Sunday June 1, 2008
Changing times
It is easy to see why Chew Jetty is such a popular landmark. Tucked away in the bustling city of Georgetown, Penang, this rustic clan settlement has hardly been ravaged by the all-pervading touch of time.
Upon our arrival, the affable Chew Kok Wah, 40, greeted us. Chew is the cousin of the current clan chairman. He showed us the oldest temple at the entrance, proudly stating that it has been around for over a century. Inside the temple were paintings and idol statues of ancient deities from China.
Chew explained that the Chew clan was deeply rooted in religion and traditions, and practice feng shui fervently. For instance, the shrine table is angled towards the house for good luck.
Chew Kok Wah speaks to Michelle Tam about the place he grew up in. The Chew clan still practice their culture and traditions passed down from their ancestors. Every year, they conduct religious rituals and one of the grandest celebrations is the worship of the Jade Emperor on the ninth day of the Chinese New Year. This festival is the most colourful and vibrant celebration for the Chews.
Despite being built in the mid-1900s, the structure of the wooden houses at the Chew Jetty is still preserved. Nothing much has been changed although the houses are more than a century old.
The most obvious change in the wooden houses was the roof. Zinc roofs have replaced the traditional ataps.
The stilted walkway leading to the jetty is made of wood and through the tiny holes between the planks; we could see water lapping calmly beneath the walkway. Nearing the jetty, the stilts have also been concreted for better strength and support.
Navigating the walkways, it is possible to find a small coffeeshop, in the back of a small kitchen of one of the homes. Here, two young children hurry around serving local beverages such as Milo and tea.
Nearby, there is also a sundry shop, crowded with goods. Then, there is a the barbershop.
“It is actually run by a villager in a portion of his house,” says Chew.
He also reveals that the barbershop is rarely opened unless there is a customer already inside. Otherwise, a customer has to get in by knocking on the door and calling out to the barber – usually by name.
One building that is a clear contrast to the traditional wooden houses is the newly-built community hall.
The Chew Hall displays a list of contributors and donors. Written in black marker on pink manila paper, it runs on and on, a testament to the Chews who raised RM12,000 to construct the hall.
Here, plaques remind locals and visitors alike about the history and origins of the Chew Jetty and their worthy neighbours – the Lim, Tan, Lee, Yeoh, Koay and Peng Aun clans.
The wooden walkways were rather quaint at Chew Jetty. These plaques also tell of the Chew’s Hokkien festivals and cultures, such as the annual worship of their Temple Deity and the Hokkien tradition of “Pai Tee Kong”.
Chew, who has been a resident at the Chew Jetty since he was born, said that life has not changed much since then, especially for the children. The children still go fishing occasionally, fly kites, cycle on the walkway and even take a dip in the sea on a hot day. He even mentioned that at a young age of seven, the boys could follow their father out to sea. At the age of 14, they could handle the boat themselves.
“I swim in the sea, too, and I catch fish,” 15-year-old Lee Kean Hee shares, adding that these are the same pastimes his ancestors enjoyed before.
However, they too enjoy the comforts of modern living such as air conditioners and Astro. The children, like Lee, also admit to going to cyber cafes to play computer games. The wooden sampans used for fishing and trading activities have now been replaced with those made of fibreglass.
Even so, the general daily life for an average Chew clan member is still the same after all these years. They may be surrounded by various developments, and caved in to bits of modernisation, but the Chews still cling on to their cultures and traditions.
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