As committed Coconauts will know, we love a good vintage vid here at Coconuts HQ. We are reminded time and time again of the beauty of Hong Kong, as well as the unique idiosyncrasies that make it home. Historical footage — videos of “old Hong Kong“, as it were — afford us a small peek into how Hongkongers lived a few decades ago.
One such video, a clip made by newsreel producer British Pathé of Hong Kong in the late 1960s, has been popping up on our newsfeeds recently, after author Chris Thrall generously shared it over the weekend.
It shows fragments of Hong Kong as we know it, from traditional dragon dancing, to the Peak Tram and the corkscrew carpark of Harbour City. Prosaic, but still beautiful moments are featured as well – people buying snacks, shoppers haggling over vegetables in wet markets and tiny goldfish darting about in silver bowls.
The video, which was digitised in 2014, is one of dozens that feature Hong Kong of yesteryear, with topics ranging from war, to celebration, to sampans bobbing in the harbour.
While people often remark on how much, and how quickly Hong Kong changes (for better or worse), the video is a surprising reminder that some things, while updated, are largely the same; we still love a good bargain on bak choi, and people still can (and do) have impromptu barbecues on the beach.
The rice paddies and vintage cars may be fewer and farther between, but at least we know that there will always be one constant — the Wan Chai’s reputation as a “nightclub funfair” and an “anything-goes playground”.
Got a tip? Send it to us at hongkong@coconuts.co
