TongKang, TwaKow & Bumboats of Singapore River. What's the Difference?

From 1819 to 1983, Singapore River was chock a block with boats of all kinds - tongkang, twakow, and bumboats. These terms are often used interchangeably but they refer to different types of river craft. There were also sampans.

Sampan at Boat Quay 1946. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Sampans are small, simple one-man row boats used to ferry passengers and goods.

Timber Tongkang. Image credit: Wikipedia

The tongkang were the first lighter boats that plied Singapore River. When Raffles established the port of Singapore in 1819, the first people he turned to to operate the port were Chulia lightermen from Madras (British India) and Penang (British Malaya).

The Chulia lightermen's craft of choice was the tongkang.

Tongkang. Image credit: Wikipedia

The tongkang's design is influenced by the Arabian dhow. The tongkang has a sharp bow, deep V-shaped keel and relatively long and narrow hull. The bow (head) and stern (tail) of the tongkang has the same design, so the boat can change direction easily. As tongkang are wind powered they have tall masts for sails.

Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

The opening of several bridges across Singapore River limited the access of tongkang boats which have tall masts. The advent of steamships in the 1860s and opening of Tanjong Pagar wharf which allowed dockside loading reduced the need for the large tongkang to transfer goods between land and ship.

By the turn of the 20th century, the tangkong were used mainly for inter-island work and Singapore River was left to the smaller twakow 大䑩 (which literally means "broad beam boat" in Teochew and Hokkien Chinese). 

Twakow 1960. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Twakow 大䑩 lighters are Chinese operated, either by Teochew or Hokkien lightermen. The boats have a flat bottom and flat wide bow.

Singapore Five Dollar Note

Initially twakow lighters were powered by wind but by the 1930s most were motorised. In the river, they navigate by long punt poles pushing against the river bed. A twakow looks like a small junk which greatly influenced its design.

Twakow 1980. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

A fully laden twakow heading for a quay to unload their goods.

It is easy to tell the Teochew and Hokkien twakow apart.

Twakow 1980. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Hokkien owned boats are painted red and green around the "eye".

Twakow 1980. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

All red boats are operated by Teochew owners. The "eyes" are supposed to help keep the boats from striking obstructions (e.g. underwater rocks) and also served as a marker to indicate the maximum safe load. The "eye" must always be above water when fully loaded - simple.

Image credit: Wikipedia

The government launched the Singapore River clean up programme in 1977 and by 1983 removed all twakow from the river. Only bumboats ferrying tourists are allowed on Singapore River.

Bumboat 1990. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Bumboat is a generic term referring to small boats transferring goods or passengers between oceangoing ships and shore.

 

In today's Singapore River, bumboats can be purpose built ferries or modified twakow offering "river cruises".



Aside from river cleaning boats, "river cruise" bumboats are the only craft plying Singapore River today.

Two Twakow, Two Types of Bak Kut Teh

Coolie 1956. Image credit: National Archives of Singapore

Making a living on Singapore River was literally back breaking work, whether as boatman or stevedore. Everyone whether Teochew or Hokkien appreciates a hearty bowl of nourishing, health fortifying, energising bak kut teh.

But, just like Teochew and Hokkien have their different colour schemes for twakow, they have their respective preferences for bak kut teh.

Lau Ah Tee Bak Kut Teh

Teochew who paint their twakow red, like a clear looking bak kut teh of meat bones boiled in water with just garlic and pepper. The resulting bak kut teh is peppery, garlicky with subtle sweetness from the fresh pork. Sometimes, a tinct of dark soy sauce gave the soup a pale tea colour but more often it is served clear.

Nankin Street Bak Kut Teh @ Maxwell Road Food Centre

The Hokkiens who paint their twakow green and red like their bak kut teh with medicinal herbs, pepper, garlic and lots of dark soy sauce. So, Hokkien style bak kut teh soup look brownish and often nearly pitch black in colour. The savoury herbal sweet peppery taste profile is actually more complex than their Teochew counterpart's peppery garlicky.

Today, Teochew peppery soup bak kut teh is synonymous with Singapore BKT and quite ubiquitous while the herbal Hokkien variety is rather niche with just a small handful of stalls still serving it.

History of Singapore Bak Kut Teh 👈 click
Teochew First or Hokkien First? 👈 click

Date: 31 Aug 2020