Those days, we didn't even have septic tanks or a flush system. And you had to squat (oh, my aching knees!!) coz it wasn't even equipped with a toilet bowl with the seat. So the urmm... human wastes just kinda plonked straight down below and accumulate at one spot. We relied on rainwater (really heavy rain) to wash and clear away the you-know-what.
OK, I know this post sounds gross so you may wanna stop reading. Don't say I didn't warn you ya. Back then, our family couldn't even afford toilet papers so we used old newspapers instead. Coconut husks were also used but I never knew how to use them... I guess my mom did. It probably was bad on the rear end! I think I shouldn't even mention about the smell when the wind came blowing, should I?? Nah, I think I had better not. Yeah, I know... we were so primitive back then! :D
It was very unhygienic having such improper toilets but I don't recall falling sick then. Even if I did, it was just the normal fever and flu cos we village kids loved playing in the rain and and running around barefoot. I guess we had really strong antibodies then. The same couldn't even be said to my kids now cos they fall sick ever so often. Perhaps I should let them run wild at the nearby park bare feet or maybe even make a small old fashioned outhouse for them in the backyard! LOL!
The toilet was eventually dismantled and we replaced it with a modern toilet system complete with flush and one of those Precast Concrete septic tank several years later. Once in a while I tend to reminisce about the old toilet. No matter how primitive it looked but it sure had lots of character. But I suppose these days, the Precast Concrete Septic Tanks are so much more hygienic and environmentally friendly.
One thing stood out though, it may not have been the most environmentally friendliest one but it sure helped green the place with an ever abundance of lush greenery growing around the old rickety toilet :D
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Ya, we had that kind of toilet back then too!
ReplyDeleteSia ingat lagi, kalu mau dkt gelap2 sdh tu, and if i or my kid bro mau 'bikin bisnes besar'...mesti mau minta kawan pigi jamban yg jauh dr rumah. sometimes, kalu sia yg mau pigi, my kid bro pun bilang alang2 sdh dia kasi kawan sia...bagus satu kali buang juga. so we took turn lah mau masuk jamban...hahaha....and kalu time bikin bisnes tu, buli lagi kami bercerita2. yg serius lagi tu mo bercerita...hahaha...i miss those moments.
LOL Nessa, I never experience an outhouse like that cos I'm one of those pampered city boys. I'll bet the 'jamban' had loads of character la ... hehehe ...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'll bet those husks must have felt like sandpaper against your bum! LOL!
OMG! When I went to Sandakan there were so many toilets like that along the Kinabatangan river. It's no wonder the river is so brown and murky! Hehehe
ReplyDeleteWow, We must be careful if using this type of toilet.
ReplyDeleteDuring my childhood time, I had the same experiences as The toilet was built on the pool, there was so many frogs, snakes. Sometimes our " cakes " accidentally fell on their heads. We felt cool, because too many openings in the toilet.
Your nice post brings me back to the old memory.
Have a nice weekend, take care always.
omg!! Tell me about it!! Dekat the toilet subur betul the tanah!!! I still remember the jamban in our kampung..it was so near to the open area where we used to play kampung kampung style baseball!!! hahahaha..everytime the "bola"( our bola are made of newspaper,getah sayur and plastic)menyinggah dekat dekat sana jamban..memang teda sudah tu mau pi ambil!!! mana tidak bertimbun ba harta karun disana..bau busuk lagi tu! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, like Carol said..kalau pi tandas time time gelap sudah..mesti minta kawan tu..takut kan!! LOL! Oh those were the days..
Gosh, I never did experience anything like that toilet you had back then. You should have taken a picture of it and kept it for remembrance la ...
ReplyDeleteImagine having to climb that stairs made with a tree trunk. From that masterpiece you drew, it looks like the steps were carved out of the trunk, man I wonder where you'd fall if you slipped on it ... not into the pile of crap I hope ... LMAO!
A great look into your past Nessa and to think this was an assignment lagi. Great post :D
*laughs*
ReplyDeleteI, too, am a pampered city girl. Though I did have to use it when we went on a trip back to my great grandmother's village in the Philippines. I was so intimidated! But I do have to say, I was successful in the end *laughs*.
Oh, I remember that toilet in my kampung. No door, but guna tu guni yang kana gunting buat macam tabir he he he... Bikin takut tu malam2. Dengar bunyi cengkerik la, macam2! :D
ReplyDeleteNessa!! I remember this kind of toilet! My grandparents had one! There was one time, I had to wake up my grandma to accompany me. While doing my business, my grandma knocked on the door many times and asked me to hurry. I panicked and did as she told. When we reached the house (about 5 minutes walking), my grandma told me she saw 'hantu galah' wandered not for from the toilet!!
ReplyDeleteWow! You guys are a lucky bunch lot. I've never ever taste the ambience of answering nature calls at this kind of hut! =)
ReplyDeleteHmm...yupe, perhaps kids nowadays are too overprotected. That's why they are not exposed to those mild "bad" bacteria to strengthen themselves. So let's have the oldy toilet up and going! =)
Yaiks..my kampung has that kind of toilet too..but our has no stairs lah..
ReplyDeleteNite time must have somebody to company oh..dekat hutan..eeee tia berani lah..
Ya, kan, KadusM. You remember at Membakut he he he... Menyeramkan!!! :D
ReplyDeleteYes, nothing like a squatting toilet to help your rectal muscles do thier job.
ReplyDeleteI remember whenever I visited my grandma's house in Kota Belud during my younger days, the silent rule was if you have anything to do with the toilet, do it during the day!
But coconut husks to wipe your bum??? Man, that's nasty!
outhouses?! .. we used to have one at my grandma's house .. never utilise it tho' :P .. but I had one in my mom's house .. well it is not really an outhouse .. it is sort of attached to the house .. no flush system either ... let me put it this way .. I used to live in a house on stilts .. on the water ;) I bet you can visualise tht very well! .. hehehe
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well u really good with illustrations. Nothing left unspoken.
ReplyDeleteCarol ~ Dulu2 di kampung, dis is the tipikal toilet bah kan :)
ReplyDeleteYa, misti mo minta kawan oh. Galap ba, mana ada lampu lagi kana install di jamban macam tu. Sia ingat kami ada 'tampui' so paham2 seja la! LOL
Mat Dingo ~ It was pretty unstable so better make your 'business' quick... hehe
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't know coz I never dared to use those coconut husks!
Rozella ~ Hahaha... wonder no more! Makes one wonder how those fish get their food huh...
ReplyDeleteCoolingstar9 ~ Hi! Welcome to Mumblings :)
ReplyDeleteYup, that's the number 1 rule :) Luckily, I never had the unfortunate experience to find snakes in there. Yeah, the opening is pretty wide, if you're not careful, you could fall in it especially little kids.
Thanks, for dropping by and commenting :) Hope you'll be beck often.
Emelda ~ Ya bah, kalau tanam jagung, misti gumuk2 dia punya buah... haha.
ReplyDeleteSepa gia brani mo main tu bola kalau suda kana campur 'coklat'.
Misti minta kawan dan jan lupa torchlight juga... hehe
Spiff ~ We didn't even have a camera back then la :(
ReplyDeleteYeah, you're right. Steps were carved out of the trunk, pretty ingenious I must say. I don't recall who made it, must be my dad la. He's a pretty good handy man :D
Haizum ~ All it needs is some practice :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know your great grandma was from the Philippines. So, can you talk in Tagalog?? I know a few words, coz I used to watched Tagalog dramas.
Crystal ~ Kami punya ada pintu tapi jarang sia tutup sbb galap butul ba kalau tu pintu tutup.
ReplyDeleteKalau bunyi cengkerik inda apa, ada bunyi yang inda tau binatang apa, bikin takut sampai mo buat bisnes pun inda jadi! LOL!
Emila ~ Aiyaya... hantu galah??!! Takuuuutttttt!!! Now I feel seram...
ReplyDeleteTekkaus ~ Hi! Welcome to Mumblings :)
ReplyDeleteLucky? Well, back then I didn't feel that lucky... I longed for flushing toilets complete with seats.
But now that I think of it, I'm glad I had the chance to experience hard life. Sometimes my kids don't even believe the things mommy went through as a child. They're so pampered now...
KadusMama Hi! Selamat datang ke Mumblings :)
ReplyDeleteDi kampung2 yang bulum moden, ni masi toilet masi ada lagi bah kan. Nasib baik toilet kami tu bukan dalam hutan. Silap2 kana serang binatang buas oh... hehe
Crystal ~ Ohh dari membakut ka kamurang ni?? :D
ReplyDeletePerry ~ Haha... I never thought of it that way!
ReplyDeleteSo at night, the rule is 'tahan seja' la! LOL!
Nasty doesn't even come close but I wouldn't know. I never tried, the old newspaper was a safer option :D
Ms Envy ~ Well, at least you didn't have to wait for the rain to wash away the 'ehem-ehem' kan... hehehe
ReplyDeleteRita Hi sis! Fancy seeing you here :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, I do my best... haha
Haha... Ya terpaksa tahan2. Kalo ada lagi babs yang pandai bubut bekeliaran kana kasi lapas, trus cancelled. :D Actually, kami punya late grandma dari Papar, but tinggal di M'kut. :)
ReplyDeleteCrystal ~ Actually, tu toilet kami bersebelahan kandang babs seja. Nasib baik di kandang, kalu berkeliaran... ada la babs cubuk org tengah buat bisnis... hahaha
ReplyDeleteOIC, urang Papar. Mangkali kami ada relative tinggal di Papar tapi sia seja yang inda tau...
Sis, yg butul slalu bah I follow yr mumblings ni but i quiet seja. Tapi ini topic mimang brings back memories.........:)
ReplyDeleteRita ~ Iya kah? Ko diam2 seja gia, tulis seja ba komen :)
ReplyDeleteBa, monuat no blog sondii, siok bo crita zaman dulu2... iziau lagi banyak crita best2... contohnya macam Nasi lemak Buah Bidara, tejatuh dr jambatan taim modizud dii, zaman 'Charlie's Angel' diozu!
Oluoh vagu pingas ku poingigis... ekekekeke