“This place holds memories of my father and me.” said Kat Cheng

By the sun-drenched shores of Sha Kiu Village on High Island, Cheng Lai Kuen, affectionately known as Kat, wipes the sweat from her brow as she waits outside the Village Office. The building has been charmingly redecorated with fishing nets, transforming into an artwork for the Arts Festival. “Even after moving to the city when I got married, I frequently return,” Kat explains, her voice carrying over the gentle sea breeze. “In the winter, I bring my children here for hikes, and in the summer, we take my friend’s boat to spend a day or two at our ancestral home.”

Last year, Kat dedicated several weeks to her role as Villager Ambassador, passionately recounting the history and stories of Sha Kiu Village to visitors. “I adore this place because it’s woven with cherished memories of my father and our times together,” she says, her gaze drifting towards the family home by the sea, as memories of her youth ebb and flow like the waves.

Though she was the fifth child, Kat also took on the role of ‘big sister’ to her four younger siblings, becoming a cornerstone of the family from a young age. “The New Year’s Day ritual is particularly vivid in my memory. Boat people traditionally dine at 5 a.m., and my mother would wake me in the dead of night to help prepare the meal. In the chilly winter, without running water, my sister and I fetched thirty buckets from the well each time.” Despite the traditional preference for sons over daughters among the boat people, Kat’s father supported her education and aspirations. “He stood up for me to continue my schooling in Sai Kung. I’m forever grateful for his support and respect; he always treated me as an equal, which was not something I took for granted.”

After completing Form 5, Kat returned to Sha Kiu Village for a few months, renovating the ancestral home alongside her father. “He was a wise and intelligent man, raising nine children through fishing, then building a home on land,” she recalls, tears glossing her eyes. Despite her life in the city, her heart remained anchored in Sha Kiu. “I was born and raised here. I’ve never loved the concrete jungle. This place, with its untouched beauty, is where my soul truly lies.” She remembers the influx of retirees and other visitors during last year’s Arts Festival and looks forward to welcoming even more in the future. “It’s quite remote, yet its pristine charm is what makes it truly beautiful.”