Hong Kong - a city famous for its skyscrapers, dim sum and martial arts as well as a bustling metropolis has another unique side of history which isn't taught in schools, or even the city's guidebooks. It is largely hidden from the public view. This podcast aims to unravel the histories and mysteries of people of non-Chinese descent who contributed to Hong Kong — in different ways both in the past and the present from the Muslim soldiers who came to the city to a Sri Lankan virologist discovering SARS. You'll be travelling with me in my quest to find what I call the "Hidden Hongkongers".
Gurkhas, much like the early Muslim police officers, have also played an important role in protecting the borders especially from illegal immigration. However, they remain largely forgotten — especially among the current generation of Nepalese as well as the local Chinese population. Like in many other countries, a Gurkha regiment was also set up here in Hong Kong. I spoke to Nam Singh Thapa, a former Gurkha of the 6th Queen Elizabeth Regiment, about his experiences as a Gurkha in the city. I also talk to Hima Gurung, a current-generation Nepali on her take on Gurkha history.
21 Jan 2022
Episode 2 - Voices of Hongkongers: Inclusion of EM Languages
Hong Kong is popularly known as “Asia’s world city” (or is marketed as such.) And true to its name, there are a lot of people from different nations meeting up in Hong Kong — which leads to a multitude of languages that need to be catered for. The Hong Kong government has ramped up its efforts in terms of translation and interpretation of various languages including Hindi, Urdu, Bahasa Indonesia and more. What’s interesting is when a language is taught in a city where the majority do not speak in that language. I talk to students and teachers who teach Urdu and Arabic in an Islamic school about the whole experience.
21 Jan 2022
Episode 4 - The Sri Lankan Virologist who discovered SARS (Last Episode)
COVID-19 has battered our lives. Since 2020, masks and sanitisers have been commonplace. Quarantine, especially the one in Hong Kong — 21 days — has been painful for both locals and tourists alike. However, Hong Kong had a relatively quick response during the initial days of the pandemic — including the closure of borders and the residents’ wearing masks and taking other necessary precautions including social distancing measures.
17 years ago, in 2003, a similar coronavirus named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome also known as SARS was detected in Hong Kong after a doctor from China came to Hong Kong. What happened after was one of the worst outbreaks in Hong Kong’s history.
I discuss this historic predicament with Professor Malik Peiris, who joined the University of Hong Kong in 1995 and is currently the Chair of Virology of the School of Public Health. He, together with his team was the first group to discover that SARS was a coronavirus.
He also offers his inputs on what he thinks of the current pandemic and the directions that Hong Kong should take to prevent further transmission of infections
Note — this interview was done before the Omicron outbreak in Hong Kong
21 Jan 2022
Episode 1 - Hidden Muslims, Hidden Contributions
Muslims have been part and parcel of Hong Kong’s development. The earliest Muslims came as soldiers fighting for the British Army who later served as police officers. Their legacy reaches until the present day — where Muslims are still contributing as police officers as well as in many different fields. The early Muslims laid the legacy of the first mosque and by extension the first and subsequent Muslim communities that have lived and are currently living in the city. I talk to different members of the Muslim community including police officers and community leaders in Hong Kong to find out their history, challenges, past and current contributions that they have made to the city.
14 Jan 2022
Trailer - Welcome to the Hidden Hongkongers Podcast
Hong Kong - the city famous for its skyscrapers, dim sum and martial arts as well as a bustling metropolis also has another unique side of history which isn't taught in schools, or even the city's guidebooks. It is largely hidden from the public views. This podcast aims to unravel the histories and mysteries of people who contributed to Hong Kong in different ways both in the past and the present from the Muslim soldiers who came to the city to a Sri Lankan virologist discovering SARS. You'll be travelling with me in my quest to find what I call the "Hidden Hongkongers".
This episode is a small sneak peek into what I'll be focusing on.
My name is Shameel Ibrahim and I'm a final year journalism student at the Hong Kong Baptist University.
P.S This is my first podcast. So I apologize if the audio quality is not up to par. I'll improve with my future efforts.
Full podcast will be out on Jan 22, 2022 on Google, Apple and Spotify Podcasts.
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