Nestled in a valley between Victoria Peak and Mount Kellet, Pokfulam Village is a quaint reminder of Hong Kong's humble origins before she bloomed into the mega-city that she is now. Historically, Pokfulam Village was Hong Kong's first dairy farm which produced milk and cattle for the population.
Sitting on a hillside in the west of Hong Kong island, narrow alleyways and twisting lanes characterize this village that is marked with colonial presence. Bathed with remnants of buildings from the dairy farms, a close-knit community live with their tin-roof and patched up walls. Strict squatter policies is making it hard for squatters to repair their dwellings as they will have to use materials that were registered at the time of the last occupancy survey conducted in the 1980s.
With a historical identity that seems unbeknownst to the city of Hong Kong, this village holds the annual Fire Dragon Dance during the mid-Autumn festival. The first floral emblem of the city, the Hong Kong Orchid Tree was discovered here, and her first reservoir, the Pokfulam Reservoir was built here to accommodate the pressing needs of her citizens. Right now though, this historical village has been placed under the funds of World Monuments Watch which is released biennially.
Under pressure from the urban developers who want to convert the unoccupied dairy farm houses into high-density housing, the Pokfulam Village is at risk of being demolished alongside with its historical identity. The pressing issues of scarce land space and long waiting-list of occupants for housing are now threatening the cultural space of this tiny island – how will the development of Pokfulam Village progress? Will she remain a central identity to Hong Kong, or be demolished and forgotten to fit modernization?