I admire the self sacrificing nature of the SAMSUI WOMAN and have sketched her endearingly.
- Strong. Resilient. Hardworking -
The samsui women were part of an initial group of some 2,000 women hailing mainly from the Sanshui district in Canton (Guangdong), arriving between 1934-1938 together with over 200,000 female Chinese immigrants in search of a better living.
Most of these samsui women would go on to work as general labourers in the construction industry, and many would come to be characterised by the distinctive red headgear* and blue or black samfoo they wore while taking on backbreaking work at construction sites across the island.
