.
Other than fishing, Mdm Chow also recalls making and flying kites with her friends when it was a windy day. Her kite was similar to all the other kids in her kampong. It was made from paper apple wrappings, coconut leaves, glue and some sewing string. She would grind glass into powder and using glue, stick them onto her string. This makes her kite string stronger and sharper. The children often had kite-flying competitions among themselves. They would stand on the rooftops of their houses and fly their kites as the wind was strong. This was a common game in past but has since lost its popularity.
Interview done by Leong Shu Hui Felicia and Ong Li Wen Yvonne from Nanyang Girls' High School on 30 June 2013.
(This memory is collected in collaboration with Nanyang Girls' High School and Kaki Bukit Community Centre for the "Hands: Gift of a Generation" campaign.)
