1. Communities – Singapore – Social life and customs 2. Urban renewal – Singapore – History 3. Economic development – Singapore – History 4. Country life – Singapore – History 5. Potong Pasir (Singapore) – Social conditions – History. (Winner of the Singapore Literature Prize) Kampong life in Singapore did not end in 1965 with her independence. In Josephine Chia's new collection of non-fiction stories, the phasing out of attap-thatched villages, the largest mass movement in Singapore, is set against the backdrop of significant national events Weaving personal tribulations-her teenage angst-and the experiences of villagers from her kampong, Josephine skillfully parallels the hopes and challenges of a toddling nation going through the throes of industrialisation and rapid changes from 1966 to 1975. These delightful, real-life stories, sprinkled with snippets of her Peranakan culture, reveal the joie-de-vivre of gotong royong or community spirit, despite impoverished conditions, in the last days of kampong life.