September 06, 2017, 01:55 PM 
The thought of kampongs (which means "village" in Malay and Indonesian) conjures images of Singapore in its earlier years, when they were found all over the island, and in the region.
They were once so common, in fact, that the word "compound", which refers to a fenced up open area, has its roots in the word "kampong". It also gave rise to the term "compound houses", which refers to a cluster of buildings in an enclosed area.
Screenshot from Oxford English Dictionary online.
Over the years, most of our kampongs have disappeared to make way for development, except one.
Last kampong community
Kampong Lorong Buangkok is Singapore's last remaining kampong, and still exists (for now) off Gerald Drive, right in the heart of northeastern Singapore.
Spanning about three football fields, the land which the kampong sits on was purchased by a traditional Chinese medicine seller in 1956, and then rented out for families to build their houses.
Screenshot from Sunny Side SG's video
The kampong began with only about five families, but grew to about 40 families at its peak. Today, only slightly less than 30 Chinese and Malay families still live there.
Despite the dwindling number of residents, the community still retains their kampong spirit. Chickens, dogs and cats roam freely and gates are still left open for residents to visit one another.
The kampong still oozes rustic charm with its wooden huts and zinc roofs.
Screenshot from Sunny Side SG's video
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Memories of the place
On Aug. 31, Sunny Side SG uploaded a short video on Kampong Lorong Buangkok, which drew some nostalgic reactions.
Some people have commented on the Sunny Side SG video with their personal memories of the area:
Screenshot from Sunny Side SG's video.
One recalled how he would go to the river along Lorong Buangkok to swim and pick shells:
Screenshot from Facebook.
However, for the younger generation who grew up in the city, visiting Kampong Lorong Buangkok offers them a precious glimpse into what life was like in Singapore's past.
Some have taken to Instagram to chronicle their visits. For instance, one user mentioned that it was an eye-opening trip to see what the kampong lifestyle is like:
It'll be gone someday
In 1998, the kampong was slated under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's (URA) Masterplan to be replaced by housing, schools and other facilities. The site was also earmarked for the development of a major road in URA's 2008 Masterplan.
Someday, this kampong will have to make way for modern buildings. Like with all the other kampongs, it is only a matter of time before urbanisation takes place in land scarce Singapore.
You can watch Sunny Side SG's video here:
Top image from NAS.
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