UNINESS – Page 11 – Together we unfold Malaysian local cultures.

Shoe Repairer

Frugality and making the best out of everything are the attitude towards life and virtues of the common people. Out of all repairing trades related to wearables, food, lodgings, and transportation, shoe repairing is the most mobile. A box full of tools and a few stools are all it takes to run the business. Due to the high degree of mobility and ease of setting up a stall, shoe repairing smiths usually choose the most crowded spots to operate their business, such as bus stops, business centres, hawker stalls, or footpaths below shophouses. Worn-out shoes acquired a new life under the mastery of shoe repairing smiths, extending their lifespan as well as reduce spending, at the same tine preserving shoes with sentimental value.

In the era of high consumption nowadays, the trade of shoe repairing are diminishing, merely a handful are still thriving. Among them is a three-generation shoe repair shop located in Jalan Datuk Ooh Chooi Cheng in Bukit Mertajam, Penang — Chong Shoe Shop. Mr Chong Choon Ping (transliteration), aged 58 this year, is the second generation owner, and has been repairing shoes at a roadside stall with his father as mentor since the tender age of 13. Following in his father’s footsteps, Mr Chong acquired precious skills, and as of two decades ago moved the roadside stall into a shop lot up to present. The shop lot was the ground floor of a pre-war building, a compact and simple space. Within sight, racks and lofts are packed with tools and shoes, neat and orderly amid chaos.

The work of a shoe repairing smith is complicated, needing to master through daily practical experience the skills of nailing, mending, patching, replacing, stitching, connecting, gluing, and alteration. Moreover, squatting at the work table for long hours dealing with hundreds of old shoes depicts an admirable spirit. The earnings of repairing shoes are meagre, therefore causing many to refuse to inherit the trade, however Mr Chong stick firmly to his operation method of small profits with high turnover. With the additional edge of his exemplary shoe repairing skills, he gained familiar customers over time. Let the shoes accompany their owners, one step at a time, to write more historical footprints.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Snow On The Hill from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Wooden Clogs Making

Wooden soled shoes, commonly known as clogs, make clip-clop sounds with each step taken wearing them, has a rich history of 3,000 years’ existence in China. The structure of traditional clogs are simple: A piece of wood as the base, creating two “teeth” on the base, then holes are pierced and tied up firmly by strings. The two wooden “teeth” are practical in humid environment where puddles formed after rain, as it is easier to step over mud, and prevents the feet from being scratched by weeds. In contrast to ordinary shoes, due to being made from wood, clogs possess the characteristics of damp-proof, non-slip, and ventilation, keeping the feet dry while reducing the incidence of bacterial growth. Hence when its popularity decline, clogs remain in demand for a few industries, such as food preparation and kitchen, farming, wet market vendors etc.

As times, nativity, and cultural backgrounds differ, various forms and diverse styles spawned, such as WenChang clogs, Japanese clogs, Mud clogs, MaoWoZi clogs etc. The classic wholly red clogs are beloved by the older generation of the Malaysian Chinese community, being affordable and durable, a must-have daily necessity. This type of generally familiar clogs are known as ChaoShan clogs. Its most distinctive feature being its bee waist sole design, and the usage of plastic piece and leather nailed into the shape of sails in replacement of traditional strings.

Located in an alley among the old streets of Bukit Mertajam, there is a shop whose master craftsman Mr Tan Yang Ling still produces handmade clogs. A crude blue tin roof houses Chuan Seng Clogs founded by Master Tan’s father, inhabiting a limited space yet fully equipped. From sawing tree trunks, planing into shape, sanding and painting, to nailing leather skin, the dozen procedures are completed by Master Tan alone.

Back in the 1950’s and 60’s was the heyday of clogs, where the supply was not able to meet demands, business was extremely thriving. With the passage of time, as the usage of rubber and plastic became more common, there were more material choices for shoe-making. Besides, the loud sounds made when walking in clogs were not complacent with the trend of modern beauty standards, and may be deemed as noise. The link between clogs and culture are only seen in folk traditions, weddings or funerals.

As lifestyles shift, the old masters in making clogs gradually retire, it is difficult to reinstate the splendour of clogs. Master Tan will be the last successor of the shop, the clip-clop of clogs may no longer be heard.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : The Beauty Of Love

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Songkok Making

Click-clack… Both legs on the stepping board, pulling the vintage sewing machine of 60 years, resonating a melodic rhythm, needle and thread pass through fabric at lightning speed, stitching accurately. In the narrow workshop cum retail store, 71-year-old Mr Haja Mohideen focuses his sight on the fabric and thread in his hands, utilising his savvy tailoring skills in producing songkoks. He is also the last old craftsman producing handmade songkoks.

Mr Haja’s shop (Kedai Songkok Osm Mohd Shariff) is located near Penang’s Little India, behind the shop stands an Indian Muslim mosque built in the 19th century with alternating white and green coloured outer walls —— Nagore Dargha Sheriff. The small shop was established in 1936 by Mr Haja’s father who migrated from India, never once shifting its address. Back then, there were six to seven shops producing handmade songkoks in Georgetown, however as times change, eventually the old craftsmen retire without any heir to succeed this drudging yet less profitable trade. At present, the songkoks sold in today’s markets are mass produced by factories, at a lower price, dealing a severe blow to traditional handmade songkok shops.

Mr Haja, who has been helping his father to sew songkoks since a young age, inherited the shop when he was 25 years old due to his father’s death. Four decades passed in the blink of an eye, now he is making good business, especially before Hari Raya Aidilfitri. His customers come from all age groups, some young customers followed in their elder generation’s footsteps, purchasing handmade songkok from Mr Haja’s family.

It comes as a comfort to the ageing Mr Haja that his skills are inherited by his son-in-law, continuing the legacy of his family trade. Inscribed within the narrow space are the life tracks of three generations.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Francolin from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Sri Balathandayuthapani Temple

Upon walking into the old town of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, stepping into streets cultivated more than a hundred years ago, along Jalan Kapitan Tam Yeong turning right into Jalan Yam Tuan, is the Harmony (Heritage) Trail of Seremban. Assembled on the inverted L-shaped street are an assortment of religious places of worship and provincial halls, converging up to five different religions. A mosque, a Chinese temple, a Catholic church, a Hindu temple, a Sikh temple, and several Chinese provincial halls from different regions, each of them spanning a history of over a century, some of the temples have even been constructed since the founding of Seremban town, remaining at the same address to date, among them is Sri Balathandayuthapani Hindu temple.

Located near the Seremban town council fields, Sri Balathandayuthapani Hindu temple was originally built under a simple zinc roof in the 1870’s. Later in 1891, the development of railway construction from Seremban to Port Dickson was carried out, which marks the third railway in Malaya, mainly for the purpose of connecting mining areas to the harbour to ease transportation of mined tin. At that time, crowds of labourers were brought in from India to work for the Seremban railway construction project, gradually leading to the expansion of Sri Bala Hindu temple, therefore in 1893 the temple was reconstructed with substantial materials such as bricks, concrete, and tiles. It became the place of worship and to perform cultural customs for the fellow Indian countrymen.

Having been through numerous renovations and rebuilds, Sri Bala Hindu temple eventually expanded from a zinc roofed building in its former days to its current magnificent state completed in year 2004, attracting countless devotees to visit during festive celebrations. In accordance to the custom of sacrifice offering ceremony (kumbhabhishekam) held every twelve years, the temple initiated a repainting project in recent years to paint the temple in gorgeous colours. A consecration ceremony was held in 7th April this year, involving 37 priests from all over Malaysia and even India, with more than 8000 devotees joining in, a spectacular scene to behold.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Mother Nature from Youtube

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Teck Lee Book Co

The role a bookstore plays in a region is not limited to selling all sorts of publications and stationery, it also bears the importance of cultural exchange and knowledge circulation. In an era without the internet, the traditional bookstore satisfies scholars craving for knowledge, as well as nourishes the souls of the general public. Moreover, daily newspapers became spiritual nourishment for fellow hometowners who earlier on migrated southwards to Malaysia from China to seek a living. Teck Lee Book Co located in Jalan Kong Sang, Seremban, has been playing this role for over a century, accompanying many students and members of the general public along numerous bustling years and over apocalyptic eras, being a collective memory of Seremban and neighbourhoods in the region.

Established in 1918 by the founder Mr Ng Mow Teck (transliteration) and his wife at River Road (now Jalan Kong Sang) in Seremban, Teck Lee Book Co originated from a small roadside stall. In the early days of the business, they sold cigarettes, iced drinks, stationery, and distributed Chinese newspapers published in Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur, so that fellow hometowners who came to seek a living from China could grasp the situation and development back in their homeland. Eventually, the basic operations of the bookstore gained stability, expanding in 1934 and shifted to the current address, starting to operate as a store in the publishing industry, remaining standing till the present, never once moved.

Mr Ng Kok Fook is the third generation owner of Teck Lee Book Co, as well as a collector. Arranged in neat arrays are boxes full of publications, magazines, and his personal collection of books. Among them are some student publications published in the 50’s, magazines and 《Students’ Vocabulary》 directly imported from Hong Kong in the olden days, etc. Each publication is likened to history, recording the happenings in its time, a witness of different ages.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Heavenly from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

The Story of Kampung Baru Rasa

Kampung Baru Rasa is located 50 kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur, right in the middle section of Hulu Selangor district, and is a small town with over 120 years in history. In the late 19th century, due to the rich tin mine deposits underneath the land of Rasa, several tin mining entrepreneurs were attracted to the small town to operate the lucrative industry, such as the renowned industrialist Loke Yew and tin mining tycoon Tan Boon Chia who made a fortune here. In the heydays there were up to twenty-odd open air tin mines and five tin dredge ships, bringing upon a bustling town with a sharp population increase, where in the early 20th century the population in Rasa is censused at twenty thousand, just a slight difference in comparison to Kuala Lumpur which houses around thirty thousand people back then.

Tin mining is the main economic lifeline of Rasa, a significant contribution to the nation’s economy, as well as relating to the rise and decline of the town. During the Second World War, all business activity in Rasa was censured and forced to cease operations, the economy stopped from then onwards. Rasa inhabitants suffered severely over the Japanese occupation for 3 years and 8 months, then the British colonial government declared a national state of emergency throughout Malaya and formed new villages, in the meantime carrying out guerrilla warfare against the Malayan Communist Party for 12 years. Afterwards, the development of Rasa slackened, and the population declined, as most of them sought employment opportunities elsewhere.

With the passage of time, the hustle and bustle of former days fall back into peace and quiet. The elder generation, who lived locally for most of their lives, are used to the serenity and amicable daily routine. There are also some members of the younger generation who chose to return to the village, for instance the third generation owner of “Fong Kee Wantan Mee” Mr Lim Zhi Sheng (transliteration), operating the authentic cuisine stall, persisting in producing homemade noodles. Lingering on the streets of Rasa is peace that comes after a time of flourish, as well as rich warmth.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Calm & Inspirational – Ashmaluev from Youtube

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

The Story of Pengkalan Kempas, Sungai Linggi

Pengkalan Kempas is like a sleeping town, without any urban development for decades. A temple, a church, a primary school, a wet market, a police station, a historical site which is one of Malaysia’s oldest muslim burial sites, a central harbour, and two rows of double-storey pre-war shophouses, these are all the buildings that made up the small town of Pengkalan Kempas, and all of them are located on the same road, which is the only main road.

Unknown to most, the harbour in this century-old quiet town is an important cultural stronghold in the history of Negeri Sembilan, bearing witness to the bravery of predecessors who overcame hardships in making a living. Due to the harbour being situated at the downstream shores of Sungai Linggi, a strategic geographical location, it has became the essential landing point of the early Chinese south migrants to Negeri Sembilan, and is also the gathering point for overseas Chinese to make a living in Negeri Sembilan. Ever since, the harbour developed from a simple riverside into a busy commercial port. During the British colonisation, it became an important port for the transportation of raw materials (rubber, tin etc.) and groceries (daily necessities, rice etc.), leading the economy lifeline of Negeri Sembilan back then.

With the passage of time, road construction development brought upon convenience in transportation, gradually replacing water transport, hence the busy harbour fell back into peace and quiet. Pengkalan Kempas is no longer use for loading and unloading goods, losing its former bustle, the pace of the small town’s development slowed down, the lack of diversified economical projects causing younger people leaving to seek employment outstation, only the elders remain in town gathering for chit-chat. Moreover with the construction of the North-South Expressway and Kuala Linggi Bridge, shortening the travel distance between Negeri Sembilan and Melaka, causing Pengkalan Kempas to be a hidden gem, no longer a place that must be passed while travelling between these two states, dealing a heavier blow to the economical activity of Pengkalan Kempas.

At present, what remains of the two rows of old shophouses on the street are a tea shop, two grocers, a family-run shop selling freshwater prawns and fishing equipment, a motorcycle mechanic, the rest are converted into dwellings, some are left empty. The only micro-school in town —— SJK (C) Yik Hwa Pengkalan Kempas, used to be housed upstairs one of the shophouses in the street, as the number of students increased, a few deceased Chinese school forebearers initiated the building of a school, moving into the current site, to date the school has around 50 teachers and students.

The old town with a century’s history keeping records of forefathers who worked hard in cultivating unexploited land; the ever-flowing Sungai Linggi bearing blood and sweat of numerous forefathers who survived uncertainty and dangers. This sentiment should be preserved for future generations.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Amelia Lim
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : By The River from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

The Story of Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah

Cease to struggle and you cease to live.

20 years ago, a merciless virus brought upon a disaster to Chuah area, reaping over a hundred lives, crumpling the swine farming industry in Bukit Pelandok, which used to be the largest swine farm in Southeast Asia, and the neighbouring Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah. The Nipah virus outbreak caused a massive shock, and the whole nation was thrown into panic. The government then declared curfews, evacuated villagers from the stricken region, as well as began the greatest pigs culling movement in order to contain the disease. This rewrote the future plans of almost 80% of Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah villagers who relied on swine farming to make a living, as they lost their source of income, dealing with a heavy blow.

20 years later, the virus outbreak may have changed the appearance of Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah, however it did not break the tenacious wrestling spirits of the villagers, who are unyielding, eventually transforming the village to develop in other industries such as plantation and tourism. Under the cooperation from the village committee and villagers, sprouting new vitality into the rustic village of Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah, for instance winning runner-up in the national most beautifully decorated new village contest, and the first village in Malaysia to name its roads in Chinese characters after local fruits, and the establishment of Sungai Nipah Time Tunnel Museum, recording the building history of Kampung Baru Sungai Nipah as well as the Nipah virus outbreak.

A calamity which destroyed a peaceful and prosperous village, and caused the villagers to suffer both physically and mentally where bystanders would not be able to comprehend. Even so, being optimistic, and having faith that the sun will shine after the rain, the skies remain blue, and a rainbow will appear across the sky, a multicoloured arc.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Drone : Daniel Lim
Video Editor : Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Music : Piano Ambient – Ashmaluev from Youtube

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Bǎi Jí Joss Stick Maker

During deity birthday celebrations or when praying for blessings, brightly coloured joss sticks could be seen, sizes range from 4 ft up to 20 ft or even 30 ft. Besides being an offering to deities, joss sticks are also a form of traditional folk art. Especially pure handiwork joss sticks made by craftsmen, the intricate skills involved and the strenuous procedures, are admirable.

Not far away from the main street of Bukit Pelandok, following the expanse of a side road named “100 Acres” along the Sepang river, there is a handcrafted joss stick factory. The person-in-charge Mr Ong Sze Hong (transliteration) named the factory as Bǎi Jí Joss Stick Maker. Mr Ong mocks himself as being inexperienced, as joss stick manufacturing is not his career, he has been helping in his elder brother’s joss stick manufacturing factory when he was young, alas the factory closed down after a few years. At present, he inherited this skill under fortunate circumstances.

The procedures of manufacturing handcrafted joss sticks put patience to the test, and is not to be rushed. From the materials, style, size, coating, dragon head, moulding, dragon body, pinching and pressing, painting, to packaging, it takes at least two months, even up to a year, depending on the size of the joss stick. The most time-consuming procedure is the layer by layer coating of wood bran, once a layer is thoroughly dried, only can the next layer be coated. Meanwhile in the drying process, the joss stick should not be exposed to sunlight to prevent cracking, and weather changes affect the progress rate of natural drying.

Even though there is a steady market demand for joss sticks, a chasm has appeared in the manufacturing of traditional handcrafted joss sticks, rarely any of the younger generations inherit the legacy. Under the challenges imposed by limited manpower and mechanization, despite bearing cultural essence, the traditional joss stick manufacturing industry faces difficulties in operations and inheritance.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen

有你 UNI Production
Producer : Mok Yii Chek
Coordinator : Daniel Lim
Cinematographer : Amelia Lim / Evon Pang
Production Assistant : Michael Lerk
Video Editor : Michael Lerk
Music : Another Day To Remember from Felt Music

COPYRIGHTS 2019 ECHINOIDEA SDN BHD

Belacan in Bagan Parit Baru

Wafts of salty prawn odour are sent along with the ocean breeze. On the wooden platform just in front of the house, plain brown belacan are spread out neatly to be sun dried, some already pressed into bricks, some minced and unprocessed. This family-run belacan factory is operated by the second generation successor, Mr Kee Bok Wah (transliteration) and his family, being one out of the two belacan factories in Bagan Parit Baru which is sparsely populated by only 300 people.

Similar to other fishing villages, Mr Kee’s house is built along the estuary, the river flowing towards the sea, easing the passage of small fishing boats. Building a wooden platform as well as a small harbour in front of the house is convenient for their own fishing boat to unload fresh fish and prawns, also enabling immediate sorting and handling. At the same time, Mr Kee built a small scale factory opposite his house with a larger surface area, mainly for marinating and fermenting procedures.

Belacan is made up of small prawns (Acete Chinensis) and salt, after mixing, marination, and sun drying, belacan is loaded into casks for a month-long fermentation to absorb flavours. Afterwards, processing is carried out according to different demands, and frequent sun drying, then only packaged. The entire process takes months, having complicated procedures, the quality and quantity easily affected by factors such as weather, season, saltiness of the water etc.

Even though manufacturing belacan may be a tough task, the Kee family continue to use the traditional way of manufacturing. Under the cooperation of the whole family, Mr Kee’s children also adhere to their duties, inheriting the family business, maintaining the legacy.

Text: Daniel Lim & Pua Hui Wen