Page 107 - Stories from our Grandparents

Mdm ng Kim See Born 1937

By Tenki Teh “The war made my family thriftier and careful with any
Millennia Institute and everything we had. We scrimped and saved to survive,
with all our siblings helping out especially my older sisters,

he pioneers of the war keep extremely valuable shreds of war taking on odd jobs in the markets and farms. It also made me
memories in them, and I had the pleasure of interviewing my own more aware of my surroundings and how not
grandmother about her experiences as a child in WW2. everyone had the privilege of having parents
TI proceeded with asking her the first question, “Did you go through who worked for the Japanese and actually
WW2? “. She replied, “Yes, I was only five when earning money to provide for the family. It

the Japanese invaded our country.” taught me not to take things for granted.
This is why I try to teach all my succeeding
I then asked her, “What was it like?” And she replied generations not to waste food and always be
with a fragment of her memories about the WW2.
“Everyone was very afraid and at first we did not know grateful for everything, like how I taught you!”
what they were capable of that we still tried to mind
our own business and lay low, trying to not attract
attention to ourselves. My parents were bakers who At this, I laughed and reached a deeper understanding
were forced to work for the Japanese, baking fresh of the meanings behind the teachings she always tried to
loaves of bread each today for them and restricting instil in me. Her experiences have made me understand the
the ingredients strictly to baking for them. With that, hardships of the war survivors in Singapore and how they
they earned a salary of $4-6 per day depending on the Japanese really tried very hard to make a living in Singapore with the
official in charge’s mood that day. No one dared to complain, we minimal resources we had. Thus I feel that the pioneers of
just took what we were given. With the wages, they would collect the country have many great experiences that youths would
rice rations and try to feed my five sisters and brother. Everyone love to hear to flow a little deeper into the rich culture of
knew that the rice was extremely valued and every single tiny grain Singapore and understand the history of our “Little Red Dot”
was to be treated with care. Everyone in the family learned to not a little better. As people always say, “Old but Gold! “, I feel
waste any food no matter how measly and distasteful it was. like this applies especially to the “oldies” in Singapore.

People ate to survive, not to enjoy.”

This struck me as poignant and I felt deeply for her as she had to go
through this at such a young age. I then asked her how the war
affected her life and her family.

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