The Unbearable Burden

Early in the morning, I saw a large crowd, forming groups of mostly three to five people. Initially, I thought they were enjoying breakfast at some sort of teashop. However upon closer observation, they were eating food that they had packed themselves. After finishing their breakfasts, they immediately went to work.

Driven by curiosity, I followed them to a ship carrying a mountain of gravel. I found out that by starting work earlier, they could carry a few more rounds of the raw material before the day became unbearably hot. They were racing against the sun.

Everyone was working with utmost efficiency and agility. In the shortest time, they could fill baskets full and lifted them up to their heads or shoulders. Repeatedly, they crossed the narrow wooden plank to the shore and unload their baskets. Repeatedly, they crossed back to the ship to have them refilled.

For the whole day, and from day to day, they lived and worked the same way, over and over again. There was nothing new or exciting. They laboured endlessly to live, because they lived to continue to labour.

What broke my heart the most was seeing the young men and women exhausting their youth away in the sea of gravel. The heavy burden had crushed whatever dreams that they had left.

過於人所能承担的重擔

清早見到一大羣、三五個一堆坐着吃早飯，還以為那是什麼茶寮餐廳，再走近看清楚，他們都是帶着自己的便當，吃過之後準備開工。

好奇地跟着他們，原來他們趁着日頭未猛烈，趕快多走幾轉，免得擔得更吃力。

看見他們手腳敏捷，一刻間已裝滿一籃一籃的碎石，熟練地從脅下、腰間，移上肩，有的頂一籃，有的擔兩籮，急步走過木板橋，卸下，再走第二轉。

一整日，重重覆覆，搬搬抬抬，走上走落，沒有趣味，沒有新意，用勞苦換取生活，因為生活要勞苦。

心痛是見到少男少女在沙石中消耗青春，消磨意志，重擔壓扁了他們的理想。 

Words & Photos: Violin Chan

The gravel industry recruited only human labourers to transport the raw material from the ship back to the port.

Labourers had to finish their breakfasts before dawn to prepare for the long day of work.

Even young girls such as her were recruited for this heavy mode of labour.

Repeatedly she came back to the ship to fill yet another bucket of gravel.

Everyone had to rely on just their hands and very simple shovels for the filling process.

For the stronger men, they could carry up to two baskets at a time.

Back and forth uncountable times, they worked as if they were ants.

What was she thinking? How long had she been working there?

And how much longer does she need to keep working there?

Carrying the burden back to the port.

The manager sat and kept account of everyone's daily workload for their wages.