武来岸开埠初期

 

19世纪末，武来岸和文丁一带是个产锡米的地方，全盛时期，根据J.M Gullick的著作-《A history of Negeri Sembilan 142页》，华裔人口就有3000人。锡矿场需要许多劳工，我的祖父就在那个时候，从中国梅县来到这里找生活。

 

石嗱督庙后山的一大片土地，名为Kampung Kapal的，就是采锡的地方，俗称『铁船』的砂泵採锡公司在曾在这里运作。

 

当时候的武来岸可热闹了，街上除了餐馆和宾馆外，还有烟馆和劳工喝酒寻欢的地方。只可惜，好景不长，当锡米采完后，锡矿工人也随着离开，剩下部分则留在当地割树胶和务农，其中包括我的祖父母。

 

当时，所有居民除了少数开店的人外，都散居在各自的胶园里，分布在老港、新港、协利港、林新港和山蕃港等地区。老港是指石嗱督庙的所在处、新港则是指武来岸往十八啤和芙蓉方向，而协利港则是靠近茅草山地区。我祖父住在老港区，离街上约三公里路。

 

这些新客都是过着“日出而作，日落而息”的平淡生活。他们视这里为临时落脚地，希望有朝一日，落叶归根，把辛苦挣到的钱带回老家。丛然不能衣锦还乡，但起码能过着比较安稳的日子。

 

可惜，人算不如天算，大平洋战争和日本南侵，切断了归乡之路！我的祖父母因此滞留在此。这里也成了我们永久的家。

 

 

At the end of the 19th century, the area around Broga and Mantin was a tin-mining area. In its heyday, according to "A history of Negeri Sembilan by J.M Gullick, page 142", the population of Chinese immigrants was 3,000. The tin mines required a lot of labor, and my grandfather who left his ancestral home in Meixian was among those who came here at that time to find a living. 

 

The areas behind the Sak Datuk Temple known as Kampung Kapal was key tin mining areas. There were also mining companies that used the Gravel Pump method for their mining operation. 

 

According to the village senior, Broga was very lively at that time. In addition to restaurants and hotels, there were also places where laborers drank and had fun. It's a pity that the good times didn't last long. After the tin ore was harvested, the tin miners and laborers left, while my grandparents chose to stay behind as rubber tappers and farmers. 

 

Like many other immigrants at that time, my grandfather regarded this place as a temporary place to stay, hoping that one day, they can bring back their hard-earned money to their hometown to live a better life.

 

However, my grandfather’s wishes did not materialize. The Pacific War and Japanese Occupation cut off their way home! My grandparents were stranded here, and Broga finally become our permanent home.