v.topic20090301

「牛角」即牛頭角下邨，香港的公共屋邨，建於1967至69年，是香港碩果僅存的未重建前徙置屋邨。「牛角」第8-14座屬「二區」，定於2009年5月清拆。大部分住戶將遷往重建後的牛頭角上邨，而地舖商户的商户只會獲一筆過補償金。拆遷有如銀幣的兩面：它改善住戶生活，但同時令這裏特有的本土文化消失。如果「文化是平凡事」(文化研究學者Raymond Williams名句)，在拆遷之時，你察覺到有甚麼「平凡事」會因即將消失變得「不平凡」？The pronunciation of Ngau Tau Kwok (NTK) in Cantonese is same as cattle horn. Built in 1967to1969, NTK is the only remaining pre-redeveloping resettlement estate. Block 8-14 in Lower NTK will demolish in May, 2009. Most of inhabitants will move to the new Upper NTK, but tenants of shops will only have small amount of compensation. Demolishing of NTK can improve living standard of inhabitants, but in both sides of a coin, it also demolish certain local cultures. If ‘Culture is ordinary’ (Raymond William), can you observe any ordinary lives becomes ‘extra-ordinary’ because of its disappearance ?　

遠聲水電工程。真好味小食
Yuen Shing Electronics and Yummy Traditional Marinated Snack
Tel: 9019 1943
第8座28號舖 Block 8 No. 28

張生負責賣報與水電工程，而張太則負責烹煮與售賣鹵味小食。鹵味色香味俱全，肉量鮮美但價錢便宜，只售6元一串，故每天可售出四五百串。在場便親睹店子客似雲來，張太做到沒停過手。太忙的話，是街坊的潮州鄉里甚至代作售貨甚至收銀。小食於每日4-9時有售，星期六、日2-9時。拆遷後可能因外面租金大增而加價。新址請留意此網址: www.chunhomei.com

Mr. Cheung is responsible for taking care of the business of bookstall, and works of water and electricity, while Mrs. Cheung prepares marinated snacks for sale. The marinated snacks are delicacies made of fresh meats but only sold at $6 per kebab. Therefore 400-500 kebabs are sold each day, and even Mrs. Cheung is so busy to serve the customers that she cannot even have a break. During peak hours, their neighbors who also came from Chaozhou Province, China will come to give her a hand. The snack stall opens at 4-9pm on weekdays and 2-9pm on weekends. After demolition, the cost of the kebab may rise tremendously due to the high rent outside the Estate. For the new address please see www.chunhomei.com

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枝記鐵器Gi Kee Goldsmith
第8座32號舖 Block 8 No. 32

枝叔在這裡已差不多四十個年頭，可算是「牛下」「曾近榮」，事事通。街坊有壞匙、塞渠、水箱壞甚至訂做「夾萬」、麻雀箱、米箱和信箱都會找枝叔。枝叔以鐵剪把白鐵裁剪，用一頭木柱加一條角鐵與簡單的配件，便能製作出不同的白鐵用具。枝叔最初以$80月租租舖，現在租金雖升至$2,009.90，但仍比市租值便宜得多。估計清拆後因租金高昂

的問題，使枝記不能斷續營業，枝叔除失去了幾十年的街坊鄰里關係外，他也失去一種日常生活的寄託，而香港早己息微的白鐵鐵匠手藝將再早一步消失。為使手藝得以承傳，浸會大學視覺藝術學院已邀枝叔到校教授這門手藝，讓學生發掘更多創意的可能。

Uncle Chi has been working in the NTK for nearly 40 years and could be regarded as an expert of all kinds of domestic matters and handiwork. Neighbors always seek help from Uncle Chi for key & lock repairs, drain cleaning, fixing water tank, and they even asked Chi for handmade safe,

mahjong box, letter box, and rice case. He can fabricate different kinds of white iron products by using a pair of scissors (for cutting white iron piece); wooden pillars, a piece of angel bar and other simple accessories. Uncle Chi initially paid a monthly rent of $80 for the shop; even though the rent has now increased to $2009.9, it is still a lot cheaper than the market rate. Due to the expensive rent, Uncle Chi’s shop can no longer survive after demolition. Demolishing the Estate destroys not only Chi’s warm neighborhood but also his reliance on daily routine. The already-extinguishing white iron handicrafts would be pushed to extinction. In order to preserve the craft, the Academy of Visual Arts, Baptist University has invited Uncle Chi to give lessons to students, enabling them to explore their extend of creativity.

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廣源號Kwong Yuen Paper Craft

第8座35號舖 Block 8 No. 35

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路德會聖馬太學校St. John Bosco School
第8座 Block 8

學校建於1969年，於2008年9月1 日結校。當時開辦的夜間英文中學，以低廉價錢為該區日間工作的居民，提供工餘繼續進修的機會。現在學校空無一人，有如恐佈片「校墓處」帶點陰森。校門外已被時裝店的流動擺貨架欄着。St. John Bosco (1969-2008) was a secondary school offering evening courses to citizens who wanted to further studies after work in cheaper price. The school was closed on Sept.1, 2008 and becomes empty with a sense of horror. Many clothes are now displayed in front of the door as selling spot of a vendor.

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李生獨家炭燒雞蛋仔與窩夫
Mr. Lee : Unique BBQ Egg Balls and Waffles
第9座2號舖對面空地 Opposite to Block 9 No.2

李生父子兩代廿多年都是賣雞蛋仔。李生自製烤爐與器具，高效率烤出香脆美味雞蛋仔，只賣10元一底，捧場客排成一列等出爐。炭燒的雞蛋仔，香港(除了大澳外)只此一家。清拆後多會搬進商場營業，到時因煙火問題，將不可再用炭爐烤。只此一家炭燒的雞蛋仔也將因應環境被同化了。雞蛋仔很美味，李生也大汗淋漓。

Lee’s family (the elder and the petite) runs their business here over 20years. BBQ style of egg balls and waffles can only be found in this stall and in Tai O but nowhere else. The grill and utensils were special designed and made by petite Lee, for unique and efficient baking. Although it is so efficient, customer are still always on the line. The delicious, crispy egg balls and waffles only cost $10 per piece. Customers stood in front of the bakers and just could not wait to taste the yummy while Petite Lee is sweating because of high temperature of baking. Lee is the only one baking egg balls by charcoal in Hong Kong. That will be prohibited if he opened a shop in shopping centre, and BBQ style of egg balls will disappear since the demolition.

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嘉麗繡莊百貨Ka Lai Stitching Products Store
第9座39-40號舖 Block 9 No. 39-40

好客的老闆林生是潮州人，常面帶微笑，喜歡請街坊進內喝茶、聊天與打麻雀。他說香港早已沒有刺繡工，他售賣的中國傳統裙掛都是中國進口的。新一代結婚多行西式婚禮，少穿裙掛，現以特價清貨，每套800元起。還有傳統的的確涼龍鳳與鴛鴦枕頭套($50/對)與被袋已在坊間少見。拆遷在即，老闆對外面租金的昂貴感煩惱，唯有見步行步。

Mr. Lam like inviting friends (not only customer) to have Chaozhou tea, chatting and playing mahjong in his shop. He said there is no more hand stitching workers in Hong Kong. All the traditional Chinese hand stitched wedding dress is from mainland China. As most of the new generation prefer Western style wedding than Chinese style, he will sell all wedding dress by close out price ($800up). They won’t sell wedding dress any more if he moved to new shop. However, he even does not have idea where he can move to because of the high rate of rent. You can also see traditional pillow and bed covers here. Pillow covers with traditional Phoenix and Mandarina ducks machine stitching, $50/pairs.