No. 760D
Kampung Sungei Durian, Pulau Ubin
Owner:
Cik Kamariah bte Abdullah
Year Built:
Early 1900s
Year Last Modified:
2012 (repainting)
Occupancy Status:
Occupied but used as weekend retreat and for cooking classes
House Condition:
Habitable but termite-infested
Wood Type:
Chengal (Neobalanocarpus heimii), Tempinis (Streblus elongatus) and sometimes Chempedak (Artocarpus integer)
Water Supply:
Has 2 water tanks, pumps water from the well at House no. 456
Electrical Supply:
Connected to the generator at House no. 427 with a fee paid to the Headman Lim Chye Joo
Historical Highlights:
The house has a long history of over one hundred years
Landmark Recognisability:
Low but recognisable to people who visit for classes and on social media
Introduction
This house has a long history of over one hundred years.
Andak Bechik, the great-grandmother of Cik Kamariah, the current houseowner, was born in the late 1890s in Pulau Ubin. She was married to Hj Nawar, whose ancestors were of Bugis-Javanese descent. Hj Nawar’s ancestral family members most likely started building the original parts of the current house during this period.
The house has been through many reconstructions and changes over the years.
After Cik Kamariah’s grandparents passed on, the house lost its main caretakers and Cik Kamariah felt that it was a pity that there was no one to maintain the house.
About 15 years ago, her friend Ratifah, a travel agency director, offered to publicise the house to other travel agencies. The house had to look presentable if Cik Kamariah wanted visitors to appreciate and learn more about traditional Malay kampung houses. Hence, its well-kept state was both a result of, and enabled the hosting of cultural immersion activities such as cooking classes and school programmes.
Information from Field Studies
Interviewer: Dr. Imran bin Tajudeen, Mohammad Iqbal bin Roslan, Denise Ho Xi Ning, Ahmad bin Osman
Interviewee: Kamariah bte Abdullah, Samsiah bte Abdullah
Date: November 2017 - April 2018