A day out at Dried Seafood Street

As part of a cultural heritage class project my groupmates and I carried out our fieldwork in Sheung Wan's Des Veoux West Street today. It was my first time stepping into the street.

We combed through most of the shops on both sides of the street (did you know that one side demands higher rent than the other?) talking to shopowners who were willing to share. Made a lot of interesting observations. Some of the old shopowners have been in this very unique trade since they were young and are living encyclopedias on this subject. The shop layouts, stock arrangement and sheer variety of it all is precious. I do believe that the Government should promote the street more and even consider registering it as an Intangible Cultural heritage. Given the high quality of goods, spacial significance and industrial skills involved these shops should be recognized for their longtime importance.

Like one of the lecturers told us, conservation and heritage work should not begin when the objects are fading, but when we note their importance. All owners relayed to us that the Government did nothing to help their trade, and I really feel that this Government's policies should reflect more voices heard.

Am really proud of the owners, the dedicated old ones and the very few brave ones of the new generation, who are working long hours everyday adding more diversity to this "world city".