Page 82 - Stories from our Grandparents

WIP

Mr Seah Kim Heng
Born 1943 & 1945
Mdm ngh niang Hua
By Roxanne Low Jiawen
ITE College West

isdom comes with age.” I have always heard this phrase my grandfather, at ten years old, would climb up a hill two kilometres away
since I was young as I grew up under the care of my from his home to dig for sweet potatoes. He would hunt for sweet potatoes
grandparents. Unlike other children who grew up listening with his siblings and other young neighbours. Their agile bodies enabled
Wto fairy-tales from their parents, I grew up listening to them to move swiftly and safely without being caught.
my grandparents’ life stories. My grandparents would tell me their
stories in Mandarin and Teochew, and with minimal English. Both of my grandparents used to work long hours of manual labour to
support their huge family. They strained their bodies in order to survive
My grandmother Ngh Niang Hua, 73 years old, grew up with five siblings. She and to support their household. Despite all that, they were able to find
had one younger brother and three sisters. Her family was not well-to-do happiness in those difficult times.
and thus only her brother had the opportunity to go to school.
My grandparents’ wish for the youth of today is to be grateful for the life
For my grandmother and her sisters, instead of having an that they have now, and for them to live generously and honestly. I doubt
education, they learnt skills that were relevant for woman the hot-blooded and pampered youth of today can ever relate to what
the pioneer generations had experienced. However, for me, as I grew up
at that time. Since young, they were taught how to make a listening to my grandparents’ stories, I truly believe that their stories are
living, helping their household make ends meet. With her more fascinating as compared to fairy-tales. I feel that after experiencing
sisters, my grandmother would wash clothes and do sewing to so much in their life, wisdom really comes with age, and there is so much
supplement their household income. knowledge which we, the young generation can obtain through our
grandparents stories.
Both of my grandparents experienced World War 2. They persevered
through the tough times and appreciate the peace which we have now.
My grandfather, Seah Kim Heng, 75 years old, shared that during wartime,
food was scarce. As such, in order to have enough food to eat for their
household,

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