Artists capture High Chaparral's final days
As the final curtain slowly closes in on the Indian traditional village of Kampung Buah Pala, otherwise popularly known as Tamil High Chaparral, in George Town, several artists took the time today to produce some exquisite artworks on the village's few remaining days.
As the final curtain slowly closes in on the Indian traditional village of Kampung Buah Pala, otherwise popularly known as Tamil High Chaparral, in George Town, several artists took the time today to produce some exquisite artworks on the village's few remaining days.
Kampung Buah Pala is considered the country's oldest living Indian heritage village, due to its lively Indian cultural features and festivities, cattle ranch, population of cowherds, goats and live stocks.
Be it water colour or oil paintings, sketches, photographs or videos, 14 artists from all over Penang spent some precious hours in the village to record human culture, living environments and lifestyles in their own artistic way.
And, they are unanimous in their opinion that the Indian heritage village should have been preserved and conserved.
Saddened by impending demolishment
Galeri Seni Mutiara director and senior artist Koay Soo Kau (right), 64, said he was saddened by the impending demolishment of Kampung Buah Pala.
He said the authorities should consider including human living heritage and community culture as part of the state development policy.
"We, the Penang artists, are here to record the few remaining days of Tamil High Chaparral.
"I am sad it would now be demolished and flattened," he said, adding Kampung Buah Pala would give an invaluable lesson to all Penangites in the long run.
Koay plans to organise an exhibition soon to display the artists' works on the ‘last few days of High Chaparral.'
He pointed out that since George Town has been given the Unesco's world heritage accolade, it was imperative to implement a comprehensive heritage preservation and conservation programme in the city.
"Heritage is not just all about structural preservation.
Importance of heritage
"Human culture, history and living style are important components of heritage preservation.
"Without human presence, structural heritage would be pale and stale," he told reporters, adding that an artist's role was also to express human feelings in their artworks.
Another senior artist Tan Lye Hoe, 71, said he plans to produce artworks to express the feelings and sentiments of residents and heritage lovers on eventual demise of Kampung Buah Pala.
"Our role is not just to paint a picturesque view of the natural and heritage scenery of the village.
"We must express the human views, sentiments and feelings on the eventual destruction of a traditional village in an artistic way," Tan told newsmen, adding the people should learn to appreciate and value living human heritage.
The village would be demolished and flattened in a few weeks time to pave way for a lucrative condominium project called the Oasis, to be developed by Nusmetro Venture (P) Sdn Bhd.
Out of the 24 villagers, who initially fought for the village preservation as a heritage site, 12 of them have agreed to accept the developer's double-storey terrace house as compensation.
Another 12 are seeking for a cash settlement of RM300,000 each to rebuild and retain their village homes either near the present village or at another site.
They also plan to start a trust fund soon to collect public donations The donations would be used to buy a piece of land to develop an Indian traditional village.
History altered altogether
After that, they plan to seek recognition from the federal government on the heritage of the new village.
Artist Ong Choon Hoo, 44, from Bukit Mertajam, said even though it was a good idea to retain and rebuild the village, nonetheless history would be altered altogether.
He said preservation of a heritage village was also to protect and cherish the history of a living environment.
He said these attributes would be lost forever once the village is destroyed and relocated.
"No amount of money can buy back its lost history and natural living environment.
"High Chaparral is a perfect model village where humans, ruminants, birds and other animals, and nature co-exist in a romantic environment.
"I can understand the residents' sentiments and what they have fought for all this while," said Ong, who intends to produce a dozen paintings on the village.
'Prefer to die in my village'
A senior resident Draviam Arul Pillay, 84, whose family ancestors and descendants have been living in the village for six generations, is yet to come to terms that his ‘home town' would meet eventual death soon.
He slammed the current state government for failing to protect and save the village.
"The DAP state government should have been pro-active to preserve it. Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng is solely responsible for this.
"He should stop blaming others. He cannot run away from his accountability for the destruction of the village," Draviam said.
He said if he had his way he would sleep on the road to block the bulldozers from coming in to demolish and flatten the houses.
"I still have the spirit and energy to do it. I prefer to die in my village than elsewhere," he told newsmen at the village.
