November 11, 2019

Tiffin Carriers

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I have a distant aunt (May she rest in peace) who would cook and send food in a tiffin carrier or Cheng Ark to her bed ridden mother in law who was living in the one of the shop houses in town. I would see her every morning walking and passing by my house. She never rode a bicycle or drove a car in her life. It was later in life she could enjoy be driven when her daughter bought a car and stayed with her.

She was a woman of kind demeanour, soft spoken and very quietly positive and patient. I have never actually met another woman like her.

She brought up 5 children on her own after her husband left for Indonesia and sort of "never came back". Those were the fate of many Foochow women in Sibu in the 60's and 70's

Her eldest son helped her and then her eldest daughter graduated and came along to help. This was how she worked out her financial situation. Her older brother gave her some help.

But amazingly, she and her mother in law got along like sisters and she would say this to me and my sisters,"She is my children's grandmother and I have to look after her".

Tiffin carriers remind me of kind women like my Ah Koo. She was filial to her MIL and cooked for her for more than 12 years.

Her children are very blessed today.

May she rest in peace.

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