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Clip description
This clip features street scenes of Kuala Lumpur, including a Hindu Thaipusam festival; examples of colonial architecture; an open air wet market; hawkers and tea sellers.
Curator’s notes
Major Arthur Reginald White spent almost 20 years in British Malaya, moving there at the end of the First World War. This clip reveals his familiarity with the street life and culture of Kuala Lumpur. The camera meanders around the marketplace and gently observes daily life unfolding. White’s camera is unobtrusive and conveys the cultural diversity of 1930s colonial Malaya. It clearly captures the influence of European architecture, clothing and modern transport, along with the country’s distinct mix of Malay, Chinese and Indian culture. The Malay Chinese man at the end of this clip, dressed in Western-style suit and pith helmet, is an example of this cultural exchange.
