Showcasing Penang’s heritage
Book aims to give people a deeper understanding of state and its values
GEORGE TOWN: Visiting George Town’s heritage enclave always brings back fond memories of his childhood days, says true blue Penangite Fox Foo.
Although there have been many changes in the past 10 years, certain things, like Little India remained the same, said the engineer, whose passion for photography started when he was in school.
“Many think it is a place just for Indians. But it is actually a place that integrates the cultural elements of all the three races.
“I tried to capture that in my pictures as I want to show how special this place is. The Little India in Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Singapore does not have this old school charm.
“Here, we have coffee shop, nasi kandar shop and Indian food all a stone’s throw away from each other,” he said at the book launch of the City Eye on George Town, People, Places and Practices that Define Penang at a cafe in Relau yesterday.
Foo, 32, said Penang, especially its heritage enclave in George Town, was perfect for street photography.
“I know people visit Penang for the food and the buildings but if they look a bit deeper, they will find the rich culture we have.
“I hope they get to experience it through the pictures in this book,” he said.
Professional photographer Martin Cheam, 28, said his experience photographing the Nine Emperor Gods Festival up close gave him a greater understanding of the culture.
“I was given the opportunity to follow them on the last day of the festival and took pictures of the sending-off ritual where decorated boats filled with gold paper ingots are burnt to send the deities back to heaven.
“I was told certain procedures during the sending-off only involved the committee and no one had photographed them up close before.
“These are special experiences that leave a lifelong impression,” he said.
Foo and Cheam were some of the many contributors to the book which is Penang City Eye’s first publication in English.
Its editor S.T. Leng said the book was a compilation of prior articles and published pictures from Penang City Eye, a free quarterly Chinese language pictorial publication dedicated to George Town’s lifestyle and culture started in 2014.
“We decided to compile selected articles and make a book in English as we want to reach out to the English reading audience.
“When we were compiling this book, I realised that if we do not share these stories, people will forget.
“It will give Penangites a deeper understanding of the state and realise its value as well as our rich heritage,” he said.
Leng said the books would be available from January in selected local book stores and in Kuala Lumpur as well.
“We hope to have it in chain book stores in a month’s time,” he said.