PULAI : A CHINESE COMMUNITY IN KELANTAN

Abstract

The uniqueness of Pulai as a Chinese settlement which has remained for centuries, maintaining a ethnically pure identity, warranted an investigation. The study was based on an analysis of the settlement in Kelantan. The data obtained came from fieldwork, based on the author residing in Pulai for a total of 60 days. The study sought to analyze the villagers's attachment to place and its uniqueness as a Chinese Hakka community, one which has established a stronghold in Pulai. In studying the history of the Chinese Hakka community of Pulai, it is evident from the oral history of residents that the exact origins of the area is largely indeterminate and vague. There is some established evidence to suggest the settlement has existed for at least 200 years. Isolation has reinforced such an attachment to place. Isolation abo explains the ethnic purity of Pulai. The provision of basic subsistence by the fertile environment and ownership of land have reinforced the villagers' bond with Pulai . An enjoyment of the frontier spirit and good communal relations in Pulai further encourages one's attachment to the village. The villagers' emotional bond with Pulai, is further cemented with the guarantee of protection by the resident deity.