Kampong Days
It is difficult to determine exactly how many kampongs ever existed in Singapore. Before the British, the aboriginal orang laut led a nomadic life living at the swampy areas, the mouth of the rivers and some of the small islands. During colonial rule, formal kampongs were established by the British, under an urban development plan known as the Jackson Plan (1822). This was an attempt at housing the population by ethnicity at the downtown core along the Singapore River. For instance, Chinatown for the Chinese and Kampong Glam for the Malays.
The Rural Life
However, the downtown core became crowded and some of these kampongs moved to the rural areas establishing villages and plantations, especially near the mouths of the rivers where the soils were fertile. This is more like the common image we have of calm kampong life, however it was not without its challenges.
Physical Infrastructure
Kampong Bahru. 1880s. Object Size: 16.8 x 21.9 cm. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
Separated by a road leading to Pasir Panjang, the Malay Village is on the right and Chinese village is on the left. Bullock carts were often used to transport goods.
A Malay 'kampung' on stilts. 1920s. Object Size: L14.1 cm x W9.1 cm. Postcard. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
A snapshot from the 1920s, early Malay ‘kampongs’ were mostly built along coasts and rivers. Fishing was a major source of income for many Malays at the time.
A Malay Kampong House. 1970s. Object Size: 10.3 x 14.6 cm. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
The main section of the house is called ‘rumah ibu’ meaning ‘mother house’ Extensions include porches or kitchen areas. The house is supported by timbre pillars buried in the ground.
‘Kampong’ (village). 1960s-1970s.Object Size: 14.3 x 9.1 cm. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
The floor of a Kampong house is raised to help in ventilation, protection against wild animals, and cope with flash floods and ground dampness due to the tropical climate.
‘Kampong’ house. 1950s-1960s. Object Size: 28.1 x 35.4 cm. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
A key feature of a kampong house is a high sloping roof covered with attap leaves. Although most kampong houses are raised, this Chinese style house is built on concrete.
Kelvin Ang Kah Eng. Typical construction of a Chinese farm house. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board.
In Chinese style houses, the verandah commonly found in Malay houses is not seen. Chinese houses were also rarely raised above the ground.
A Malay kampong house. 1970s. Object Size: 10.4 x 14.6 cm. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
Modified traditional dwelling involves the incorporation of modern construction techniques and materials. Examples include zinc sheets, brick tiles or wooden shingles instead of attap leaves for constructing the roof.
The Kampong Spirit
Ask a former kampong dweller about kampong life and chances are they will mention something called the “kampong spirit.” This community spirit is about cooperation and sharing with people in your kampong. Villagers were known for their kindness towards one another, as well as towards outsiders.
Cultivating the Kampong Spirit
A village procession. 1950s. Photograph. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board.
A village religious procession located at the main road of the kampong. Such processions would lead to big celebrations which would involve the entire village.
A group of Malay children at Kampong Kallang. 1900s. Object Size: 8.5 x 10 cm. Paper. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore .
A typical scene at Kampong Kallang, there are the stilt houses of a Malay Village and a group of children hanging out near the Kallang River.
One famous example of kampong spirit took place during WWII, when Singapore was occupied by the Japanese. During the long hot march to a POW camp, the marchers passed through a few rural kampongs and eye-witnesses recalled that several brave kampong folks rushed out of their homes to hand the POWs water and coconut water. Such selfless acts may be surprising to us but to a kampong dweller, it was simply the way of life in the kampong. Helping to fix a broken bicycle for a neighbour meant an extra hand when it’s time to repair the leaking roof; giving eggs to a neighbour yielded a gift of juicy mangoes next week;
Acts of kindness reinforced what it meant to live in a kampong, and fostered a cosy sense of belonging in every kampong resident.
A village market in the 1950s. 1950s. Photograph. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board. Courtesy of Toa Payoh Central Community.
Village Market in the 1950s, which is a common sight that could be seen across all the kampongs in Singapore as well as movie sets in old Shaw Brothers films.
Malay kampong houses in Geylang, early mid-20th century. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
In the 1890s, Malays & Orang Laut (Malay for “Sea People”) were forced to move further inland to Geylang Serai which explains the Malay Community’s sense of belonging to the place.
A Geylang Police Post, Late 19th Century. Photograph. Item from collection of National Museum of Singapore.
The increasing population of Singapore and the departure of the British blurred boundaries and created porous communities. People of different backgrounds learnt to live alongside together harmoniously in Geylang.
Wayang stage at Ti Kong Tua in Tampines. 1970s. Photograph. Item from Roots.sg collection of National Heritage Board. Courtesy of Tampines GRC Community Sports Clubs.
Kampong villagers spent time bonding over simple entertainment such as watching wayang (“street opera” in Malay) shows at activity centres like the Tua Pek Kong Temple.
Potong Pasir Village’s Vegetable Farms. 1962. Photograph. Item from collection of National Heritage Board.
The villagers cultivated their own agriculture such as coconut and palm. This was a way to make a living and create their own source of food.
A photo of Samat’s fifth generation family members in early 1980s in front of his house at Kampong Tampines.
Samat Sulaiman, 76, grew up in Kampong Tampines in the 1940s.
“Living in the kampong, my family of fishermen made a living from our catches. I learned to fish from my father and my uncles when I was a young boy. We often rowed out to Pasir Ris Beach in our sampan (“small boat” in Malay) to catch fishes, shrimps, mussels and clams along the riverbank of Sungei Api-Api, which was close to my house. The fishes we caught for the day were for our daily consumption, while the rest were sold at the market. My mum also made homemade belacan, a type of fermented shrimp paste, from the freshly caught shrimps. I remembered once when I went out on the sampan alone, I saw some dugong. They would come close but never to the point of capsizing the boat.”