「新生」的 17 哩： 砂拉越客家華人新村的地方感與集體記憶

Abstract

17th Mile in the suburb of Kuching Division in Sarawak, Malaysia, is the location where Hakka Chinese dwelt since the early twentieth century; hence a small tribe was formed here in 1950s. In 1965, the communist armed movements took place in Sarawak. Due to weaken the atmosphere of the movement, the government compelled the Hakka Chinese from the 15th to 24th mile reorganizing into three Chinese New Villages—Siburan, Beratok, and Tapah, and executed isolation and superintendence for fifteen years. From the prospect of Place and Collective Memories, this research focuses on the changes before and after the formation of Siburan till the present time. And I discovered that though after the fifteen-year isolation, by reason of the liberation policy and rising economy, these Hakka Chinese who chose to remain in Siburan and maintain the village life circle developed deeper attachment to this Chinese New Village. This sense of place gradually transforms the collective memories of the Hakka Chinese from the early strenuous life and the communist history. Like an organism, the concept of Chinese New Village in Sarawak is dynamic. Generations of village people construct and reconstruct the sense of place and their collective memories.