Samsui women
Encyclopedia
The term Samsui women broadly refers to a group of Chinese immigrants who came to Singapore
between the 1920s and the 1940s in search of construction and industrial jobs. Their hard work contributed to Singapore's development, both as a colony and as a nation.
About 200,000 Samsui women were believed to have come to Singapore between 1934 and 1938, and this continued until 1949 when emigration from China was declared illegal here.
in China
, in addition to Shunde and Dongguan
. Most Samsui women are Cantonese
(90%) but there are Hakka
(10%) as well.
In Chinese
, these women are referred to as 紅頭巾 (红头巾 in Simplified Chinese), which translates as "red bandana
", a reference to the trademark red cloth hats that they wore.
Samsui women also remained in touch with their relatives back home in China, communicating with them frequently through letters. Occasionally, they would send money to them.
, a TV drama series produced by Singapore Broadcasting Corporation
in 1986, which has widely been considered as one of the best dramas Singapore has produced over the years.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
between the 1920s and the 1940s in search of construction and industrial jobs. Their hard work contributed to Singapore's development, both as a colony and as a nation.
History
About 200,000 Samsui women were believed to have come to Singapore between 1934 and 1938, and this continued until 1949 when emigration from China was declared illegal here.
Name
The Samsui women came from Sanshui of Guangdong (Canton) ProvinceGuangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, in addition to Shunde and Dongguan
Dongguan
Dongguan is a prefecture-level city in central Guangdong province, People's Republic of China.An important industrial city located in the Pearl River Delta, Dongguan borders the provincial capital of Guangzhou to the north, Huizhou to the northeast, Shenzhen to the south, and the Pearl River to...
. Most Samsui women are Cantonese
Cantonese people
The Cantonese people are Han people whose ancestral homes are in Guangdong, China. The term "Cantonese people" would then be synonymous with the Bun Dei sub-ethnic group, and is sometimes known as Gwong Fu Jan for this narrower definition...
(90%) but there are Hakka
Hakka people
The Hakka , sometimes Hakka Han, are Han Chinese who speak the Hakka language and have links to the provincial areas of Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Sichuan, Hunan and Fujian in China....
(10%) as well.
In Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
, these women are referred to as 紅頭巾 (红头巾 in Simplified Chinese), which translates as "red bandana
Kerchief
A kerchief is a triangular or square piece of cloth tied around the head or around the neck for protective or decorative purposes...
", a reference to the trademark red cloth hats that they wore.
Jobs
Coming to Singapore as cheap labourers, Samsui women worked mainly in the construction industry and other industries that required hard labour. They also worked as domestic servants. They had a reputation of rejecting jobs involving drug (particularly opium) peddling, prostitution, or other vices, even if that meant they sometimes had to live in poverty.Social interactions
Before arriving in Singapore, most Samsui women took vows never to marry, although there have been known exceptions. They lived in cramped conditions with other Samsui women, helping out each other and forming tightly united cliques.Samsui women also remained in touch with their relatives back home in China, communicating with them frequently through letters. Occasionally, they would send money to them.
Current status
There are less than a hundred Samsui women left in Singapore today, all of them in their 80s and 90s. Organizations exist to raise awareness of these women's achievements and contributions to Singapore's development, and their current state. Some of these organizations also strive to provide free travel for the women back to China to visit their relatives before they die. One such organization was the Sam Shui Wai Kuan Association that took care of the needs of the Samsui WomenPortrayal in media
The travails of the Samsui women were portrayed in Samsui WomenSamsui Women (TV series)
Samsui Women is a 24-episode historical drama produced by the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation in 1986. Starring Zeng Huifen, Huang Wenyong, Hong Huifang and Li Yinzhu...
, a TV drama series produced by Singapore Broadcasting Corporation
Singapore Broadcasting Corporation
Singapore Broadcasting Corporation was a partially privatised mass market media conglomeration, which dominated the entire television and most of the radio broadcasting industry in Singapore during its existence...
in 1986, which has widely been considered as one of the best dramas Singapore has produced over the years.