Origin of the word "cake leng"

[coolguy]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

 

[tonychat]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

who cares!!!

 

[blackmore]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

I have heard of one spin off version from a friend.

During the colonial days, Indian prisoners were used as labourers in infrastructure works in Singapore.

Given their status, they were always in shackles. Every time they move, the sound of the shackles will ring "ke-ling" ke-ling. Since the Brits can't pronouce their names or doesn't want. They were synomously known as Keling Keling for practical reasons. This caught on till date

 

[Semaj2357]

another version was from the days wqhen there were many cows reared for milk which were stored in metallic containers for sale by our Indian brethren.

The sound of the cowbells "ke-ling, ke-ling" when they were brought to the grazing grounds usually announced their arrival, ke-ling lai lor.....

 

[scroobal]

Indian labourers who were prisoners did not have shackles on when they built city hall, Istana etc. You watching too many movies of the US chain gang. These prisoners who were pending release similar to day release. Those in ball and chain or in shackles are typically used to create hardship and not create serious works.

The term Keling was applied by the native north east malays and is used extensively by them as Indians have the custom of wearing jewellery and the sound that it creates. The custom of wearing too much jewellery has not crossed over to Malays via Indian Muslims and those notably in Penang.

I have heard of one spin off version from a friend.

During the colonial days, Indian prisoners were used as labourers in infrastructure works in Singapore.

Given their status, they were always in shackles. Every time they move, the sound of the shackles will ring "ke-ling" ke-ling. Since the Brits can't pronouce their names or doesn't want. They were synomously known as Keling Keling for practical reasons. This caught on till date

 

[Ramseth]

Most early Indian migrants to Malaya and Singapore came from Kalinga, Bengal and Tamil Nadu, hence the common terms of keling, bengali and thambi to refer to Indians here.

 

[KNNBCCB]

Heard that if you call them Keling.. they very angry wan ...
Heard fren say is becos keling mean dirty...

 

[Muachee]

Heard that if you call them Keling.. they very angry wan ...
Heard fren say is becos keling mean dirty...

then don't call keling.. call the cb "Ke Ling KIA" or "CHAO ke ling

 

[ivebert]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

Compared to Chinese, Indians are so much smarter

You might wonder who started BOSE, it's an Indian
Lots of senior management execs in top companies and VCs in Silicon Valley are Indians as well

Tell me about a top technology company started by a China or Sinkie Chinese
Don't tell me about Creative and Lenovo hor, both sweat shop assemblers rather than innovators

 

[Zombie]

Given their status, they were always in shackles.

http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_39_2005-02-02.html

Indian convicts' contributions to early Singapore
By Cornelius-Takahama, Vernon written on 1997-10-30
National Library Board Singapore

Classes and categories of convicts
There were six categories and grades of convicts, dependant on the extent of their criminal offences, as follows:

4. Most convicts started in this fourth class, as this was the entry level for new arrivals, and they remained in this class until they served the "respective periods" necessary to qualify admission into the preceding class. Bearing light double-chains, they worked in town and the environs from 6 am to 11 am, and 1 pm to 5 pm. For their service, they received rations and clothing but no money allowance. On good behaviour they were promoted to the third class where they could work outside prison without irons and receive a small wage. Convicts degraded from the higher classes for misbehaviour must serve at least 12 months in this fourth class before they can again upgraded to better service conditions.

5. The fifth class were violent prisoners and convicts, degraded from the higher classes for committing serious offences during service terms here. Such offenders were given vigilance to prevent them from escaping. They were bound by heavy iron-chains and worked on the roads and streets, and all Public Works within the limits of the Town, from 6 am to 11am and 1 pm to 5 pm, and were fully secured at night. They received rations and clothing but no money, and were not permitted to leave their gaol stations except when taken out to work. Convicts degraded from Class 4, must serve 6 months before they can be again promoted.

Note that both Indian and Chinese prisoners were once sent to Singapore in chains.
So, the word applies to both.

 

[saratogas]

Just call them Ah Neh!

 

[Muachee]

aiya.. hack care.. how to trust a person the shake his/her head when he/she say "Yes" :P

 

[coolguy]

I have heard of one spin off version from a friend.

During the colonial days, Indian prisoners were used as labourers in infrastructure works in Singapore.

Given their status, they were always in shackles. Every time they move, the sound of the shackles will ring "ke-ling" ke-ling. Since the Brits can't pronouce their names or doesn't want. They were synomously known as Keling Keling for practical reasons. This caught on till date

yeah this is what I have heard too.
Whatever it is, the word keiling has something to do with metal,
cos' of the sounds emitted from it when knocked against each other.
So they must be doing very well in the metal industry?
E.g IT, Steel etc?

 

[giggity_shit]

Most early Indian migrants to Malaya and Singapore came from Kalinga, Bengal and Tamil Nadu, hence the common terms of keling, bengali and thambi to refer to Indians here.

Most reasonable and believable answer

 

[cooleo]

then don't call keling.. call the cb "Ke Ling KIA" or "CHAO ke ling

Thanks for the info. I will remember to call them CHAO KE LING. Seems more appropriate and befitting.

 

[limpeh2]

Compared to Chinese, Indians are so much smarter

Is that why their f--king democratic shit-filled crapper of a country, amazing india, remains in shambles with the population still largely eating shit?

C'mon, you can do better than that. Are you keling?

Tell me about a top technology company started by a China or Sinkie Chinese
Don't tell me about Creative and Lenovo hor, both sweat shop assemblers rather than innovators

Bullshite.
Keling "tech" companies're the real sweat-shops aka body shops and even the media acknowledges that. These companies love exploiting their fellow kelings by shipping them all over the world, living in abysmal conditions, working in "it" 18 hours a day for peanut pay. So much for your democratic, amazing india. Was a smelly shit hole of suffering. Still is.

America's High-Tech Sweatshops (The exploitation of technology workers imported from India)

 

[pallkia]

Is that why their f--king democratic shit-filled crapper of a country, amazing india, remains in shambles with the population still largely eating shit?

C'mon, you can do better than that. Are you keling?




Bullshite.
Keling "tech" companies're the real sweat-shops aka body shops and even the media acknowledges that. These companies love exploiting their fellow kelings by shipping them all over the world, living in abysmal conditions, working in "it" 18 hours a day for peanut pay. So much for your democratic, amazing india. Was a smelly shit hole of suffering. Still is.

America's High-Tech Sweatshops (The exploitation of technology workers imported from India)

Let me add: comparing to India,China development is more proportional where India is more lopsided and that is why after so many years India is still mired with poverty problem just like many Africa countries!

 

[wikiphile]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

Hi, the version i heard is that Indians brought to Malaysia in the 19th century were entering from Port Klang. The Chinese not knowing how to call them properly since there is no hokkien equivalent for the world "Indian' called them 吉淋仔 or Kit Lin Kia, which was not derogatory but just a slang as the other term was more politically incorrect - 黑皮 (orh per).

Kalinga on the other hand, is an ancient kingdom in Eastern India but not modern enough to survive till today, Ramseth as usual throws quite few good plausible smoke bombs which is as believable as life on the surface of the Sun

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalinga,_India

The world Bengali came does come from the word Bengal

Ah Neh or Thambi on the other hand is not a racist term, it means brother in Tamil.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klang

 

[wahlaneh]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

wahlaneh...
if not wrong must be come from china's 吉林省 kekleng province.

 

[NoNewsGood]

Has any samsters ponder over the word "cake leng".
How it came about? What is the story behind it?
I have heard of a very interesting origin but would like to heard
the views from fellow samsters first.

In the olden days, because of the accessories they wear, Indians walked with a ringing sound. Chinese called them 系铃人 Kek Ling Nang.