PISS: Geylang

Yo Mat Riders,

Question: Wat is the first thing you think when someone says Geylang?

Ahhhh.....Admit it....sleazy bastards....

Geylang, the place of Mat's childhood, where Mat first rided a tri-shaw, where Mat makan chendol, is more famously known for a happy ending.


The History of Geylang Serai

There are many versions of Geylang Serai's history. Why? Why got so many? Because no one gives a shit about what the real history is and no one wants to set it right. All we know is this bloody ang moh called Raffles.

Version Lumber 1 : Gaylang River

The history of Geylang Serai begins wih a small settlement consisting of Orang Laut and the Malays on the banks of Gaylang River. In the 1840s, the British Government dispersed the Malay floating village at the mouth of the Singapore River because of its obstruction to port traffic. The Malay inhabitants thus moved inland, with some setting up home in Geylang.

This new settlement at Geylang was known as 'Geylang Kelapa'. 'Kelapa' meaning coconut in Malay suggesting the presence of coconut plantaions. However, since the beginning of the 20th century, the settlement has been known as 'Geylang Serai', 'Serai' in Malay is 'Lemon grass' indicating the growth or cultivation of lemon grass in the area.



Version Lumber 2: Orang Gallang

Another possible origin to Geylang is the early presence of the fierce orang gallang tribe, one of the many orang laut tribal groups that lived along the coasts and rivers of Singapore island. The orang gallang were well-known for their piracy and pillaging of helpless craft in seas around Singapore island.

Version Lumber 3: Kilang Serai

The word Geylang is found early in Singapore's history. On Franklin and Jackson's plan, reproduced in John Crawfurd's 1828 book, Geylang appears as a river, referred to in the map as R. Gilang. The word Geylang is of Malay origin, and likely to be a corruption of the word kilang, meaning "press", "mill" or "factory". This may be due to the large number of processing factories for the coconut and lemongrass plantations in the area, and it could be that mills or presses operated on the coconut plantations to produce oil from copra.

So originally, Geylang was called Kilang Kelapa ( Coconut Factory ) and then Kilang Serai ( Lemongrass Factory ) and the word Kilang corrupted to Geylang.

Well Mat Riders, how now brown cow? We are Singaporeans right? So we should go out and find out the meanings and history of our Singapore man.

YESSAH,
Mat Love