Sibu : Ta Kiong and Cauliflower

1960's Sibu.

I loved it when a festive season was coming because I would have a chance to visit Second Aunt.

The best would be when the Chinese New Year was approaching. My mother had to send gifts to Second Aunt and Third Aunt, her two favourite sisters-in-law by marriage. As delivery girl I rode my faithful bike to Hin Yu Park and then Bintang Lane.

Third Aunt whom we called San Ning was always gracious and would come down to the locked gates to accept the gift when I reached her house at Hin Yu Park. Her house was impeccably neat and tidy. For her, I would just drop off the gifts and cycle off to Second Aunt so that I would not be so burdened by the extra chicken on my handle bar.

When I arrived at Second Aunt's house at Bintang Lane, and if Second Uncle was at home, I would receive a stern look from him. I always knew that he had no time for naughty kids. Besides my aunt and my conversation would be of no significant to him. He belonged to the older generation of Foochow men who only had time for serious talk. Adults and kids did not exchange much except for greetings.

But Second Aunt was different. To her I was the bearer of news from my family, from school, from the town. A visitor was always welcome and she had all the time for me.

The first Sibu Ta Kiong at Market Road.

Their adopted daughter, Yong Seng, would let me in and I would chat away with Second Aunt. Second Aunt would ask Yong Seng to untie the chicken and let it be kept in the coop at the back of the house.

Second Aunt, would smile and chuckle, "I have eaten so many things from your mother already." My mum was always very gracious and she would show respect to Second Aunt by giving her a good kampong chicken for the New Year.

Second Aunt was a very good to all the nieces and nephews and we always felt very welcome at her kitchen. She would take out all the biscuits she had to let us eat a bit, accompanied by a sweet drink. She had a refrigerator, so was more well off than most of my relatives so to speak. I loved an iced drink, especially after a hot ride from Brooke Drive.

Mum would always give some freshly made and specially ordered longevity noodles from Ah Chuo Pak to both aunts for Chinese new year and a good chicken.

That particular year Ta Kiong opened its doors and it was so full that we could hardly breathe!! Mum had to squeeze in between people to get some heads of cauliflowers and a few tins of longans which were on offer. It was truly a game of grabbing. She got hold of three tins of peaches too.

It was fantastic to shop in Ta Kiong, which had three storeys of goodies to look at!! Most people only worried they had not enough money.

That year my two aunts had extra gifts - one cauliflower, and a tin each of longans and peaches besides the usual longevity noodles and live chicken.

I miss sending gifts to aunties for the festive season now.



Each time I see the sign of Ta Kiong, I have a great sense of longing, to see my aunts and my mother shopping there, whether there would be a lot of people or not. I can still see my mother smiling and looking at the beautiful white cauliflowers all wrapped up in soft tissue paper.

Some how, the image of three sisters-in-law bonding and having retail therapy is such a warm and endearing memory.