Hong Kong primary students use film to explore Tsuen Wan traditional businesses
- Project asked students explore their community and interview employees at the area’s oldest shops for a short video to promote cultural understanding
- Initiative was organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups Tsuen Wan Youth S.P.O.T. and Nan Fung Group
Members of Campus Reporter Team B pose for a photo at Hoi Pa Street Government Primary School in Tsuen Wan. (Back Row, L to R) Charlotte Ng Cheuk-ling; Wan Cho-Leung, Unit-in-charge of the HKFYG; Kacie Leung Ka-chun; Miracle Ko Ka-mei; Angel Wong Tsz-ying; Athena Lan Zi-Qing (Front Row ,L to R) Jessie Lau Kai-yan and Hailey Chiu Wing-tung. Photo: Edmond SoPrimary school students in Tsuen Wan were given the chance to venture out of the classroom and create a short film about the district’s traditional businesses as part of a cultural guided tour.
Equipped with stabilisers and wireless microphones, students from Hoi Pa Street Government Primary School interviewed employees in some of the area’s oldest shops for the film, which celebrates the legacy of these small businesses and their place in the community.
The group of 10 students were among the 120 participants, divided into 12 teams, who joined the “Little Tsuen Wan KOL” programme in April. Their five-minute video, featuring Yuet Wo – a shop that sells soy sauce – and Chi Kee Noodle Shop, earned them the Bronze Award in the video contest.
Members of the team, called Campus Reporter Team B, said the programme allowed them to overcome their misconceptions.
“When I first heard that I needed to make a video about small shop culture in Tsuen Wan, I thought the shops would be filthy,” said Charlotte Ng Cheuk-ling, 11, the director of the short film.
“When I got there, I realised that small shops could be clean, too, which changed my previous impression,” she added.
Organised by the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG) Tsuen Wan Youth S.P.O.T. and Nan Fung Group, the project saw each team tasked with producing a video clip that promoted the district’s history and culture.
Becky Lam, assistant general manager of Nan Fung Group, said: “The pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges over the past few years, and we are delighted to see children finally being able to ... interact with the community in person and discover the different facets of life in Tsuen Wan.”
Wan Cho-leung, unit-in-charge of HKFYG Tsuen Wan Youth S.P.O.T., said children nowadays may miss out on Hong Kong’s rich cultural heritage and what makes their community unique.
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“Nowadays, children [don’t have to] shop at wet markets; they [don’t have to] go to places they are not familiar with,” he said.
In an effort to strengthen the younger generation’s cultural identity and sense of community, the three-month programme not only offered students video production workshops but also a series of cultural guided tours, where students learned about a variety of local shops and their intangible cultural heritage.
With guidance from teachers, they interviewed shop owners and filmed footage, allowing them to experience first-hand what it is like to be a content creator.
Nine-year-old Hailey Chiu Wing-tung, another member of Campus Reporter Team B, said: “After joining the programme, I have learned a lot about Tsuen Wan, and I yearn to continue exploring its history and culture.”
While the programme gave students the opportunity to go out and explore their community, it was not always an easy journey.
Speaking of the challenges they faced during the on-site interviews, Hailey, a Primary Three student, said: “It takes a lot of courage to conduct interviews with staff at local shops.” She said some students might be shy and nervous about talking to strangers.
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Miracle Ko Ka-mei, 12, who worked with Hailey and Charlotte on the project, spoke of the difficulties of post-production: “It took me so much time to finish the subtitles, and I also had to listen patiently to what the people in the videos were saying for complete wordings.”
Another team member, Angel Wong Tsz-ying, 12, hoped their video could appeal to people from other parts of Hong Kong as well. “Residents from other districts may not know the culture and history of Tsuen Wan. I hope the video can help them [learn more],” she said.