Entries Tagged 'Family stories' ↓

One summer afternoon, as many as the wonderful afternoons I had in my childhood, soon as Koung Koung came back from work, I was asked to get ready after the meal, to go for our recreational ride to Marie Reine de la Paix and to the Champ de Mars Edward VII monument. After the dinner, Koung Koung and Popoh had the habit of having their afternoon rides to breathe fresh air and to relax in a green and pleasant environment. As the eldest grand son, I was privileged to accompany them and to have spent time with them. This close relationship and frequent interactions  with the grand parents also yielded to my fairly good command of the Hakka language which I have kept all of my life.

The ever faithful Bye Mamode was  aways there waiting in the Rover 5885 to drive us. As far as I can remember Bye Mamode has always been our driver. He used to tell me that he was  first employed by Koung Koung to drive the  public bus that Koung Koung owned on the run  from  Riviere du Rempart to Sebastopol. More than a driver he was also the errand man as well as the rent collector for the Grand Pa.

That afternoon,riding  in the car with them, I felt that Popoh was not in her normal mood. She was complaining about the new maid’s service. Already she had difficulty conversing with the maid as she herself was not able to speak creole, she kept on complaining  on the stupidity and clumsiness of the new recruit. Koung Koung had enough of Popoh’s mumbling. In a poised and gentle tone he said to Popoh: ‘after all this new maid will only work as a maid because she was not bright. What do you expect of a young girl coming from the country side without any education and who has been brought up in very humble condition? You will have to take the patience to train her and give her time to learn. If she was as bright and as intelligent as you, she might even be able to replace you.” The complaints and mumblings stopped short immediately.

We spent the rest of the afternoon sitting on the leather cushions we brought with us on the grass of the Marie Reine de La Paix garden terraces in silence and enjoyed watching the sunset over the harbour.

The first car I owned was a Toyota MK1 , plate number Z941, and was olive green in colour. It was purchased for Rs.13500 from an expatriate who had the car for a year.

I had crashed Dad’s car AA404 in an accident past Newgrove area. It was in the days when I was working as the sales officer of Air India and needed to attend duties at Plaisance airport. It was equipped with a 3shift gear transmission box and a powerful 1300 cc engine. It was a 5 passenger’s car as the front seats could take 2 passengers besides the driver. I sold it for Rs. 11000 after a year or so, to a taxi driver when I was provided with a car by Rogers and company when I had taken the responsibility of the air cargo division.

My next car then became the Mini Van number plate V993 before being allotted an Allegro.

This Saturday afternoon, the cronies got together to have a chat and a cup of Chinese tea between the rounds of Pen Kim, Chinese narrow cards. I gather that  SIOW AH FEE just came back from Hong Kong and brought back an American car. Good for him, it appears that Gold and jewellery business is doing well. By the way, the third wife of Mr. Li, is expecting another child this week, after the first son she delivered a baby girl, let us hope that she has a son this time.

Koung Koung retorted: you will recall that some years ago, Mr. Li suggested that I avail myself of a second wife? Well, let me tell you what I found: when Mr. Li had two wives, he had to devise a roaster to ensure whose turn it would be to prepare the warm water for the daily bath. Now with the third wife on board, I found that every day, Mr. Li is lighting up the fire to warm water for his new wife and preparing the bath tub for her and him. I do not want to be in the same situation as our good friend Mr. Li. The cronies had a good laugh and carried on their game of Chinese narrow cards.

In my reading of the scripture today,in the First Letter to the Corinthians, it was greatly about Faith Hope and Love. I am amazed to have lived last night of the impact of the love given by my grand mother to his brother more than have a half  century ago.

Grand mother born in the Young family left China in the early 20’s to join Grand Pa in Mauritius. She left behind in Mei Xien two girls with her mother in law and I bet that she would never have thought then  that she would have give birth to 16 more babies there after. She lived a life of abundance and love.

As things turned out, earning a good living in Mauritius, Grand Pa sent back money to his folks. Like wise Grand mother’s folks were not forgotten. Her folks were also sent in money from time to time.Some uncles even estimated that more than half of Grand Pa earning were sent back through the years.

It is interesting to note that on the one hand Chinese were considered as aliens to the British colony,on the other hand being treated as aliens, the chinese residents also had in mind to return back to home once they had made enough money. I noted that both my father and mother though born in Mauritius travelled on a Chinese issued laisse passer to China in 1946, they did not have a  British travel document.

This very act of love of our grand Parents produced last night an almost miracle. Our connection with the folks of our grand mother’s side of her Young family had been severed more than 40 years ago. Ever since grand mother passed away, there had been no communication between us in Mauritius and the Young family in Mei Xien. The near miracle is the meeting of grand ma’s grand newphew in Mauritius.

Cousin Young, now 50 years old, since his childhood knew that he had an aunt living in Mauritius who regularly sent in money to his grand father and family.  This week, he traveled to Mauritius to survey the possibility of supplying construction labour to Super Construction a builder. He inquired about the family and was directed to us.

It was a great rejoicing last night for cousin Young and the family to meet and to establish back relationship with grand ma folks. Thank you grand parents for the generosity sowed half a century ago.  We have reaped one of the  fruit of your love.

The cronies were gathered as usual every Saturday to spend time together and to keep abreast of the latest news. It was in the late 30’s. After their usual round of ‘Penkim’, the Chinese narrow card, they broke to have a sip of Chinese tea and some snack.

One of the members brought up the latest news: “I have been told by the ‘Moi ngin’, marriage broker that in a couple to weeks a new batch of girls is arriving by the next steamer. They are all from Moyen and have been selected for marriage”. That information started a round of exchange of leg pulling amongst the old friends.

-You should get a new wife as you have only one son and your wife has only produced girls since.

-Your business has grown so well, that it is time now to have another wife.

-Instead of producing half-breeds with the local women this is an opportunity to have well bred Chinese children.

– Did you attend the grand wedding of Ng Fuk Cheong: he married a Hakka and a Cantonese wife on the same day at the Koong Tine hall? That was a really great celebration; he surely is doing well, besides the wholesale business he now is striving with the retail store at Vacoas as he is now the main supplier to the British garrison.

-The Government of the Republic of China is sending in a consul to be stationed in Mauritius soon.

The China Institute was the social club where the well to do Chinese Merchants would meet regularly not only to socialise but more importantly to discuss issues that concerned their businesses before formulating them officially to the Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The China Institute was the forum outside the clan’s organisation where the different business men would meet.

En parcourant les textes publiés par le supplément du journal L’Express tiré à l’occasion des 40 ans de l’indépendance de notre nation, j’ai retrouvé dans la contribution d’Armand Maudave la description de la vision d’exception de mon premier patron Amedé Maingard(AHMV).

Je me suis arrêté et pris quelques moments de silence après la lecture du récit cité. J’ai eu besoin de me recueillir et de revivre les moments que j’avais vécus au fil des belles années passées sous la tutelle d’AHMV au sein de Rogers. En effet, ce 13 décembre 1966, ma première rencontre avec AHMV m’a mis en route pour toute ma vie.

Papa était un ami d’AHMV, Rotariens du club de Port Louis. AHMV souhaitait mettre en place un corps de ‘ Young management Cadets’, il demanda à Papa de lui recommander de jeunes. Et voila comment, j’étais reçu pour un entretien. Petit de mes vingt ans, j’étais impressionné de ma première visite chez Rogers : le bureau d’AHMV était situé à l’étage et il fallait passer a travers la salle d’exposition de voitures BLMC pour y accéder. Après une très brève rencontre avec l’impressionnant personnage au regard perçant et de peu de mots, il me conduit au rez de chaussée chez Monsieur Ribet, le responsable du département de l’Aviation ou j’étais assigné pour mon premier poste, agent de réservation.

Un visionnaire d’exception

Il avait avec distinction servi les Alliés contre le Troisième

Reich. Sa connaissance du français avait été jugée utile par les

services secrets britanniques pour lui permettre de s’infiltrer dans

le maquis français et saboter les installations nazies. A la démobilisation

(1946), son palmarès et ses décorations lui valurent de précieux

et durables contacts dans les milieux de la haute administration

française et anglaise. Il s’en servit astucieusement pour

promouvoir et dynamiser, dès son retour à Maurice, des secteurs

encore embryonnaires chez Rogers and Co., notamment l’aviation,

l’hôtellerie, le shipping et le tourisme.

Amédée Hugnin Maingard de la Ville-es-Offrans, ou tout simplement

Dédé, demeure celui qui aura assuré les bases de l’industrie

du tourisme et prévu l’importance des liaisons aériennes qui

la sous-tendent. Dès 1948, des contrats furent signés avec Qantas,

South African Airways et BOAC. Une belle maison coloniale,

aujourd’hui hélas disparue, devint le Park Hotel en 1952. MTTB

(promotion) et Mautourco (transport) furent créés à la même époque.

Les bungalows de Morne Plage virent le jour en 1954 et

New Mauritius Hotels fut incorporé dix ans plus tard. Le slogan de

Hilton était Location, Location and Location, celui d’Amédée

Maingard Qualité, Qualité, Qualité. Le concept haut de gamme qui a

prévalu depuis remonte à son perpétuel souci de perfection.

« Hotels and tourism were, above all else, Dédé’s abiding business

passion », entendra-t-on dire de lui. Il sut en outre entretenir avec

les autorités des relations de confiance et d’amitié. Cela facilita

l’aboutissement de maints projets liés au tourisme. Bel exemple, s’il

en fût, d’un secteur privé avisé et entreprenant, maintenant avec

l’État nouvellement indépendant un partenariat fructueux.

Koung Koung  gave me great lessons. My dad had acquired in the early 60’s the property of the Chan Kwan Tong at la Paix Street almost facing the residence of Ah Mee Koo and uncle Wong On Wing. Grandpa took charge to build garages for the vehicles of the cigarette department and to refurbish the house for renting out.

There I landed to be the apprentice under the wing of Grandpa to help him in his tasks. I guess that I might be around 14 years old. Grandpa always had a measuring meter with him, a beautiful leather case one which would roll out 30 or 40 meters. It was always stored in the last bottom drawer of this desk. First, we went on measuring the proposed site to erect the garages. Then he drew out a sketch of the proposed garage which will be able to hold three vans in a row. Together with a foreman, if I am not mistaken his name was Gaston, they worked out the materials required for the building. The concrete blocks, iron bars, sand and cement were ordered and delivered on site. The works started. I joined grandpa almost every afternoon on site, after the departure of the workers to work out the stock on materials used during the day. He told me that he had to be present for the departure time of the workers to make sure that they have accomplished their daily task and to make sure that they do not take away materials from the site. He held a close account of the materials as well as the number of workers that attended work daily. It was great observing the methodical way he noted every item. Every night after dinner he would work out at his desk the expenditure incurred and account for it in his book written in Chinese.

After the building of the garage, he undertook the repair of the house which required the replacement of some rotten wood planks and some pillars.

The greatest learning came when we proceeded to the painting of the house. He first negotiated the daily pay rate with the painter Antoine. Antoine was then instructed to remove the old paint using a paint stripper that would burn off the old paint. Together with the driver I went to take delivery of the tins of putty which was required to even out the wooden planks.

In those days, ready to use paint was not common. From uncle Yee Chin Koon’s hardware store; he bought tins of paint paste that had to be mixed oil and a thinner to make up the paint. Dyes were then added to the white paint to obtain the color required. Grandpa told me to stay and watch over Antoine for the day to make sure that he was working the whole day. I was  also asked to take note of the break time he took for lunch and pauses. Then in the afternoon after Antoine’s departure Grandpa asked me to measure the surface area he had painted during the day. He worked out the amount of paint paste used as well as the quantity of oil used. We did that for two consecutive days. Thereafter he told me that now we know how much paint is required for the area painted and how much area is painted by day there will be no need for you to watch over Antoine any more.

A smart Koung Koung I had isn’t it?

I am privileged to be the eldest son of the eldest son. I feel that this privilege gives me some responsibilities; I guess I have to be an example to carry the flag that Koung Koung planted, meanwhile I assume the responsibility to share some of the great experiences I witnessed during the days when I was with him.

I have the memory of a grandfather who all of us feared whilst being very respectful to, and more importantly he was the grandfather we cherished and loved for his great integrity and rightfulness. Grandpa was a wise with no time to fool around person. His stringent respect of his promises was known to all the persons that knew him. He had extraordinary capacity to analyze complex situations be it in business matters or be it in human relations. It is precisely for these charismas that many persons came to him for counseling.

Interestingly enough, I was told that he decided to retire from the business after  having paved the way and made sure that a structure was in place for his succession. For some time acting as the non executive chairman of the business, he used to run a meeting every Friday evening with the sons who were running the affairs of the company. To occupy himself, he undertook the responsibility of administrating the immovable properties. From memory, I can recall the building of the Ciel Bleu property, the upgrading of the bungalow at Baie du Tombeau, the reconversion of the back yard of Joseph Riviere property into two apartments, and the refurbishing of La Paix street property.

I was indeed very blessed to have been the teenager boy who had accompanied him in his work. Grandpa was very thorough in work. He was a hard worker and was very systematic and practical. Whilst the design and engineering works for building the ‘Ciel Bleu’ were assigned to Mr. Chuck and his then junior Frank AHKOON, Grandpa himself together with foreman Mr. Gaston undertook to build the 2 storey building. Several times I accompanied him to Mr. Chuck office which was at Desforges street where he discussed of the plans. For long hours, he sat at his desk, thinking and working out the details of the work as well as monitoring the costs. He was assisted in his task by Uncle Francis in this project. Hats off to the shopkeeper who graduated to builder at the late age of sixty over.

What was his secret?

He was an astute observer. No action was taken before a thorough thinking was done. He would analyze the consequences of any initiative he would take. He planned minutely before execution. He would draw and put on paper all his plans. He monitored his execution. He noted all details and compare with the plans. He reflected on his actions and though of possible improvements. He reflected and learned from his actions. He documented all his work and systematically and methodically filed all his work. He was always calm and serene as a good Chinese he showed little emotions. He lived and practiced the principles he learnt and believed – temperate and thoughtful.

An unforgettable incident

One day we were being driven in the Rover car C141 to the bungalow at Baie du Tombeau by Bye Mamode, our faithful driver. We were late as grandpa requested Bye Mamode to speed up. On the road towards Roche Bois, a herd of goats crossed the road, Bye Mamode braked. He knocked down a goat causing a dent in the grill of the car. After the accident, Grandpa told Bye Mamode: Excuse me for having caused the accident, the next time I ask you to drive fast, just say yes to me and keep on driving slowly as usual. This is my permanent instruction.

Le 28 août, c’est la fête de Saint Augustin. Cette date évoque en moi plusieurs souvenirs qui m’ont marqué toute ma vie. Je revis encore les séquences du baptême de mon grand père YIPTONG qui s’est tenu à notre maison de Port Louis. Grand Père était malade depuis quelque temps, à cause de son diabète : la plaie il avait a son pied ne guérissait pas. En effet, une gangrène rongeait peu à peu ses orteils et s’entendait vers sa jambe. Les médecins avaient décidé qu’il fallait amputer sa jambe. Il fut averti de la décision et il demanda immédiatement de recevoir le baptême avant d’entreprendre l’opération surgicale. (Ouvrier de la dernière heure, dirai je. Car il succomba a l’opération quelques jours après.)  Le Père Paul Wu bienveillamment accepta de baptiser grand père et grand mère à domicile et de donner à grand-père le sacrement des malades. L’atmosphère et l’ambiance, ce jour la, était lourd et triste car les conséquences du moment n’était guère réjouissants. Quoiqu’au fond du cÅ“ur de ma maman Cécette, je pensais qu’elle avait toujours souhaité et prié pour la conversion de ses beaux parents au christianisme. Dans d’autres circonstances cela aurait été un jour de fête.
Dans la panique et l’empressement, Père Paul demanda : quel est le nom de baptême choisi ? Un grand silence régna. Personne n’y avait pensé. Père Paul en regardant le carnet liturgique du jour nota que c’était le jour de la fête de Saint Augustin. Grand Père reçu ainsi le nom d’Augustin et grand-mère le nom de Rose en honneur de Sainte Rose de Lima que l’église fêtait quelques jours après.

Qui était donc Saint Augustin ?

Déjà, Monsieur Aimé Laval, mon professeur de primaire, nous racontait de temps en temps, surtout au jour de leur fête, l’histoire des grands saints que l’Église honorait. Saint Augustin fut l’un d’eux. Grand philosophe et docteur de l’Eglise, Monsieur Laval, nous racontât un jour Augustin marchant sur la plage, il était absorbé dans ses pensées par la résolution de prouver que Dieu existait. Voyant un enfant qui remplissait un trou dans le sable de l’eau de la mer, il s’arrêta et demanda à l’enfant : que souhaites tu accomplir là ? L’enfant lui répondit : je souhaite remplir le trou de toute l’eau de la mer. C’est impossible lui répondit Augustin. L’enfant ajoutât : de même que tu ne trouveras pas la résolution de ton énigme. Il suffit seulement d’y croire.

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Saint Augustin est l’un des plus grands génies qui aient paru sur la terre et l’un des plus grands saints dont Dieu ait orné son Église. Moine, pontife, orateur, écrivain, philosophe, théologien, interprète de la Sainte Écriture, homme de prière et homme de zèle, il est une des figures les plus complètes que l’on puisse imaginer. Ce qu’il y a de plus admirable, c’est que Dieu tira cet homme extraordinaire de la boue profonde du vice pour l’élever presque aussi haut qu’un homme puisse atteindre; c’est bien à son sujet qu’on peut dire: “Dieu est admirable dans Ses Saints!”

Augustin naquit à Tagaste, en Afrique, l’an 354, et, s’il reçut de la part de sa sainte mère, Monique, les leçons et les exemples de la vertu, il reçut les exemples les plus déplorables de la part d’un malheureux père, qui ne se convertit qu’au moment de la mort. A l’histoire des égarements de coeur du jeune et brillant étudiant se joint l’histoire des égarements étranges de son esprit; mais enfin, grâce à trente années de larmes versées par sa mère, Dieu fit éclater invinciblement aux yeux d’Augustin les splendeurs de la vérité et les beautés seules vraies de la vertu, et le prodigue se donna tout à Dieu: “Le fils de tant de larmes ne saurait périr!” avait dit un prêtre vénérable à la mère désolée. Parole prophétique, qui renferme de grands enseignements pour les nombreuses Moniques des Augustins modernes.

C’est à Milan, sous l’influence d’Ambroise, qu’Augustin était rentré en lui-même. La voix du Ciel le rappela en Afrique où, dans une retraite laborieuse et paisible, avec quelques amis revenus à Dieu avec lui, il se prépara aux grandes destinées qui l’attendaient.

Augustin n’accepta qu’avec larmes l’évêché d’Hippone, car son péché était toujours sous ses yeux, et l’humilité fut la grande vertu de sa vie nouvelle. Il fut le marteau de toutes les hérésies de son temps; ses innombrables ouvrages sont un des plus splendides monuments de l’intelligence humaine éclairée par la foi, et ils demeurent comme la source obligée de toutes les études théologiques et philosophiques.

Si les écrits d’Augustin sont admirables par leur science, ils ne le sont pas moins par le souffle de la charité qui les anime; nul coeur ne fut plus tendre que le sien, nul plus compatissant au malheur des autres, nul plus sensible aux désastres de la patrie, nul plus touché des intérêts de Dieu, de l’Église et des âmes. Il passa les dix derniers jours de sa vie seul avec Dieu, dans le silence le plus absolu, goûtant à l’avance les délices de l’éternité bienheureuse.

Why were Koung Koung and Popoh YIPTONG reluctant to the marriage of my father Pak Lin to my mother Cecette? To be able to answer the question, it would be necessary to get to the background story to situate the scene and place us in the context of the time and place.

We were just passed the 40’s war, time were tough for all the inhabitants of the island. Employment was scare, even food was rationed. Came the end of the war, in 1945 the troops were demobilized and the normal activities of the country restarted.

Koung Koung YIPTONG was amongst the notable of the Chinese community and had done economically well for himself and his lot. He was a merchant, owning a high street wholesale business. In those days the wholesalers were not only the suppliers of goods of the retailers, they were also the fund provider (almost the banker) of the retailers. He himself started off in 1907 as a countryside retailer attached to a wholesaler until he had enough capital to open shop as a wholesale trader. Having saved enough wealth, he was about to fulfill his mission: a return back to China to resettle with his family.

Koung Koung YIPTONG was owner of several properties which were rented; was a prominent member of the community and was part of the Chinese unofficial leaders’ club: he commanded respect and was in the lime light of the community as an example of success and wisdom to follow. He was often called to arbitrate on litigious issues between members of the community, which in a way was a sort of arbitration court of the community.

To grow his business, on the recommendation of another wealthy merchant Chong Kwan, Koung Koung employed as correspondence clerk the latter’s relative: Ignace AHLIM an ex army sergeant who was recently demobilized. Ignace, though educated, came from a poor family background. Of Chinese Cantonese father and half Chinese mother, Ignace was orphan at age 16 and had to work to look after his mother, brother and sisters. Koung Koung liked the industrious qualities and the honesty of Ignace and later recruited his younger brother Laval to work in the business and her younger sister Cecette to help on a part time basis his growing children in their schooling. The duties of Cecette demanded that she spent long hours at the YIPTONG’s house.

With time and frequent meetings love between Cecette the learning tutor of the family and the eldest son, Pak Lin of the family developed.

How could the model Hakka family allow his eldest son marry a non Hakka?

It was traditional in those days that Chinese parents would select their daughter in law for acceptance by their son. Could the family accept a departure from the tradition?

Besides there were practical aspects to the issue: Popoh did not speak any other language than Hakka, Cecette could not communicate with her; how would her future daughter in law survive when they will be settled back in China and further more Cecette did not have the Chineseness expected from the traditional Hakka family.

Soon as the news of the love affair of the tutor of the house with the eldest son broke, Cecette lost her employ. Pak Lin was  told to severe the relationship. The lovers continued to meet in spite of the restrictions. Koung Koung even threatened to disinherit him if he would dare marry his love one. Pak Lin would not change his mind: he even left his job in the family business to become a taxi driver to the horror of his father.

Seeing that Pak Lin will not change his mind, Koung Koung in his wisdom finally gave in: he accepted the marriage under the condition that the married couple would settle in China soon after. Meanwhile, the 3^rd son Yook started dating another Chinese girl which did not receive the consent of Popoh as the tradition would dictate.