Kampong of Singapore

Posted by Cindy on June 30, 2009

As I walked around early in the morning, I was pleasantly surprised to find a tiny village nestled in trees among the tall masses of apartment blocks. It wasn’t too far from the Boutique Hotel Singapore were I was staying. As I stood in the middle of the tiny village a refreshing breeze rustled the coconut palms and stirred the tropical birds to whoop and whistle. Butterflies fluttered from mango trees to star fruit trees. I saw little fish swim in the stream going through the middle of the tiny village. I was enchanted.

This must be Singapore’s little secret treasure. I counted only 28 homes in this rural hamlet; a forgotten vestige among the modern high-rise apartments, high-technology and fast-pace city. When I asked around about the story behind this fantasy land, I found out it won’t exist for much longer. The village, Kampong Buangkok has been slated for demolition. Apparently, some development company will ‘re-developed’ the area to make way for a more productive lifestyle; a complete makeover.

Kampong means ‘village’ and it also defines a traditional rural way of life which Singapore if in a race to leave behind.  Actually, everyone living in Singapore is surprise it hasn’t been torn down ages ago. No one guest this Kampong would’ve lasted this long. Under the City’s master plan, this place will provide future housing, schools and other necessary facilities. I’m not sure that the re-development is for the best. All I need to do is look through the mature trees of the Kampong and see the government housing blocks that will represent its future. Not a sparkling testament to ideal life. I was talking to one of the residence and she told me they are prepared for the inevitable. She said all of Singapore has changed very rapidly, not wisely, but rapidly to where there are no landmarks to remember, nothing is the same as when she was a little girl. It is the new way of Singapore and one needs to keep up with the change or be razed along with it. She said she’s learned not to cling to the past and advise that I do the same in all aspects of my life. I thanked her for her wisdom and headed back to my hotel.