Page 45 - Our Hawker Stories

A Bowl Of Memories

On Friday, I had dinner with my grandmother from China.
Though I was not born in Singapore, I am now studying
here. Hawker Centres were the first places that helped
me understand Singapore. When Grandmother visited,
I wanted to show her something truly Singaporean. I
thought about all the iconic places but chose something
meaningful yet straightforward - Fernvale Hawker
Centre.

As we walked through the neighbourhood, crowds were
entering and leaving the centre. “Are there always so
many people?” Grandmother asked. I nodded, greeted
by the aroma of noodles and satay as the centre was
buzzing with people of all ages and races. It felt like the
heart of Singapore.

We found an empty table, and I placed a tissue packet on
it. “Are you donating tissues?” I laughed and explained As they reconnected over their memories in the 1960s,
how Singaporeans reserve seats. We passed stalls selling the buzzing sound of the fan flooded their voices.
chicken rice and laksa, but nothing stood out until I saw
thunder tea rice. Over bowls of delicacy, I realised how food connects
people even across countries.
Grandmother paused. “We had this back in the village,”
she said softly. “It was poor man’s food, but it kept us That day, I realised how food preserves memories and
alive during the war.” We decided to try it. culture. Even though we are from China, we feel at home,
as if we have belonged to Singapore from the very start.
The hawker, Auntie Tan, greeted us warmly. She shared
how her mother, who had migrated from China, taught
her the recipe. “It may look simple,” she said, “but it “Sharing thunder tea rice with grandma
carries stories of our past.”
reminded me how hawker food connects
It was such a gastronomical delight. Tea fragrance filled generations, cultures, and memories — it
the air as we ate in satisfaction. “It’s scrumptious!” made Singapore feel like home.”
Grandmother smiled. “Just like what I had as a child.”

Grandmother and Auntie Tan chatted in Chinese. Auntie Gu Jialin
Tan had to wake up at four am every morning to prepare P6.1
the ingredients. At that moment, I realised that hawkers North Spring Primary School
are our unsung heroes.

Our Hawker Stories 41