Communal Living in The Early Settlements

Participants played the Squirrels Game to understand how the environment or circumstance affects behaviour. This game served as a warm-up and also introduced participants to the ideas of collaboration, protection, and community which are central to the programme.

Participants learned about how trade winds made George Town a strategic port and the early migrants that settled in George Town, their countries of origin, and their trades and occupations.

Although there were several early settlements in George Town, participants focused on only two settlements of Malay and Chinese migrants. As part of introducing the context, the facilitator prompted participants to put themselves in the shoes of a migrant and imagine what they would need upon arrival in a strange new place.

Different people need different things to live happily and healthily: what does your ideal town look like? Participants worked in groups to design an ideal town they’d like to live in using a large sheet of paper, various objects as building blocks, and labels. 

The criteria for the town are:

• it must provide for 200 people, and
• the residents are diverse in age and some may have disabilities.

Each group shared their 3D town plans. They were asked to keep these plans in mind as they ventured out to the two settlements to see how people used to live.

After identifying Aceh on the world map, participants went on a guided tour around the Acehnese settlement which has the Lebuh Aceh Mosque at its centre. They discovered why the Acehnese came to Malaya and the early history of the Acehnese settlement founder, Tengku Syed Hussein Idid. They also learned about key buildings within the mosque compound including the courtyard, madrasah, traditional houses, and the cemetery; their functions; and the early role of the mosque as a gathering point for pilgrims on their way to Mecca.

At the end of the tour, participants were given a Mission Book, which they used to further explore the Acehnese settlement and complete tasks in groups.

As the final task, each group of participants discussed and drew a map of the Acehnese settlement and labelled the key buildings. The groups shared their maps with each other, what they found interesting about the settlement, and what they would like to include in their town design.

Before heading inside Khoo Kongsi, participants located where the Hokkiens came from on the world map. Then, the guide explained why the Hokkiens came to George Town and the role of the Kongsi in the mid-19th century as a community centre for fellow migrants who came from the same clan in China. 

The exploration of Khoo Kongsi was carried out as an interactive activity based on historical events where the participants took on the role of “Khoo clan members” who had just arrived in George Town. Firstly, they were tasked to go around the perimeter of Khoo Kongsi, locate all its entrances, and enter from the main entrance to look for their “supervisor” (role-played by the guide or facilitator). 

The “supervisor” assigned a membership number to each newly arrived “Khoo clan member” and took them on a guided tour of the compound. The “supervisor” highlighted key buildings such as the shophouses where the members will live, the ancestral tablets, the temple building, the school, the courtyard and opera stage, as well as the multiple entrances which exist due to security reasons.

After the tour, the “Khoo clan members” were each handed a Kongsi Membership Book which contained tasks they had to complete to confirm their membership. Following the tasks in the Membership Book, the “Khoo clan members” explored the compound on their own, observed certain details, and interviewed community members there.

Like at the Acehnese settlement, participants discussed and drew a map of Khoo Kongsi and labelled the key buildings as their final task. Participants also noted what they would like to include from Khoo Kongsi in their new town design.

Participants looked at the two maps they had drawn of the Acehnese settlement and Khoo Kongsi and discussed the similarities and differences between the two communities. They realised the need for communal living and human connectedness when migrating to a new country.

Participants reviewed their previous town plans and revised their town designs based on their experience in the Acehnese settlement and Khoo Kongsi. Participants then presented their town plans and changes made and received feedback. This activity allowed participants to connect the situation and needs of early settlers for happy and healthy living with that of present-day dwellers.

Participants reflected on the top three things needed for a happy and healthy community using speech bubbles.