Neighbours - Jiu Nian

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Our neighbour just opposite our Bedok kampong house (no photos unfortunately) was 'Jiu Nian' and she and her family would dry baby shrimps on zinc roof sheets in front of their house (and sometimes very close to ours) so that they can make 'chinchalok' or fermented baby shrimp for sale. Included in the sunning was also 'belachan' or shrimp paste. Each time it rains Jiu Nian would yell out in Hokkien 'lo ho lai liao' (it is going to rain) setting off a chain of fellow neighbours yelling down the lane to warn everyone else! (photos for illustration and not ours)




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