This picture depicts the coolie quarters in Chinatown, Singapore, circa 1930.
I was intrigued by this picture. Although I had seen many pictures of Chinatown, as well as reading up on coolies during that period, I hadn’t quite expected the coolie quarters to be like this, instead expecting slums in deserted places, such as the outskirts of Chinatown.
However, this picture shows that the coolies lived in a busy street, with shops lining the sides rickshaws filled with people. The shirts lining the bleary windows of the coolies’ apartments illustrate the fact that the serried coolies lived here. Many problems arose, including lack of hygiene, which lead to spreading of diseases.
We can conclude that this place was brimming with sweat, blood and toil, with every coolie wanting to earn money to live a better life. Hence, these coolies were probably dependent on each other and were brothers in every sense of the word. They provided support for one another, be it financial, moral, or any other form of support.
Despite all the uncertainties at that time, one thing was for sure; these people needed all the help they could get, and the brothers they were with definitely provided that.
Tags: SGCool Contest, Chinatown 1930s, National Museum of Singapore
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