Kampong

A kampong is a specific type of settlement found throughout Southeast Asia. The term originates from the Malay language and is commonly translated as "village." These settlements appear in several nations, including Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore. While it usually refers to traditional villages, the term can also describe urban slum areas or enclosed neighborhoods within cities. In Cambodia, the word takes on a different meaning, referring to a dock for boats.

The term is applied in various ways depending on the local geography and culture. In Brunei, a kampong is a formal administrative subdivision. It sits below the levels of districts and mukims, which are subdistricts. These kampongs may function as social villages or serve purely for government census purposes. They are often led by a village head, known as a ketua kampong. Many of these communities include essential infrastructure like primary schools and community centers. Because many residents are Muslim, a kampong often features a mosque for Friday prayers and religious education.

In Indonesia, the term refers to a hamlet, which is viewed as the opposite of a city. There are four distinct typologies of kampung in the Indonesian context. Inner city kampongs are extremely dense, with 100,000 people living in every square kilometer. Mid-city kampongs have a density of 20,000 to 40,000 people per square kilometer. Rural kampongs have very low density, while squatter kampongs consist of scattered settlements in metropolitan areas. Some kampongs are also defined by specific ethnic communities, such as Javanese or Arab villages.

Indonesia also uses the term to describe villages based on specific industries. For example, there is a "chocolate village" in Blitar, East Java, which produces cacao products. Other villages are known as "arts villages" where local artisans sell their crafts. Some focus on batik, a traditional way of making cloth. In 2009, UNESCO recognized certain Indonesian batik villages for their cultural heritage. These villages provide education and training in batik making for various types of students. In Bali, some traditional villages have even been recognized as among the cleanest in the world.

In Malaysia, a kampung is officially defined as a locality with 10,000 or fewer people. Traditionally, these villages are led by a penghulu, or village chief. The penghulu has the authority to handle civil matters within the community. A typical Malay village often contains wooden houses built on stilts, paddy fields, or orchards. You might also find a mosque or a surau, which is a prayer hall, alongside a local cemetery. Historically, the British introduced the "Kampung Baru" program to help Malays adapt to urban life. This was separate from the "new villages" created for Chinese populations during the Malayan Emergency.

Cambodia offers a unique linguistic use of the word. In Khmer, kampong describes a place on a river or lake shore used for docking boats. This includes docks for private small boats and facilities for commercial ferries. This usage has existed for thousands of years, likely due to contact with the Austronesian Chams. The term is used in many Cambodian place names, such as the province of Kampong Cham. It can describe provinces, districts, communes, or even specific villages. One could argue that a kampong in Cambodia is an area formed by a community near water.

The Philippines shows how language changes through historical contact. In the southern Philippines, the word was adopted by Moro Muslim populations. Due to Spanish influence, the word became the Hispanized "campo." This influence was tied to the power of various Muslim sultanates, such as the Sultanate of Sulu. These sultanates were close to the spread of Malay culture, which brought the vocabulary to the region. An example of this is Campo Islam, a barangay in Zamboanga City. In the Philippines, a barangay serves as the village-level unit of government.

In Singapore, the landscape of kampongs has changed significantly due to modernization. Traditional kampongs were once widespread on the mainland, but many were overcrowded and lacked sanitation. Following the 1959 general election, the government formed the Housing and Development Board to improve housing. After the Bukit Ho Swee fire in 1961 and Singapore's independence in 1965, most kampongs were removed. Residents were resettled into new towns and high-rise apartments. Today, about 80 percent of the population lives in these apartments. While most have disappeared, some traces remain in historic districts like Kampong Glam or on islands like Pulau Ubin.