Monday, August 20, 2007

Going strong

On a recent trip to Sook in the heart of Sabah, I spotted this house on a hill top. What caught my eye was its bamboo walls. I went to ask villagers at nearby house with its conventional wooden walls and was told that the occupant of the bamboo abode was a farmer in his 60's.

Such houses were once common particularly among the ethnic Kadazandusuns and Muruts who now prefer to fashion their homes from wood or for the more affluent, bricks and concrete.

Now that Sabah is facing a cement shortage and bamboo still plentiful, perhaps going back to this traditional building material may make sense, in some instances.

4 comments:

ALBERT ALEX GULABOK BINGKASAN said...

Sir,
that's a very good picture
my family had one like that before
in fact, we still have one, built not too long ago...
keep going sir

Ruben Sario said...

Tobpinai, thank you. I was told bamboo is actually a durable material and it's still used quite frequently in the Philippines.

Anonymous said...

which reminds me of my kampung life.

hey, guess what, i think i still know how to prepare bamboo for various purposes... for flooring, walls, as a nest for the chicken to lay eggs, etc

Ruben Sario said...

That are useful skills Jack, more so if you know the technique to preserve bamboo. I've seen handicrafts such as trays and mats and even furniture made from bamboo...