Life in Primary School 2

Life in school those years was hard but very interesting.Those were the days when we as young
boys were eager to be independent - to show off that we were grown up! We were competing to be seen to be able to do everything. We were taught not to cry when we were homesick,which was very often. We were told of an older generation boy who cried when he was home sick and mentioned that he missed the yam at home. He was from a neighbouring village.He cried ' Do' teh ngi ruma' kami inan teh upa' kenana narih'. ( lit. It is good to be at home,got yam to eat).

Activities such as cooking,taking fire wood,nekap arar manuk and keketih (looking for birds nest and bee-hives ) will take most of our time after class. It was after these activities that we will have great times in the river. There were elders to call for us to stop and go back -we were our own boss. Those were the days when we could drink straight from the river.Boiled water or coffee and tea were unheard. The last time I tried drinking the river water was in 1975 - I got diarrhea!

I still can remember my little pot that I used for cooking my rice. It was made of aluminium. After cooking my rice, which is for my lunch and dinner I have to be carefull not finish it at one go as half of it was for dinner. It was not much - I could hang the full pot of rice from my ears together with my ear ring. I had ear rings down to my shoulders. (another story in days ahead)