Читать книгу My Father's Kampung - Shawn Seah - Страница 8

This book is about my father’s kampung, when it was still known as Aukang, before it transformed into Hougang. This book is about a son’s journey in appreciating the different life that his father experienced and understanding the history of the place he called home.

Covering the north-east of Singapore and the areas which would be called Hougang, Sengkang, Buangkok, and Punggol today, this book details my father’s childhood experiences from the 1950s to 1970s. It describes memories of places, people, and professions; it evokes memories. It highlights especially the unique and distinct identity of the Catholic Teochews, but captures the stories of other communities who lived in the area. It also examines the little-known history of Aukang and Punggol in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

This book also consists of a series of wider reflections, on topics like the Kampung Spirit, identity, and the Singapore Story. In particular, the Singapore Story comprises many personal and community stories. Our unique past connects us with our present, like an anchor providing ballast in the waters of an uncertain world. I hope this book can serve as an invitation to start broader dialogues and conversations on such topics.