Curry Mee Ah Mas

This piece of art does not simply depict a taste of nostalgia. In fact, it reflects the mixed flavors of perseverance in life. It is not just about memories, but the life experience of two sisters or any hawker in the city who had persistently serve the community for many years in order to survive a living. Curated by Tanchor Whye, organized and coordinated by Can Can Publicart.

This street art features the two famous Siamese sisters curry noodles hawkers who are widely known among Penang's communities. The two sisters were migrated from Thailand to Penang with their parents. Hence, the locals address them as "Siamese Sisters" (Thailand was formerly known as "Siam"). Since their father passed away at their very young age, both assisted their mother at her curry noodles hawker stall. The first bowl of curry noodle they served was sold at 5 cents.

They both underwent hardship to survive during the post-World War II. Taken over their mother's curry noodles hawker business, the two sisters operated seven days a week for over seven decades. Their authentic Siamese recipe has long captured the local's hearts with its rich and fragrant curry-flavor soup. Today, 87-year-old Madam Lim Kooi Lye (left) and 89-year-old Madam Lim Kooi Heang (right) are perhaps the good example of Penang's living heritage. Both are unmarried. Despite the tough life they have gone through, they both live happily with their god-child's family now. Their curry noodle hawker stall business at Ayer Itam is now carried on by their god-grandchildren, their legacy continues to live on. Hopefully, the valuable skills, knowledge and secret recipe inherited from the past generation continue to pass on to future generations.