The “Majie” were a group of single migrant women from southeastern China who worked as domestic servants in Singapore between the 1930s and 1970s. Many of them came from the Shunde district in Guangdong province and were recognizable by their braided or pinned-up hair and distinctive black-and-white clothing.
Originally, the Majie were part of a broader group of women in Shunde who chose not to marry and were known as “women who style their own hair.” In a simple ceremony—held in a temple, an ancestral hall, or at home—they would pin up their hair and vow to remain unmarried. From that point on, they were no longer allowed to live with their families, so they formed sisterhoods and lived together. Some of these groups established communal homes, often called ku por uk (“great-aunt’s house” or “maiden’s house”).
During the silk industry crisis in Shunde in the 1930s, many of these women sought work abroad, including in Singapore. There, they found employment as domestic servants, cooks, and nannies. The term “Majie” is derived from a Shunde expression—ma cheh in Cantonese—which means “mother and sister.” It refers both to their caregiving roles as nannies and to their unmarried status.
Since they had no families of their own in Singapore, the Majie became like family to one another. They lived communally and formed associations. They worked long hours and were often regarded as members of the families they served. By the 1970s, many Majie retired and were gradually replaced by domestic workers from other countries, such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
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Audio Text
The “Majie” were a group of single migrant women from southeastern China who worked as domestic servants in Singapore between the 1930s and 1970s. Many of them came from the Shunde district in Guangdong province and were recognizable by their braided or pinned-up hair and distinctive black-and-white clothing.
Originally, the Majie were part of a broader group of women in Shunde who chose not to marry and were known as “women who style their own hair.” In a simple ceremony—held in a temple, an ancestral hall, or at home—they would pin up their hair and vow to remain unmarried. From that point on, they were no longer allowed to live with their families, so they formed sisterhoods and lived together. Some of these groups established communal homes, often called ku por uk (“great-aunt’s house” or “maiden’s house”).
During the silk industry crisis in Shunde in the 1930s, many of these women sought work abroad, including in Singapore. There, they found employment as domestic servants, cooks, and nannies. The term “Majie” is derived from a Shunde expression—ma cheh in Cantonese—which means “mother and sister.” It refers both to their caregiving roles as nannies and to their unmarried status.
Since they had no families of their own in Singapore, the Majie became like family to one another. They lived communally and formed associations. They worked long hours and were often regarded as members of the families they served. By the 1970s, many Majie retired and were gradually replaced by domestic workers from other countries, such as Indonesia and the Philippines.
Charmaine Poh, Majie, Hands, 2016
Photography
© Charmaine Poh
Further artworks from this exhibition
Introduction of the exhibition
300
GOOD MORNING YOUNG BODY, 2021-23
301
public solitude, 2022
302
The Moon is Wet, 2025
304
What’s softest in the world rushes and runs over what’s hardest in the world, 2024
305