HKY018 The Shopping Amah

Once a very familiar sight in Hong Kong was the traditional ‘black and white’ Chinese ‘Amah’.  These ladies would often stay with a family all or most of their adult working life and would be tasked with many of the most important duties in a middle or upper class Chinese family…  Looking after the children, the security of the home and food shopping for the household.

Other home duties such as washing, cleaning and perhaps gardening would be done by other more junior amahs (helpers) employed by the family.  These ‘black and white’ Amahs were a force to be reckoned with and much respected by everyone who came into contact with them.