kampungs

Kampung, also spelled kampong, is a Malay term that literally means village or settlement. It is used across Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and other Malay-speaking regions to describe traditional rural communities as well as longstanding urban neighborhoods.

In rural Malaysia and Indonesia, kampung denotes a tightly knit community anchored by kinship, local customs (adat), and daily routines centered on a village square, a mosque or prayer hall, and shared facilities. Architecture often features wooden houses on stilts, narrow lanes, and gardens.

In Indonesia, kampung can refer to both small rural villages and older urban quarters within cities, especially in Jakarta and coastal regions. Governance is typically informal, with a local leader such as a kepala kampung or a lurah, while formal authority lies with district administrators.

In Singapore, kampung historically signified rural settlements that have largely disappeared due to urban redevelopment. The term survives in place names such as Kampong Glam and in references to a "kampung spirit" of neighbourliness and communal support within modern high-density housing.

Today, many kampungs face pressures from development, land commercialization, and population change. Some are preserved as heritage areas or cultural districts to document traditional architecture, lifestyles, and social networks that characterized kampung life.