The Open Door

This 1972 photo of our Bedok kampong house sees our father (seated on the right) enjoying a meal with his older cousins, and younger nephew on the left. This was our front door, even though this side of the house was not actually the front but nonetheless was our main entrance from the gravel road outside. Each morning a family member (our mother or paternal aunt) would open the door (it opens outwards) and this door would remain open until night fall. After opening the door and securing it, the pavement ‘foyer’ just outside would be swept with a sapi lipi broom (squat and swept left to right) signalling the start of the day and hubs of activity through this door. Neighbours passing by would call in for a hello especially when they pass by to or from the wet market nearby. We ourselves would come in and out throughout the day. Later in the mornings fellow kampong residents (many we are not familiar with) would come by to ask if we could spare some of our belimbing for their cooking (yes of course). Our washer woman friend ‘Kak Alimah’ would come in to handle the washing of our laundry (handwash in a large oval metal tub along with a wooden washboard). And all through the day, every day, that door would remain open. 

1972 photo - enjoying a meal at the entrance to the house. The main door opens outwards.

1973 photo - the ripe belimbings beckon neighbours to spice up their home cooking with them

1967 photo - our mother seated just inside the entrance and the open door behind her