OPINION

The pull of the past: rising interest in Hougang’s history

The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in interest in the history of Aukang (or Hougang) from different perspectives

This monument depicts a large, communal well that was once a source of water to kampung residents. Photograph by writer.

There has been increased interest in the stories of a place in the northeast part of Singapore, variously called Hougang, Aukang, or “the USA” (Upper Serangoon Area).

I typically refer to the area as “Aukang” (and “Punggol”) because that was what it was called when my father lived in the kampung (village) from the 1940s to 1970s.

But these days, people typically use the Mandarin term, “Hougang” (后港), even though I would caution against using “Hougang” and “Aukang” interchangeably (well, history is complicated).

In this short article, I trace the recent and rising interest in Hougang’s history.

Tracing Recent Interest

In recent years, there has been rising interest in the history of Hougang.

On 3 November 2022, the Workers’ Party (WP) launched a trailer for their documentary, 后港 Hougang: The Documentary. Broadly, it was about the people and political history of Hougang, unveiled to mark the 65th anniversary of WP’s founding.