Chimbridge Singlish Dictionary

definitions

noun

1. manual labourers, usually ethnically Chinese, who emigrated from China to Singapore in three waves between 1823 - 1927 in hope for a better life — though most would only find work as indentured labourers. They were usually associated with a guild corresponding to their native language or hometown on arrival. Coolies formed an essential part of early Singapore’s labour force. Their work was difficult and backbreaking, and they often faced additional hardships such as exploitation, mistreatment, and abuse by their managers and brokers.^[1]

In the 1930s, coolie quarters were a common sight in Chinatown. The coolies lived in deplorable and unsanitary conditions with little light and poor ventilation.

— 2015 October 1, Lim Tin Seng. NLB - BiblioAsia, "Triads, Coolies and Pimps: Chinatown in Former Times". https://biblioasia.nlb.gov.sg/vol-11/issue-3/oct-dec-2015/coolies/