Now, inspired by the newly organized "Ex-Tanjong", and by a fellow Limbangian, I think I will put some effort into this exercise, and perhaps turn it into something worthy of a "blog".
So ... here goes
Back in Tanjong Lobang School (1961-64), when I as a boarder, I and other male students were required to participate in the after-school "work party". For sure, it was more "work" than it was "party". And this activity usually started after the afternoon "tea".
Work Party after Tea ... what a noble concept that was!
Students were grouped and assigned certain areas where weeds and other undesirable plants and undergrowth were to be cut or otherwise removed. Each student was armed with a special cutting tool, the parang, that was securely attached to a staff of approximately one meter in length. Each student would then be "safely" spaced, and swinging that special parang.
To this day, I still marvel at the fact none of the students had ended up losing his head (literally), for among the students were many descendants of the once-feared highly-skilled parang-wielding "Borneo Headhunters". My guess is: we really liked each other then. And this supposition, I am happy to report, is reaffirmed and evidenced by how we now treat each other within "Ex-Tanjong".
The "work party" was forced labor, in my work-party-humbled opinion, but it was a consistent and logical step for the school to execute nonetheless. There was (is) plenty of rain and warmth to promote rapid growth in the plant world throughout the compound. And it was a very cost effective method of achieving "campus beautification".
Does this remind anyone of a "chain gang"?
Oh well ... it did toughen us, and in the process it also taught us to be collaborative, considerate and caring toward one another.
I still think it was "chain gang" in disguise.
Cheers,
The Old Guy
4 comments:
Sam,
Remember we used to warn each other "watch the parang on your back!"
That is a different kind of parang, not the one you wield when cutting the grass.
It would be a gory thought if you get that parang with a one metre handle on your back!
Robert Madang
I was right. Robert is a natural blogger; so are you Sam. You have a long way to go to catch up with Sawan. I have the strangest of feeling about our TLS book. It is too much work. Blogging is the way to go. You can write when you feel like it and publish it immediately, NOW on your own blog. It is entirely up to others whether they want to read it or not. Just think of the freedom; your blog is entirely your own work. Bob as editor has a tough job deciding what to include and what to leave out...
David and Robert,
I think I am getting the hang of this blog thing. I enjoy being 98 years old monkey giving the world the finger ...
Cheers,
The Old Guy
When blogging it doesn't matter if no one reads our blog. The main thing is to get stuff off our chest. I got an adrenalin rush telling the group about my friend Simon!
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