Existing Member?

    A home and a workplace, George Town, Penang Once a British colonial trading settlement, George Town, Penang was a bustling place for traders, craftsmen and hardworking people. With the world heritage title awarded by UNESCO, George Town is rapidly turning into a tourist town.

    Photos from Malaysia

    There are [5] photos from Malaysia

    Rainy night at Mr. Soon's rented family home and workplace. His family generations have been staying here for the past 120 years. Life here however is coming to an end for Mr. Soon and his family by December 2014. With the once famous British colonial trading settlement - George Town rapidly turning into tourist town after the conferment of UNESCO title in 2008, he is not spared from merciless home eviction due to capitalism. Even being listed in the intangible heritage trade inventory, Mr. Soon today is facing the threat of not having a place to run his old trade, as the rental price tag has skyrocketed to an unrealistic figure, that poses so much threat to his already endangered trade - the bamboo and rattan weaver trade. He is contemplating to stop his old trade, not because of the lack of business volume, but basically involuntary movement (without any protection and relocation effort from UNESCO official monitoring agency) and high rental for alternative place. The gentrification of tourism has caused ripple effect of lacking of workplace for traditional trade and residence for the living heritage. Food for thought. We hope this series of documentary photos give us room to think, how could we make the photos meaningful and to help the community at large. Views[612] Mr. Soon taking a break on a Sunday, playing with his grandson at the five feet way in front his home. Views[442] Thean Seng Huat, is Mr. Soon's trade name. From right to left, it literally means, This is Mr. Soon's narrow workspace. Sharp work and a very discipline man, Mr. Soon carefully takes on the trade 6 days a week and live upstairs. He is slicing down the bamboo at equal width, to then weave to become a round bamboo divider that is going to be placed in the Dim Sum steamer - this is for his client, Cantonese Dim Sum restaurant. Back of him, is the iron grill door, torn down from his house when his house caught on fire last year, that forced the firemen to cut his grill door to do fire rescue. Thank God he was safe. Today, he still keeps it and hope to reinstall back; but we know it will never happen. You shall know why in the last photo. Views[634] Mr. Soon, 67 years old, a traditional craftman in George Town, Penang, worked his entire life as a weaver of bamboo and rattan trades. Comes with skillful hands and trained by parents since young, for more than 50 years, he carried this trade as his life and soul till to date. Seen in the picture, is a seemingly blunt triangular knife that cuts nothing but the bamboo, it was passed down by his late parents and it is more than a century old. Views[897]
     

    About theforgottenbambooandrattantrade

    Mr. Soon, 67 years old, a traditional craftman in George Town, Penang, worked his entire life as a weaver of bamboo and rattan trades. Comes with skillful hands and trained by parents since young, for more than 50 years, he carried this trade as his life and soul till to date. Seen in the picture, is a seemingly blunt triangular knife that cuts nothing but the bamboo, it was passed down by his late parents and it is more than a century old.

    Photo Galleries

    Where I've been

    My trip journals