The Foochow Association

 

Sit down dinner for ten at a table, and kopitiam or German Chairs

The Foochow Association was well organized not long after the Foochows settled in Sibu to help with new arrivals, and to unite the community for their common good.

When it celebrated its 50th Anniversary it was able to declare open its Central Road 50th Anniversary Building with a big bang!

The Pioneers of the community were proud that day. It had two shop spaces on ground floor and a huge banquet and assembly hall on its first floor(see photo). The top floor had rooms for new arrivals and guests who could not afford hotels.

The government of day often "rented" the first floor for banquets and restaurants were able to cater for more than 20 tables of guests. 

An interesting point to raise here. Many Foochow women attended buffet dinners for the first time in their lives in the 1950's as many official buffet dinners were held here.

Many of them were very shy and they found it very daunting to standing around with a plate of food. Some picked a bit of food and went home hungry, rather than embarrass themselves. Some never attended buffet dinners out of fear. My mother was one of them.

So, for most traditional Foochow women, a sit down dinner was the best choice.

They would tell their children about their buffet dinner and say that they still felt hungry when they came home.