Recalling the Transitional Space: City Home and Kampung Home

The paper explores the importance of transitional spaces or intermediate area between a public area outside of a house and a private area on the inside. Based on ethnographic research involving rural-urban migrants in Kuala Lumpur, the paper follows the narratives of moving and settling experience of Malay women from rural kampung (village) in Kedah who followed their spouse to live in Kuala Lumpur. Themes from a qualitative analysis of the narratives demonstrated the significance of transitional spaces like the halaman in the formation of social ties, protection of privacy, and in providing surveillance and safety.