You know how it is, when you have to go, you have to go. Dwellers of small towns in remote areas of Panama, built their bathrooms outside their homes. In Spanish they are called, “servicio de hueco” (hollow toilets). They are very simple and made with rural materials found within the surroundings of the homes. I’ve seen many of them built with bamboo wood and metal sheets.
After satisfying their physiological needs, these humble campesinos would clean their act with dried corn cobs (tusas) or dried corn husks. Other would use newspaper pages; all in the name of cleanliness. As their economic situation got better, the rustic bathrooms were moved inside the house, and the facility was modernized. Tusas, newspapers and dried corn husks gave way to papel higiénico Unico, Scott toilet paper manufactured by Kimberly-Clark or top seller Charmin fabricated by Procter & Gamble.
While taking pictures at Mi Pueblito last month, I saw a typical servicio de hueco at Mi Pueblito. Its similarity to the real ones I’d seen on the countryside was remarkable. This is it.
Snapshot of a rustic toilet displayed at Mi Pueblito in Panama City. This structure is very similar to the real ones used by peasants in the remote small towns of Panama's countryside. Photo ©Omar Upegui R.
Hola Omar:
Increíble que alguien iba a retratar una letrina rústica. já-já No le pusieron el asiento y tapa de madera que lavan con hojas de chumico el cual déja un acabado fino, como lijado. Algo más, a falta de desodorante, he visto que tiran dentro de la letrina un chorro de kerosene. No dudo que esto es parte de una etapa más avanzada.
¡Qué intreresante!
Saludos,
Hola Hilda:
Nunca había visto una fotografía de un servicio de hueco, aunque sea parte de la vida diaria de una familia del interior. Lingua Franca quiere retratar sin tapujos nuestra vida interiorana, tal y como es.
Siguen varias fotografías que retratan nuestra verdadera identidad Panameña. Estoy seguro que muchos Panameños en el extranjero se identificarán con estas vistas interioranas.
Saludos,
Omar.-
Hi Omar’
Somewhere out there is a photo of me when I was 3 sitting on a commode pot next to my grand parents house. It seems I had no intention of going in the outdoor biffy. Thank God for indoor plumbing.
Jim
Hi James:
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a message. I appreciate it.
Regards,
Omar.-
After World War Two we moved from town to my mother’s family farm. Ours was called an outhouse. We used the Sears Roebuck catalog. Each of us had something on our wish list so we would write “do not use this page”.
Hi Old Timer:
Ha-ha-ha! That was a clever scheme to keep yourself clean and nourish your dreams at the same time. Good way to go to the john.
Regards,
Omar.-
People do adapt and find ways to accomodate their needs. When I was traveling overland in Africa, I soon learned that a long skirt was far preferable to trousers. All of those ladies squatted down by the side of the road are not contemplating the nature of the universe.
Hello Linda:
I know exactly what you mean. When you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go. No ifs, ands or buts.
Take Care,
Omar.-