May 30, 2012

Heng Hua Moo with TEN DAUGHTERS


(This post is dedicated to my dear Ah Moo of Airport Lane 7 - one day I will be able to post her photo here..and for my daughters who grew up here...do not forget the lessons we learned from Ah Moo and Huong.....).

In 1913 a group of Heng Huas arrived in Sibu as the Second batch of Heng Hua Pioneers to settle down in Heng Hua Bah (Now Igan Road in Sungei Merah). this group of 40 souls included Huang Sai Nguiik the mother of Ah Huong ..whom we affectionately called Ah Moo (Old Aunty wife of an older uncle).

Both Sai Nguiik and Ah Huong became my neighbours from 1983 onwards. Ah Huong and her mother live in 4A and our house is 2A (Airport Lane 7).Ah Moo was always caring and affectionate. More often then not we would get free vegetables from her in return for things we send over to their house. There was a lot of goings on between 2A and 4A besides story telling (a.k.a.gossip).

Brought over by her mother-in-law as a child bride Ah Huong's mother - known to many  also as Ah Moo - was only 8 years old then with flat and big feet. Her mother in-law was Ngu (Goh) King Loong's mother (on the name list). Ah huong is proud that her mother's name is on the plaque set up in the Heng Hua Memorial Garden near the Zion Church in Seduan Road (Sibu).


Chatting with Ah Huong would always bring our days  in Sungei Merah in the 60's and 70's  back to life!! She remembers very vividly the cows owned by Ting Kah Ong who raised many near the Teku Road. These cows would come running after them when they went home from school!! She recalloed she was always scared when the cows started to put their heads on the ground and kick their hind legs...and the boys and girls would take off  running down the hill and up to the road...
Her mother and the Ngu(Goh)  family owned some land in Middle Heng Hua Bah and later they were persuaded to sell at only $120 000 She took the sale rather fatalistically and said.."What to do...someone wanted to buy and we did not have any men in the family to develop...". Today the land there is worth more than a million per acre.
Ah Huong's mother was very hard working. Ah Moo grew up  with her mother in law who loved her very much. She spoke Iban very well and traded with the Ibans. Ah Huong remembers her mother buying kampong pigs from the Iban longhouses and selling them in the market. Besides that Ah Moo also grew a lot of Changkok Manis for sale. Thus she was a popular Iban-Heng Hua trader.  Furthermore Ah Huong's father who was Ah Moo's second husband was a cook. And so fairly often he was able to use a lot of the meat from the kampong pigs and the vegetables grown by his own wife and  the Ibans in the Teku areas for the feasts he prepared.

Ah Moo's first husband Ngu King Loong passed away very early. So her mother in law arranged a second marriage for Ah Moo in the hope of getting a grandson. This was an acceptable idea in those olden days. With an arrangement the new bride groom would "come into the family as a son" and so subsequent children would adopt the Ngu (Goh) surname) The new husband Mr. Sii was a good and obedient man. As a God fearing man Mr. Sii was well loved by all.

Altogether Ah Moo gave birth to TEN  DAUGHTERS!!


This is not a common happening today. So I really think that it is something worth recording.

Ah Huong is Number six in the family. And she accepted with grace her Ngu surname like her father had to accept the fact that all his children would be surnamed Ngu. Grandmother Ngu and Ah Moo felt that  that should be the way.

 After Mr. Sii (hii)  passed away the ten daughters bought a cemetery plot for their parents..Ah Moo was thus  later buried with her second husband. And the ten daughters and an adopted son put their names on the grave.  So there is a grave in Sibu where the father has a different surname from his ten daughters and one adopted son. This again is not common amongst the Chinese especially amongst the Foochows. I asked Ah Huong about this...she enthusiastically replied.."No problem...we are happy  to do it that way!!" According to her his father did once say that "he has no children but his wife has..."

Picture above shows Ah Huong talking animately with Meng Lei - famous Sibu historian. Mrs. Wong is second on the right. Yang Yi fang is first from left.

Huang Sai Nguik's  Ten Daughters:

1.  Nurse - Singapore (deceased)
2. Pastor -  Singapore -( Deceased)
3. Brilliant scholar in Beijing
4.  Nurse - Australia
5 Scholar - . Tientsin
6. Home maker and carer - ah Huong
7. Singapore
8. Singapore
9. Sibu
10. Nurse -  Australia - deceased

We wish Ah Huong happiness always.....

(p/s a bit of confusion here...which will be corrected at a later date regarding triple surnames of this family because of lack of male heirs)

May 29, 2012

Stories from Nang Chong : Ferns and Snakes during Japanese Occupation F

Do you know why my mother does want to eat Meedin or fern tops today?

When my mother's family and almost all the other Chinese families in Sarawak were in dire straits during the Japanese occupation the women folks took to the field to look for food from any source possible. My mother was still in her teens and together with her sister in law took to the jungle behind their riverine village in Nang Chong  They had to be careful because there were huge snakes lurking about. She had never seen so many snakes in her life!! I suppose snakes in those days were also running away from human disturbance...and some miss read their routes and slithered into human settlements.

The ladies had to rise early. As the saying goes the early bird catches the worm...They had to be early to get the best of the meedin.Any late comers might not gather any meedin at all.

.It was a very difficult period of time in Sarawak. The Japanese considered the Chinese their traditional sworn enemies who had to be "subjugated". The natives and Malays and Melanaus were spared the torture and inhuman treatment.

Few people would dare to plant rice because they would be in the field and exposed to any Japanese gun at any time.Chickens and any other farm animals would also be "arrested" by soldiers whenever they dropped by. So to be safe the Foochows kept a very low profile and kept their farm houses looking as empty as possible. Girls had to hide in jars and the huge rice bins at times. Any sound of a motor boat would give my mother goosebumps today. In those days it was really hard for the girls especially.

 God was provident at all times and looked after every one in those days. Prayers often helped and in his special provision food just popped up in the proverbial backyard!!
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However malnutrition was rife because the people were not eating the right kind of food. Civil security in the rural areas was unheard of and padi farming (the Foochows were allowed to settle in Sarawak because the Rajah had planned to make the Rajang the Rice Bowl of Sarawak) was almost at a standstill. However the natives continued to practise their subsistence farming away from the threats of the Japanese. Indeed one of the causes of my maternal grandfather's early and untimely demise was malnutrition. With his health conditions he was not getting the right food for those three years and 8 months and even before the dropping of the Atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki he passed away...It was just so tragic!!

My mother and her sister in law (Sia Ngiik Giu) would start out early in the morning as the sun rose on the eastern banks of the Rajang to look for meedin with their Sibu made aluminium buckets. They had to work hard to get the freely growing meedin before other women got to them!!

 Mother used to tell us that if we woke up early we would never be afraid of starvation. (meh gian moh sieh) Within a few hours both of them after harvesting the quick growing and never ending supply of meedin from the footpath leading behind the house to the primary school....would come back with two bucket full of meedin and that was food for the day. Meedin would be made into soup for the whole family of more than 10 accompanied by boiled sweet potatoes . The 3 years 8 months of Japanese Occupation saw my mother and her family having this kind of food every day.

The sons of my eldest uncle Pang Ping were still very young and they too had these supplemented by their mother's milk. My late cousin ah Jiew was born during this time. Before him were two older brothers and a sister Kiing Huong (Mrs. Tie Chi Hua).

This is a lovely spoonful of the pink soup of the meedin which is enhanced by adding some Foochow red wine too.


Recently I visited my mother in Kuching and took the opportunity to gather some meedin to cook in the morning  for my sisters. We enjoyed a special Foochow soup and talked about old days!! She on the other hand sat there reminiscing in her quiet ways and shook her head saying life was really tough in those days especially for her brothers Pang Sing and Pang Teck. My maternal grandmother was stranded in China with another son Pang Kui. They were to be absent at my maternal grandfather's funeral.
No photo description available.
These memories might be very sad but once my mother got talking we really enjoyed the session. Food is a way to get an old lady talking about old days and  it also strengthened her whole being spiritually and physically!!

She is now 88 and continues to have an excellent mental state. Praise God!!

But meedin is  now not her "food" ...even though we would even order it in the best restaurant in town....It just brings too much painful memories...


Suggested recipe:
1 knob of ginger (smashed)
some garlic
a drop or two of cooking oil
a handful of meedin (better if gathered in the jungle)(1 ringgit worth)
some water
a drop or two of Foochow red wine
some salt

Method
1. heat up the oil and stir fry the aromatics
2. stir fry the cleaned meedin (two inch long)
3. Add hot water to make enough soup for five people
4. Add some wine and salt to taste.

Japanese Occupation Meedin Soup is ready!!

Putien Food : Chinese Radish and Seaweed

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Delicately cut Chinese Radish cooked with freshly harvested seaweed in Putien.

Putien is a province with lots of sea food dishes. As overseas visitors we really enjoyed great hospitality and good food. We met many Christian ladies who were related to our Sibu Hin Hua friends and made a lot of connections.

This vegetarian dish is very popular.

May 28, 2012

Old Police Station of Sungei Merah (Sibu)

How many hills are there in Sibu? Do you know any which brings you lots of memories and happiness?

Sibu is an island formed out of mud flats from sediments brought by the Mighty Rajang for hundreds of years. In the 1800's the island was not occupied. Next to the island was a Malay-Melanau settlement..probably not even called Sibu in those days. In 1862 the Rajah Brooke erected a Fort Brooke at the confluence of the Igan and the Rajang just in case the Marauding Ibans could cause havoc. That could have initiated the beginnings of Sibu. Perhaps even by then some Chinese had already established a small bazaar at the mouth of the Lembangan River which cuts the Sibu island from the mainland. So it can be said that at one end of the island was a bazaar and at the other end of the island a Fort.

Opposite the Sibu Island is Pulau Kerto where there is a cemetery called Kwang Foo Cemetery which can reveal the burial dates of many of the early settlers of Sibu.

Interestingly hills can also tell tales in the past. Some of the best historical remnants are hill stations owned by planters and colonialists like in the Peninsular Malaya and India. Many famous forts have stood the test of times on top of hills. Some of the most ancient castles in Europe of course were built on strategic hills.

In Sibu one remarkable hill is the hill on which one of the oldest police stations in Sarawak is built - the Sungei Merah Police Station. Other famous hills in Sibu are  Bukit Aup and the few rolling hills between Sungei Merah and Bukit Aup which have been snapped by for burial purposes. Further inland the rolling hills today have been tamed by oil palm plantations or flattened for residential development.
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Unfortunately this beautiful police station has been moved to another place in Sungei Merah and a huge Police Complex has been built. The Malaysian Government has modernised the Police Department. Many have said that this 19th century" post" must be demolished...and a new site for the police established to created "transformation"

the Police towards the end of the 20th century had a makeover - new dark blue uniforms with brilliant silver buttons. The Bush Jacket style has replaced the ordinary tropical cotton shirts of navy blue. The higher officers' KHAKI look is completely wiped out by the navy blue of the force.

I used to really enjoy the morning drills performed by the Police..As the sun got hotter we were quite happy to stay a little longer to watch the Drill Sargeant shouting out his commands. 

A show of drilling and fancy footworks every morning does make the commoner have slightly more respect for a well trained police force.

Many people would miss visiting the Sungei Merah Police Station on the hill..I used to enjoy the walk up the hill and saying hello to one or two of the POLICEWOMEN there. Manned mainly by locals then (1990's) the Police in the station did their duties as well as they should and with only three or four of them it was really quite interesting. You sort of feel that "ah...no problem in Sungei Merah.."

But a few cases did happen..so reinforcement had to be brought in from the Sibu Central Police Station..

I believe in the future even the word Station would become obsolete. because at the present moment terms like HQ/Opis/Pusat/etc have been in use by the younger generation..

Back to the main point of hills....Sibu is flat as far as the eye can see now because a lot of the other smaller hills have been removed to provide building materials for housing development.

My relatives used to say...to own a hill is like owning a gold mountain.

The Police Station should be considered Gold Mountain for the people of Sbiu..and if the Mini Museum takes off and a beautiful park can be developed...it will be good for the community...Hills bring in good spirits. They help people to "look up to the hills and cry out to God from when help will come..."

Hills are alive with music..(from the film "The Sound of Music")...and in fact some of the best musicians in the world are mountain people. Thinkers would go up into the hills and mountains for retreats and come back refreshed.

Yes..if you are tired of walking and working on flat grounds..in the evenings walk up to the old Police Station in Sunger Merah ...... sit on the blue steps and watch the sunset..and think of all those people in the past who helped Sungei Merah and Sibu develop into what they are today......It would be a marvellous experience..which money cannot buy.

May 27, 2012

On the Street where I lived before.......Lanang Road Lane 2

I love Lanang Road Lane 2, where we moved to when my mother decided to develop her piece of land in Brooke Drive. We were lucky to get a first floor flat by the river side. We lived there for about 2 years.
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When we lived there, the blocks of shops were just completed and the trees were not even planted by the river side. The Li Hua Hotel was not even a concept. There was a bit of open space in front of the buidling.

At night it was a bit eerie.

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Nowadays this street is really busy especially the coffee shop below our flat. There is a lovely esplanade now along the river bank.
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As I sat at the Esplanade, I imagine my dear Aunt Ern Die ring (Aunt Red Brother) appearing on the right walking towards me. And I can even imagine the nice tailor who used to live one block away from cycling from the town towards me.

And I can imagine my mum standing by the window, looking at the Rajang River.

There were only two street lights then.

The wooden buildings near the river are all gone now.
I
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When you visit a place where you used to live...you wish you can make a movie  with  Zhang Yimou  - made especially for you and your loved ones in sepia...and all these people would still be there for you to embrace the beautiful past.... But now I only have a camera which captures  in the scenes. It is sufficient.

Chastity Arch

East Gate Arch in  Putien (Fujian)

If in Sarawak there are children who can put up arches to commemorate the chastity of their widowed mothers I wonder how many would there be?

Many women in Sarawak in the past suffered tremendously in different ways before and after marriage. And some even more after the deaths of their husbands.

"May be there should be some kind of recognition for women who suffer from domestic violence etc " a friend once said during a seminar..Lots of laughter afterwards..a woman stood up and say..."There will be as many plaques as there are ferns in the jungle..." more laughter ensued..

Humour aside...many of our Putien friends in East Gate of Putien who have lived in this village pass the East Gate Arch every day.



Even in the 21st century people who pass by look at this arch with awe!!

This special arch in the photo is a PaiFang..- a Pai is a symbol or a badge or a plaque......and Fang is a construction..the two words together make the term Arch. This special arch was built for the sons of this widowed mother to honour her dutiful and chaste life after she became a widow. She would have served the generation above her as a good daughter-in-law and the generations below her as Mother- Mother-in-law and grandmother and grandmother-in-law.

Her wisdom must have been appreciated by four or five generations  she served.


"Paifang can be divided into three types according to their different functions. 'Loyalty'  Paifang is used to record a person's merit or great deeds. For example, Emperor Wanli in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) once ordered a loyalty Paifang to be built for Wang Xiangqian to honor his contribution to the country. If a person passed the imperial examinations, his family members would erect a Paifang because he brought honor to their ancestors. The 'Chastity' arch is built to honor a woman's loyalty to her husband. Other Paifang may contain little deep meaning; serving only as a symbol of a street or a village.
Each Paifang has its own cultural connotation and symbolization which are expressed in the beautiful colored patterns. The common designs on Paifang include dragon and phoenix, bat, deer and fish. The Paifang decorated with dragons and phoenix must belong to a royal family, because the dragon is the king of beasts and represent the emperor, while the phoenix is the queen of birds and represents the empress. 'Bat', in  Chinese, is 'bianfu', with pronunciation similar to 'fu' (blessing); so the bat is regarded as a symbol of good luck and happiness. Deer sounds similar to 'lu' (salary), signifying promotion. Fish are carved on Paifang to represent the passing of an important test, an imperial examination, for example. Additionally, cypress, tortoise, water lily, peony and lotus leaf are often painted on Paifang to express the rich cultural connotation such as longevity, healthy, luck, happiness and so on." (Wikipedia)



This  village  we visited is quite ancient as one can see that the banyan trees look very ancient and most of the buildings are being demolished for reconstruction. The temple nearby could be 800 years old or more.

This natural green stone (granite?) monument constructed by grateful children remains as a monument to their widowed mother and life continues under the watchful arch!!


Sungei Merah of the 1980's

In 1983 I bought a house in Sg. Merah from the Chew Brothers (they were the developers of the Quentin Hsu land) and we moved in.

We made friends with our new neigbhours who were all friends of the Chews. Best of all, our immediate neighbour was Miss Maria Dris, my friend.

I liked the comfort of shopping in the shops of the bazaar and every one knew every one.No photo description available.

I liked best the fruit stalls which were also frequented by people from Sibu. The wooden stalls were good for storing huge bunches of bananas in fact and a few of the fruit sellers actually lived in the wooden stalls.No photo description available.

In the evenings I would go down to the bazaar, have my hair wash by aunty whose shop was by the river side and take my kids for a walk around town to buy some sundry goods. But most importantly we would buy the hot buns which the kids would pack for their school the next day. We loved the tousa best. But I was fond of the butter buns. We might pick up some long gor (Foochow cup cakes).

I can still smell the aroma of the hot buns coming out of the ovens.

Every one was kind, and no one was really busy.

That was probably the meaning of a sleepy bazaar. Some how life was so special because of all those nice wooden shops and the crowded five foot way.

May 26, 2012

Swallow Tails Roof in Fujian

Every where we went in search of the Heng Huya Pioneers' original home villages we saw 
remnants of old houses built in the 1880;s.
I was in awe of Qing Dynasty architectural designs as I have been watching many
 Chinese TV dramas.

The Swallow tail roofs were very intriguing.


 The swallow tails stick out on both ends of the roof. Some roofs have five parts and hence 
they have five pairs of swallow tails like in my photo below. Huge mansions would have many roofs.
 Some huge mansions cover more than 2 acres of land e.g. the size of a football field. Some could 
have been bigger.

I am sure many people would find these roofs interesting. However some would think that
 they should be demolished to make way for modern designs. While others couldn't care less.
 I would  think that if there are such structures around they should by all means be preserved to 
remind us of the past historical achievements of our ancestors. Very often "Hallmarks of excellence" 
have been thrown out politically but others are thrown out because of the significant land value..
they could be in the way of MASS TRANSPORT SYSTEM!! or the family themselves might
 want to have a multi storeyed building up ...


A restored old house which still serves a good purpose like symbolizing the dignity of a nation. 
Preservation of old artifacts is part of one's love for our nation. Today in many parts of 
China people use the term "Ai Kuo" love our nation as a key term to propel development
 to a very high level. Landscaping and making the country side attractive with greens is also
 "ai kuo". Environmental movement is also "ai kuo".


I found a Taiwanese blogger Della Chung so inspired by the swallow tail roof (Lots in Taiwan)that 
she wrote a poem:

Green with the drip of dew and rain,
 

the moss address itself like art on the roof

with curved swallow tail ridge ends.


飽含露水和雨滴的苔蘚,

綠茸茸地將自己襯脫得

像是燕尾脊屋頂上的一件藝術品。

Nature's Own Body Scrubber

The natural loofah from your own backyard....Image result for body scrubber

Body Shop sells these at great prices. The photo shows loofah in the making. Most Iban ladies "grow" their own busut to make loofah. Instead of paying 30 ringgit for a loofah from Body Shop.

No photo description available.
the Iban name for this vegetable is busut. A variety of the petola or ketola.

May 25, 2012

Sharks' Fin Melon

Sharks' Fin Melon sold in Miri Muhibbah Tamu or Market

Just in case - the above sign is new to many people. Often many people do not notice the No Sharks' Fin Soup sign in some places overseas. In a few separate occasions some well suited and obviously rolling with money Asians did not notice the sign and they started to order their "favourite soup" rather loudly...and of course many eye brows were raised and you could literally hear a "spoon" drop on the marble table or glass table or see a jaw (!!!!?) drop..

Sharks' fins melons are sold all over Sarawak and Sabah now and many are actually seizing the opportunity to revert to vegetables and other edibles and giving up meat and especially sharks' fins....Don't be worried if people comment that it is poor man's sharks' fin..in fact nutrition wise it might even been better than the real sharks' fin (which by the way might be made from something else now that manufacturers can create anything in a certain country I won't mention its name.) I would rather eat the sharks' fin melon than some plastic....
Sharks' Fin Melons are really a good replacement for sharks' fin. According to Wikipedia this melon is called by other names like spaghetti squah or noodle squash. In the UK it is called the Spaghetti Marrow.


Sharks' Fin Melon  (鱼翅瓜) is quite popular in Miri . I find it refreshing as a soup.

Portion of the sharks' fin melon soup...the melon looks really like the real sharks' fin.



You can use 1/8th  of the melon for a whole family.

ingredients - for 4 people
1. 2 -3 tablespoons of wolf berries
2. some dried mushrooms
3. 1 egg - beaten
4. 200 gms minced pork/chicken
5. some slivers of old ginger
6. salt to taste
7. a dash or two of white pepper
8. some cooking oil of your choice or sesame oil (which I used)
9. scrape the slice of melon with a spoon and you get nice natural pieces of the melon which look like sharks' fins.
10. 10 bowls of water
11. wine vinegar for extra taste

Method
1. Heat up some oil and saute the ginger. Add the minced pork and cook until well done.
2. Add 10 bowls of water and bring to the boil
3. Add wolf berries and the sliced soaked mushrooms and the melon
4. boil for about half hour or more until all the aroma comes out of the pot.
5. Before serving dribble the beaten egg and cover the pot for a few minutes. Give the soup in the  pot a good stir.
6. Add salt and pepper.
7. Add wine vinegar if desired.

Personally I have cooked this soup in the long house as well as in Miri to great success. the melon by itself is a sweet soup and very little else is needed. Tahai a dried fish from Limbang and Lawas makes a good base for the melon.

Hope you will take a chance an buy half a melon if the vendor allows it and cook your own Sharks' fin melon soup!!
A recent bowl of Sharks' Fin Soup - as I did not find any fin I said to myself..it was really good Mock fin soup but it was not sharks fin melon soup.







May 24, 2012

Kampong Hilir of Sibu

For those in their 50's and living in Sibu you can see the tremendous development in the Malay kampong area. This year Kampong Hilir is beginning to see lots of changes in terms of demolition of old wooden houses and the construction of shops.

After 50 years of Malaysia the b eloved kampong is moving away!!

Perhaps only memories and good old photos will be left those who can remember Kampong Hilir.

In a kampong there no fence between houses.

"Most houses are not locked when owners go shopping because there would be eyes every where " I was told this sometime by a friend from a kampong.
Kampong houses used to be single storey on stilts. With population explostion  rooms started to be built "below" the house and two storeyed buildings came into being...but later most families would build two storeys ahead of family enlargement. Many elders had already foreseen this phenomena...Good families tend to stay together and it is a "done" thing. I remember how hurt one parent was when her son decided to build his home about three miles away. She could not be comforted for years! I realise the true meaning of "Lamentations" by observing her. Others would just brush her emotions aside by saying "emotion lah" But it is really hard to finally cut off the imaginary umbilical cord!!
Kampong houses get so congested that little attachments like these are built and some just touch the roadsides....
During the fasting months beautiful lights would be placed on  home made ledges all the way (on both sides) to the house from the main road. It was a lovely sight.
I do remember those days when electricity first came to the kampong...and now people take public utilities (no longer public but privatized now) for granted. We used to pay $3.00 per month. A few cents more our parents would complain already!!

"Hilir" in Bahasa Malaysia means "lower river". It is the opposite of "Ulu" which means "upper". This kampong is "below" the Kampong Datu along the Lembangan River and the Igan River.

The Lembangan River actually goes around Sibu town which was originally an island. Hence there is the main road called Island Road. The road running from Chung Hua Primary school to the Sibu Recreation Club (Now Sanyan Building was called "Pulau Road" So in Sibu there were two roads with the same meaning but in two different langauges. Today this unusual road naming system has been corrected by changing all the road names to Bahasa Malaysia words...like Blacksmith road is now Jalan Tukang Besi. I wonder if we still have Coffin Road behind the Palace Cinema. It should be Jalan Keranda. Personally I feel that a lot of the character of a road in Sibu has been changed because of the change in language. Jalan Pasar instead of Market Road? Jalan Tinggi instead of High Street?

High Street in English usually refers to the best road in town where the best shops can be found..and people would like to go there to be seen and noted...But then that probably KUNO already...now people go to the MALL...to lepak.

Any way it would  really be nice if I could go back in time and lepak (sit on the wooden railings) with my friends in Jalan Kampong Hilir...and drink lovely green Pisang flavoured aerated water or the Krim Soda made in Sibu....and watch cyclists go by...and as the sun sets watch the lovely ladies all dressed in white walking gracefully and  slowly  to the mosque

May 23, 2012

Sibu Connections in May 2012


Highlights of my  latest Sibu Visit......

In a special service at Tien Dao Tang I met up with my old neighbour of No.4A Airport Lane 7  Ho Ah Huong who happens to be a descendant of one of the Heng Hua Pioneers..We should be calling them the First Families of the Heng Hua Clan of Sibu. Ah Huong has been a wonderful neigbhour for many years. ...she has so enriched the lives of my family..my mother and her mother had conversations known as Duck and chicken dialogue one speaking in Heng Hua and one speaking in foochow but they both would walk way fully understanding each other and with happy memories. May Ah Moo's soul rest in peace...Ah Moo was a good Christian who would walk miles and miles to deliver Bible tracts and ask people to go to church..and she was a good bicycle rider in her young days. Ah Huong remains single to serve her mother all the days of her life. some of her sisters have settled overseas.


Attending the Centennial Anniversary Dinner of the Tien Dao Methodist Church of Sungei Merah at Kingwood Hotel..this was definitely the special moment..a 70+ year old lady was the star of the dance...every moment was rhythmic and full of joy. God is merciful and blessing the Heng Hua People....and especially this lady...(Photo by Meng Lei)
God answered my prayers - My Kingwood Duck stuffed with Glutinous Rice..this dish was served at the Centennial Anniversary Dinner. My newly found Tiong cousin sitting next to me exclaimed "You must surely like this dish!! or glutinous rice??" My friend Yi Fang made sure I had the biggest portion I ever had in my life!! Thank You Lord for your blessing...I can rightfully say that "I am afraid we don't have this quality duck dish in Miri..." the skin is crispy..the glutinous rice is full of mushrooms and chestnuts...and the duck extremely succulent and not too salty...furthermore it is hot!!" The next trip I will pre order this and my friends and I can savour this again...What about 2 ducks? Great Kingwood Duck...compliments to the chef.
Ida's house is a good base for me in Sibu now....my mother and sisters have moved to  Kuching. "Aunty Ida "  or "Miss Ida" has always opened her house to friends and students alike...it is a wonderful place to relax and chat..surrounded by beautiful plants and lovely wall hangings and photos
Kompia is a must in Sibu - Civic Centre outlet
A highlight of any Sibu trip is often a visit to a dear friend. This trip Ida Mamora and I visited a good friend who  was preparing a basket of flowers for his special meeting....When people who share the same hobby of flower cultivation there is just so much joy in the garden.....(Photo by Sarawakiana)
Another highlight - Sharing a joyful moment in the Methodist Office for T and B...Meng Lei giving out Steve Ling's  95 year old mother's book..to International Friends - Bishop James Kwang (second from left) from Australia and Lu Toh Ming (first on right) from the US...Ting Sing Kong is second from right. Meng Lei is a very hardworking blogger and outstanding Sibu historian and photographer. He has also written more than 10 significant books. He is very very energetic. If you want to go jungle trekking or mountain climbing with him...you might not be able to catch up with him....(Photo by Sarawakiana)
Another highlight is the arrival of 7 Putien sisters to Sibu. This photo was taken by Meng Lei...100 years ago Rev Ling Kai Cheng set foot in Sibu with the Heng Hua Pioneers. Rev Ling Kai Cheng was the founder of The Methodist Message and the Methodist Book Room.


What a good trip home!! Hope you like my highlights.....
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(P/s////Every small moment is a precious moment to me...actually.)

May 22, 2012

100 years of Heng Hua Settlement in Sibu.

興化墾場百周年庆典

The Activities of Heng Hua Putien Association's 100th Anniversary of Settlement in Sibu

由詩巫興化莆仙公會所推動,墾場百周年慶祝活動,將於2012年11月9-11日舉行.
墾場百周年慶祝活動,已陸續展開,包括:
29/04/2012:孝亲敬老会.
17/06/2012:頒發会员子女教育奖励金.
26/08/2012:同乡保龄球比赛.
23/09/2012:中秋拜访诗巫慈善疗养院.
17/09/2012:全民绘画比赛.
27-30/09/2012:同乡羽毛球比赛.
28/10/2012:拜访卫理福儿院.
04/11/2012:全民马拉松公开赛.
07/11/2012:垦场百周年感恩礼拜.
09/11/2012:高尔夫球公开赛.
09/11/2012:垦场百年慶典欢迎晚宴.
10/11/2012:垦场百年纪念园碑开幕.
10/11/2012:垦场百年庆典晚宴.

  第一批莆仙移民 101 Pioneers in the first batch. 22nd May

回顧百年前,101人从莆田及仙游莅临马来西亚砂拉越,並于1912年5月22日抵达诗巫.
這批興化莆仙移民名字如下:卢家金,尾子,周其祥,林良贵,高正金,卢家金姆 黄欣伯,林五妹,欧玉印,林新雄,卢錦枝,欣伯姆,林金满,玉印嫂,林文会,錦枝嫂,李启往,金满姆 ,玉印母,陈天明,锦茂,李庆章,林玉珠,天仁,林凤梅,振英,大妹,配伯,刘明炎,周向章,谢明 ,三妹,玉香,明炎姆,陈金清,陈寿龙,林柔远,李美伯,铿治,林金旁,寿龙姆,柔远姆,李道兰,刘贤筹,林步周,陈家恩,林育煌,刘兆栋,贤筹嫂, 林志成,林良哥,育欣,兆栋姆,刘锦真,蔡文和,家谋,清玉,兆栋嫂,林文伟,张文兴,家珍,郑恰伯,兆樑,文伟姆,方家才,道治,郑生福,郑天存,林福源,卢阿明,郑章顺,黄达章,郑天益,邱新房,蔡阿金,章顺姆,达章姆,陳金蘭,張文良,文试,郑金通,黄玉珍,邱成族,林天英,亜猷,郑金扬,玉珍,成族嫂,卢文云,行德,金訇,玉森,林朱明,林成基,步金,金章,玉章,林阿秀,林开耀,方家明,陈秉忠.

  第二批莆仙移民 Second Batch of the Heng Hua Pioneers 1913 17th June.

第二班40人,从莆田及仙游莅临马来西亚砂拉越,于1913年6月17日抵达诗巫:
第二批莆仙移民包括了:吴金龙,何明凤,吴新利,詹祺连,陈阿灿,金龙姆,何国其,新利姆,王祖芬,郭德顺,吴德胜,何光明,吴书林,张瑞庆,许德安,黄赛玉,林祖树,吴发林,林信锥,陈文星,何金凤,祖树姆,吴乌妹,林阿兴,何信玉,林开臻,陈何盾,陈根信,何天信,林开敏,詹加仁,根信姆,天信姆,李尾妹,加仁姆,薛德和,何正通,叶良谋,詹晏古,张锦英.

  

Loong Hua Village, Putien

We visited the Loong Hua Village, the riginal home of Ngu Sing Lee...one of the pioneers of Heng Hua People of Sibu who arrived in 1912.

Oure leader Wong Meng Lei, and some local Putien leaders took us to the village to interview a few of the descendants of Ngu Sing Lee.


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In Loong Hua Village, we met a few of his descendants

they were very happy to be interviewed by Meng Lei.

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A mother taking her child to school in a special three wheeler.
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May 20, 2012

Nang Chong Stories: Frogs and Ikan Sembilan


The Kang Chii (or River Headman) Lau Kah Tii and his brothers all originated from West Mountain Ocean (Seh San Yong) where there were three main houses and another house (which was made up of 50% Laus and 50% Tings) according to my grandmother Lau Lian Tie (who passed away in 1985)
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Lau Kah Tii (Headman) and our grand uncle, older brother of my Maternal Grandfather.

My uncle Lau Pang Tung came from the same "house" in this context and hence the relationship is closer amongst the Lau. This is how the Laus of today would recognise their ancestry. Did they come from the same place i.e. West Mountain Ocean and furthermore did they originate from the same "house"? this kind of kinship can be traced back four or five generations with some great effort.
Image may contain: 2 people, people standingWe had a good trip to Batu Niah, for along the way there wa
Foochow kampua is so wholesome and so hearty. Such a comfort food. 

And with today's mobility and globalisation it would not be very possible unless the person is seeking real details via oral history. Tracing of ancestry is not easy without much effort. But in the past a few questions would be able to nail the lineage quite easily. But then there were also fewer people of Foochow descent here in Sarawak and even fewer Laus!!

During the Japanese War, my mother and her siblings were looked after by my maternal grandfather while my maternal grandmother was stranded in China with second uncle Lau Pang Kui (who was studying in Fuzhou).

Life was hard as my grandfather was already very sick and my uncle Pang Ping was the oldest with his own family. He had the task to look after so many "mouths". The kindly uncle, Pang Tung often caught frogs and ikan sembilan for the small children to eat. Food was scarce actually.

It was not easy according to my mother (who was then only a teenager) to catch frogs early in the morning. Foraging for food was dangerous, not only because of snakes and wild animals. If the Japanese soldiers came around to check, the Chinese youths would be slapped and whatever food they had in their hands would be taken away.

Later Uncle Lau Pang Tung moved away to Sibu and became a wharf labourer. He helped my uncles Pang Ping and Pang Sing to get employed as wharf labourers too.




May 19, 2012

English Teachers on Kinmen Island

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My friend Yi Fang and I had a chance of meeting up with two English volunteer teachers in Kin Men Island. They were pleasant and very friendly.

We had an enjoyable time chatting about teaching and learning in a nice environment in a temple ground. We were amazed that we were surrounded by the beauty of a lone Kapok tree (cotton tree). The flowers have dropped by late spring, but it was warm to us.

The flowers made everything so beautiful.


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May 18, 2012

Seaweed Farming in Nanri Island (off Putien)

In recent years there has been a lot of media blitz promoting  seaweed as a miracle diet. Perhaps there is a lot of  truth in seaweed as a food which can provide good health. Look at the Japanese and Korean women who have been eating a lot of seaweed. Most of them are elegant and slim with good skin and good features.


My family has always liked seaweed soup for health reasons. Many years ago my mother had to eat seaweed soup twice a week to help her control her thyroid problems. She was unable to pay for any medical treatment in Singapore so she just had to make do with seaweed soup. And by God's grace she was cured. She did not have to go for any more treatment or even surgery . And as her children we were very worried about her health and the lump in her throat..but in the end every thing was fine thanks to  seaweed.

It was really admirable the way my mother would soak the seaweed in a tub and then later cut them into small pieces. We children would help her knot the pieces of seaweed and then put them into a pot to boil to get rid of the smell of the sea (sieng) and also the last bits of gritty sand. When boiled for a long time with some pork bones the soup was really excellent. We slowly grew to love the soup because it was something which would give our mother good health. And never mind the lousy greyish green looks.

Nanri Island today produces the best seaweed in the world. I was lucky tobe able to see the island's seaweed production first hand  together with friends from the island. It was a wonderful visit.
Pretty Assistant Pastor who showed us the width of the best seaweed.


This is the special boat which brings seaweed to the show. Very ingenious design.

A back breaking job under the sun. Owner and employee work together under the sun. In the misty  distance are more boats looking for seaweed and shrimps in the rich East China Sea.


This trip to Nanri Island only made more realise how important a clean sea is for us human beings. We have to keep our environment free from pollution. If the sea beaches are clean  seaweeds become more organic and more valueable. this is  how God has planned for us originally. Mankind must appreciate God's creation and keep our honour and value the earth more each day.

This was also the day we all had one fresh abalone each. We were given a big parcel of 22 abalones by a sister from a church. She was so friendly and helpful. And our leader  Meng Lei of  Chinese Methodist Message (Sibu) was made to eat THREE abalones because he worked the hardest.

If you have a chance to visit Putien or Xiamen...just spend one or two days touring Nanri Island and you can see how all the beautiful seafood  like abalone and sea cucumber are reared..And do buy some seaweed as gifts besides the abalone...


thanks to the Chow Hoo Church pastors and brothers and sisters for bringing us around. Our eyes were really opened!!

We should all appreciate seaweed soup even more from now on...

Putien Snacks

Visiting homes, churches and streets in Putien, Xian you we came across many different kinds of street food and snacks. I took these photos for remembrance.

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Very dainty bian nik...and really red ang koo kuih. Actually these are coloured red and not made from red beet or other colouring.
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Fish balls are sold by the katis in the streets and no where could we find a stall selling bowls of hot fish balls.
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this is a very interesting street food. But again, it is sold as take away. Tofu with minced pork filling.


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Meng Lei and a few of us started to buy some Feng Teng Gou to bring back to Malaysia.
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What about fritters with egg topping? I thought this is really a healthy breakfast or brunch. You can eat and walk along the streets. No chairs or tables for you.
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Soh Mien on First Day of Lunar New Year

 Today 10.2.2024 is the first day of the New Lunar Year of the Dragon. Yes I have cooked the chicken and made the soh mien. Happy New Year!!...