Part 8/12:
The narrative also touches on the crucial role of coolies—laborers who built many of Singapore’s iconic landmarks such as Alexandra Hospital, the Kallang Airport, and bridges like the Kia and Alexandra. Working under arduous conditions, often barefoot and carrying heavy loads, these men played an indispensable role in Singapore’s development. Their labor, paid at modest rates but vital for infrastructure, symbolizes the foundation of the city-state’s growth.
The history of coolies, often unrecorded and anonymous, is essential to understanding the lives of families like Mimi’s. The narrative highlights their resilience, the physical toll they endured, and how their meager earnings enabled their families to exist within the colonial economy.