Page 32 - Our Hawker Stories

Hawker Centre is a place where you can get different
types of food and drinks from people of all different races
here in Singapore: Malay food, Indian food, Chinese food,
Western food and all other types of food. Singapore has
a unique hawker culture. From my little research that
I did online, I found out that hawker culture started
in the 1800s, where the hawkers had to carry their
mobile kitchen around with utensils and ingredients on
their shoulders with a bamboo pole. They served their
customers on the streets. Then everything changed. In
the late 1960s, the government built designated areas
for the hawkers to set up stalls. At present, our hawker
centres are now more advanced and well-maintained.

On 11th May 2025, it was a beautiful Mother’s Day. My
family and I decided to bring my beloved mother to have
our favourite food at Changi Village Hawker Centre. We
had our favourite nasi lemak, satay, and my favourite
drink, sugar cane. There were many people, but we a better person and be successful in life. Uncle Bala said
managed to get a table and fill our empty stomachs with he worked long hours, from 8 am till 10 pm, and had
all the goodies we bought. We bought the nasi lemak only one rest day. He works together with his wife. He
from Mizzy Corner Nasi Lemak, satay from Warong also said that his job was challenging but satisfying. I like
Satay, and our drinks from Bala Cafe. I observed that all and respect him because he is friendly and hardworking.
the hawkers were very busy and hardworking. I found After the early dinner, we went for a stroll at Changi
out that working as a hawker is very tough because they Beach Park. It was a fruitful day and I learnt a lot of
are battling for customers. Some of the stalls are selling things about our hawkers.
the same items. For example, there are seven drink
stalls, four satay stalls, and four nasi lemak stalls. It is I wish all the hawkers in Singapore a happy, prosperous,
competitive among them to sell what they are selling. and healthy life. May the hawker culture continue to
They need to think of a way to attract customers. I grow. Please support our hawkers!
managed to ask one of the hawkers a few questions and
took a photo with him. He was the friendly and smiling “Uncle Bala’s words stayed with me —
uncle hawker, Mr Bala. He has a drink stall named after hawkers work hard every day, and they
him, Bala Cafe.
inspire us to study hard and be better people
One interesting fact is that Bala Cafe was my father’s too.”
favourite hangout spot to chill and get drinks when he
was young. Uncle Bala has been working in his stall for Ilan Wafi Bin Mohammad Zulilhan
43 years and is now 64 years old. Two good pieces of P5.3
advice that he gave me were to study hard and not mix North Spring Primary School
with the wrong company. He encouraged me to become

28 Our Hawker Stories