Living in Pondok Kelompang Gubuk

(At the back lane - My two younger sister, my brother and I. Photo taken in the 1970s)

My two younger sisters and I were born at the Pondok ("Ponthuk" is the proper Baweanese pronunciation of the word) in the 1960s, each about two years apart. My mum told me that the midwife from KK Hospital came down to our home to help with the delivery.

Vividly, I did remember the time I was a little girl playing with my sisters and friends around my age. They were from several Pondok nearby. Two shophouses away from my home was Pondok Tachung and across the road on the left side were several Pondok Pangga.

(My siblings and cousins at the entrance of our home in the early 1970s.)

My sisters and I had gone through the changes, as time moved on. We had experienced living in a Pondok and witnessed the lives and the changing life-styles of the Baweanese of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, as they progressed through the years.

(My sister, brother and cousin Anam. Photo taken in the 1970s. The back lane was our playing ground whenever our footballers mamang were not available to bring us to the Kampong Kapor Community Centre, just across the road.)

Generally, the residents living in a Pondok had to follow rules and regulations of the particular Pondok they were living in. These rules and regulations vary among each Pondok. In Pondok Kelompang Gubuk, some of the general rules were; lights to be switched off at certain time; one was not allowed to spend too long in the shower; and the bachelors, including the male guests who were mainly the sea-men, were not allowed to go to the second level of the shophouse. These guests spent the night in the Pondok before leaving Singapore for other destinations.

(The Bachelors of Kampong Kapor in the late 1950s/early 1960s)

A huge, high table covering one-third of the living room became bed to these men during the night. The "ambin" as it was called, being placed against the three walls of the room on the right (as one sees it standing facing the living-room from the entrance door). Each of the men slept on thin mattress that could be folded and kept on the shelf mounted to the wall just above the right window. During the day, it became an area for relaxing as they sat, chatting among each others.

(The site where the "ambin" used to be. Above this window there used to be the shelf for keeping the folded mattresses. Photo was taken in the 1980s.)

Below the "ambin" was a store-like place where plates, glasses and cutlery used for functions were kept in wooden boxes. All these were bought using the funds collected from the residents of the pondok and also members who once lived at Pondok Kelompang Gubuk. When the "ambin" was dismantled and thrown away during the 1970s, the wooden boxes including the contents were shipped to Bawean Island to the people living in the village Kelompang Gubuk.

(The site where the long dining table used to be. This photo was taken in the 1980s. They were preparing a birthday party for little Anam.)

Opposite the "ambin" was a long dining table used by the men to have their meals. It was also used to receive male guests. Tea or Coffee with pastries were prepared by the Mak Lurah and served by the Pak Lurah. It was at this table that the General Meetings were conducted in which members of the Pondok gathered for discussions. Generally, every Pondok in Kampong Kapor had their individual committee headed by the Pak Lurah. A treasurer was appointed to collect membership funds from members of the Pondok. He also collected the rent and utility money from the residence of the Pondok. This system was very prominent during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

The middle room at the ground floor and the front room on the second level was for married residents. There were many families in these two huge rooms. The wardrobes were placed in such away that they acted as dividers between the spaces of each family, while the entrance to each of these spaces were covered by curtains.

The middle room on the second level was a room for the ladies. My granddad, Pak Lurah Haji Siddik who was the Head of Pondok Kelompang Gubuk between the 1960s to early 1980s, occupied the rear small room on the second level. At this level, there was a toilet mainly used by the women.

The above features were very prominent during the 1960s. Through the years, these space areas occupied by those with family got bigger due to many residents moving out of the Pondok to live in HDB flats. By the 1990s, the only family left to live at Pondok Kelompang Gubuk was the family of Aunt Suhaidah.

(My grandmother doing her cooking. This area was a small part of the kitchen. Photo taken in 1980s.)

The women of Pondok Kelompang Gubuk shared a communal kitchen. Each family was given space to do their cooking. It was a huge kitchen. There was a big "ambin" used for work space in preparing food. The "ambin" was also used by the women and children to have their meals. Some married couples also had their meals there too.

(My youngest sister playing model posing for the camera at the backlane of our Pondok home. Photo taken in the early 1970s).

At the rear part of the Pondok, there was a back door. This door opened to the back lane. This rear area of the Pondok was the place for washing clothes. The women washed their family clothes just infront of the toilet. They took turns one after another. The washing was done only after the men got showered and gone to work.

(The rear part of the Pondok, just infront of the toilet. Photo taken in the 1980s)

In the late 1960s, another small room was built on second level at the rear part of the Pondok. This room was my family's room. It was built by my granddad who was good in carpentry work. Carpentry was his hobby during his off days, working as a PUB driver. This room was well built and often used during weddings for the bride to be dressed up for the wedding ceremony.

(My family's room. The Photo were taken in the 1970s during a wedding occassion.)

I enjoyed living in the Pondok. It left me with beautiful memories of my childhood life. My family and I left Pondok Kelompang Gubuk in 1974 to live in the HDB flats. Eventually, many follows my father's footsteps -purchasing HDB flats.

(The Bachelors of Kampong Kapor. My father on the left most, with his friends acting out as musicians. Photo taken in the late 1950s.)