Island Life, Working At The Port: Stories From Singapore's South | Let Me Tell You A Story S2

Key Concepts:

• Pulao Brani: An island in Singapore, formerly inhabited, now redeveloped.
• Orang Laut: Indigenous people of the Singapore region, including Pulao Brani.
• Stilts (Baka Stilts): Elevated house construction common in Pulao Brani due to its coastal location.
• Singapore Tin Smelting Company: A major industrial operation on Pulao Brani.
• Keppel Harbour: A deep-water harbor in Singapore, important for ship repair and trade.
• Provision Shops: Small stores selling essential goods, common in Singapore's past.
• Pasir Panjang Power Station: An early power generation facility in Singapore.
• Tanjong Pagar Railway Station: A historical railway terminus connecting Singapore to Malaysia.
• Kampong: A Malay term for a village or neighborhood, often with a close-knit community.

Life on Pulao Brani:

• Early Life and Origins: The speaker was born on Pulao Brani in 1945, the child of an Orang Laut father who worked for the marine department. The Orang Laut originally lived on boats but gradually settled on islands like Pulao Brani, Pulao Blakang Mati (now Sentosa), and others.
• Housing: Houses were built on stilts (described as "wobbly stilts") due to the island's soft mud and coastal location. The stilts, made of "baka" wood, required frequent replacement due to seawater damage. The speaker recalls seeing the sea through the floorboards.
• Daily Life: Life was described as "wonderful, free and easy," with fishing, crabbing, and netting as common activities. The island was divided into areas like Throaga, where the speaker lived, with a population of 500-600 people, mostly Malay. The presence of the British army contributed to a vibrant economy.
• Sanitation: Toilets were simple holes cut into the floor, with waste falling directly into the sea. The speaker recounts an incident of encountering a large snake while using the toilet.
• Singapore Tin Smelting Company: The island hosted a major tin smelting operation, processing tin ore from Malaysia into ingots used in various industries. The speaker's family lived near the smelting works, experiencing issues with black dust.

Keppel Harbour and Shop Life:

• Importance of Keppel Harbour: Keppel Harbour was a deep-water port crucial for ship repairs and supplying vessels. Its depth allowed large ships to dock close to the harbor.
• Shop Houses: The speaker grew up in shop houses near the harbor, owned by the Singapore Harbour Board. These shops catered to dock workers, selling provisions like rice and sundries.
• Social Hierarchy: The harbor workforce had a social hierarchy, with the British in top positions, followed by Eurasians and English-speaking locals, then dialect-speaking groups, Malays, and Indians.
• Provision Shop Business: The speaker's father ran a provision shop, serving a diverse clientele including Malays, Tamils, Eurasians, and Europeans. During the post-war rationing system, customers needed coupons to buy rice.
• Customer Preferences: Customer buying habits reflected their social class. Clerks bought items like Milo and condensed milk, while poorer customers bought cheaper brands. Europeans were the best customers, buying luxury items like Jacob's biscuits without haggling.
• Respect for the British: The British were seen as "overlords" due to their higher social positions and influence. The speaker recalls being "brainwashed" in school to respect the Queen.

British Military Presence and Kampong Life:

• British Bungalows: The speaker's family lived in a bungalow in Pulao Brani due to the father's position as a warrant officer. They interacted closely with the local Kampong community.
• Armors: The family had an armor (domestic helper), who primarily spoke Cantonese.
• Kampong Interactions: The speaker's mother would send them to the Kampong to buy rice and eggs from Mrs. Lim.
• Paradise for the British: Singapore was considered a "paradise" for the British due to the favorable weather, lack of domestic duties (due to armors), and freedom.
• Childhood Activities: Children played together, sliding down monsoon drains, despite their mother's disapproval. They also fished from their houses and caught various types of fish.

Pasir Panjang Power Station:

• Early Power Generation: The first power plant in Singapore was St. James Power Station, followed by Pasir Panjang Power Station, which used steam turbines to generate electricity.
• Father's Employment: The speaker's father worked at the Pasir Panjang Power Station, initially as a boiler cleaner and later as a shift charge engineer.
• Shift Work: The father worked in shifts, including morning, evening, and night shifts.
• Community Life: The power station provided free housing, water, and electricity to its workers. It was a secure area with amenities like tennis courts and food courts. The community was diverse, with mostly Tamil Indians, Malays, and some Chinese families.
• Close-Knit Community: The community was very close-knit, with neighbors acting like relatives, sharing food and providing childcare.
• Social Integration: The speaker's father was one of the first Eurasians to hold a senior engineering position.
• British Neighbors: The speaker recounts an incident where British neighbors complained about the noise during Chinese New Year celebrations.
• Scenic Views: Living on the eighth floor of the power station apartments provided a beautiful view of the sea and sunsets.

Early Employment and Gang Activity:

• Cable Installation: The speaker worked as a contractor, installing overhead cables to supply electricity to houses in Kong area in the 1960s.
• Safety Concerns: Safety measures were minimal, with only gloves and a safety belt provided.
• Malayan Breweries: The speaker's father later worked at Malayan Breweries (Tiger Beer) and Anchor Brewery, providing medical care to the workers.
• Gangsterism: The speaker recounts the presence of gangsters in the Towanga and Keppel Shipyard area, who demanded protection money.
• Father's Influence: The speaker's father, as a shopkeeper, had influence in the community and helped young gang members avoid physical harm in prison.
• Gang Fights: The speaker witnessed gang fights and the death of a young gangster in a market.

Transportation and Tanjong Pagar Railway Station:

• Ferry Service: A ferry service operated by the British army transported people to and from Pulao Brani.
• Jardine Steps: Passengers would disembark at Jardine Steps and walk along the jetty.
• Land Surveyor: In 1973, the speaker worked as a land surveyor for the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA).
• Surveying Work: The work involved demarcating areas for construction, building rock bunds, and installing markers for boats.
• Black Plane Housing: The speaker lived in Black Plane housing, reserved for PSA employees.
• Tanjong Pagar Railway Station: The speaker remembers the railway station as a grand building with a railway line connecting it to Keppel Harbour.
• Train Journeys: The speaker traveled by train between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, with customs clearance done at the railway station.
• Emotional Connection: The speaker has a strong emotional connection to the Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, associating it with memories of traveling home.

Evacuation and Reflections:

• Evacuation Order: In 1969 or 1970, the Singapore government ordered the evacuation of Pulao Brani.
• Resettlement: Residents had no choice but to move out.
• Grave Sites: The speaker expresses sadness that they can no longer visit the graves of their grandfather and uncle on Pulao Brani.
• Acceptance: The speaker accepted the move as a "new change" and was not overly saddened by it.
• Progress: The speaker acknowledges that people on the mainland were more advanced.
• Paradise Lost: Pulao Brani is remembered as a "paradise on earth."
• Positive Impact: The speaker believes that the experience of living on Pulao Brani made them a better person.
• Desire to Return: The speaker expresses a desire to walk up the jetties of Pulao Brani one last time.
• Redevelopment: The speaker understands that the island is being redeveloped.
• Emotional Response: The speaker becomes emotional when seeing Pulao Brani from a distance, recalling vivid memories.

Conclusion:

The video recounts the speaker's experiences growing up on Pulao Brani, an island in Singapore that has since been redeveloped. It details the unique way of life, the close-knit community, and the impact of industrialization and modernization on the island and its people. The speaker shares personal anecdotes about housing, daily activities, work, and the eventual evacuation of the island, expressing a mix of nostalgia, acceptance, and a lingering desire to revisit their former home. The narrative also provides insights into Singapore's history, including its social hierarchy, economic development, and the influence of British colonialism.