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Wong Chun Por
Wong Chun Por
Shopkeeper in Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei
Sex: Male Birthyear: 1959 Age at Interview: 52 Education: Upper Secondary Occupation: Merchant Theme: Community,Social Life After coming to Hong Kong Wong helped out at the fruit stall of his father. Each day they worked from the morning to 2am at night. In the 1980s ordinary citizen rarely bought fruit, and the patrons mostly come from night entertainment establishments like discos so they had to work until 2am. Every morning at 7 to 8 his father went to the fruit market to purchase goods. Wong was unused to such busy work and fell sick a few months after coming to Hong Kong. He suggested his father to change the model of operation. In around 1981 the fruit stall changed to selling leather travel cases and travel bags. The operating hours shortened to 10am to 12 at night.
Title Feeling unused to busy work from day to night when he first came to Hong Kong Date 28/01/2011 Subject Social Life Duration 2m30s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. YMT-WCB-HLT-001 Wong Chun-por seldom went out, the stall became the natives’ hangout where they have tea and a chat, feeling good that both come from Chaozhou families. The older generation Chaozhou natives came to Hong Kong illegally. They recognized each other by the native accent and formed a small community free of worries that they would be ridiculed as they would have experienced when relating to the non-natives. Besides, they could exchange information about their native place and shared old memories. All natives agreed that they should attend the Yu Lan Ghost Festival sacrificial rites on the 15th day of the 7th Lunar month. They should donate money or helped distribute rice and blessed items. It would be a worship as well as social gathering. The natives would pool money to purchase a property as the native association where they could gather.
Title Chaozhou natives visited me at the shop for tea and a chat Date 28/01/2011 Subject Community Duration 2m56s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. YMT-WCB-HLT-002 White powder is what impressed Wong Chun-por most in Yau Ma Tei. In the 1980s, the shop next to his was a car repair shop called the Friends of Flying Dragon. At its porch was a small stall formed by cardboards and wooden planks. It was run by four young workers who provided car parking service to the people who came for car repair. He believed that they were all drug addicts. Sometimes, he would notice that they looked weak with saliva and nasal mucus all over the faces. When a friend came, they entered the stall where they stayed for 30 minutes. When they came out, they looked energetic. He thought they took drugs in the stall. Later, the shop was closed down. The operator engaged in other occupations such as selling pot rice, fashion or supermarket, none earned profits. The shop was eventually sold and turned into a mah-jong parlour.
Title White powder is what impressed me most in Yau Ma Tei Date 28/01/2011 Subject Community Duration 1m39s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. YMT-WCB-HLT-003 Besides taking his children to other districts for entertainment, Wong Chun Por always stays in Yau Ma Tei as if he has been sentenced to life imprisonment there. He believes that this is the place for him because he is the grass root. He has never thought of leaving Yau Ma Tei. In the first decade after he arrived in Hong Kong, he only made friends with the natives. When children of a native came to Hong Kong with a permit, a gathering would be held to introduce them to all other natives. It was always a happy feast where the young generation made friends with one another. Without government service to the new immigrants then, the newly arrived had no opportunities to know the locals. A new immigrant knew no new friends unless he worked in a factory. But, Wong Chun Por felt inferior for his identity as a new immigrant. He preferred to stay at home and attended the stall business for his father. So, he had no new friends. His wife is also a Chaozhou native. They understand each other’s difficulties and relate well.
Title Yau Ma Tei is suitable for the grass roots Date 28/01/2011 Subject Community Duration 3m1s Language Cantonese Material Type Audio Collection Oral History Archives Repository Hong Kong Memory Project Note to Copyright Copyright owned by Hong Kong Memory Project Accession No. YMT-WCB-HLT-004