In the late 60s...in the run up to Hari Raya or Eid-ul-Fitri...
Breaking fast started as soon as you hear the "beduk" (the mosques or surau uses a drum of sorts - a hollowed out log which they beat with a drum stick). Sometimes, these were really huge drums or "rebana". We did not have electricity then. Neither do we have running water until much later.
The village came to life soon after we had our fill. First was lighting up of "lampu tujuh likur" - literally seventeen lights in javanese (or was it twenty seven lights?). Tiny kerosene lamps on poles. Some uses bamboos as the container and wicks. Vertically as one or horizontally as one line of lights.
My uncle would line the front of the house - edge to edge with these lights. Others would create structures like stars, boats, bicycles... In Jalan Daud and Jalan Temenggong Ahmad, the community pooled their resources to create huge structures. But these started in the 70s. Nowadays they do that but on a very small scale - if any. Last year, Jalan Daud exhibited a trishaw.
Once the lights are lighted we proceeded to the next routine - "meriam buluh" (bamboo canons). A cacaphony of these...each replying to the other. It was a battle of the loudest bang.
Green bamboos measuring about 3 inches in diameter were ideal material. These were had deep in the village - usually beside streams. Cut off at the base since these were found to be strongest. Take only 3 to 4 feet and haul them back for the next process. Remove the leaves and shoots. Using a pole, remove the internal joints ensuring that you leave the last intact. Then create a small hole about 2 inches from the last intact joint. This will be used to ignite the cannon.
As an added measure, use strings or wires at every joint - in case the bamboo failed.
Pour a measure of water and insert "kabait" into the cannon. (I think it is sulphur but it is not yellow.) The mixture will gurgle indicating that there is a reaction. You can neither leave it too long nor too short. All you have to do is ignite it.
Later, my uncle would use galvanised pipes (I think). It made a different ringing bang.
Accompanying the canons were firecrackers. These were, at first, huge monsters wrapped in maroon coloured wrappers. These were replaced by smaller, colourfully striped wrappers. My uncle will string it up from a pole up to 10 feet and then lit them up.
There was another method of using crackers - a prelude (precussor) to fireworks. Take a pipe of 1 inch diameter and 3 to 4 inches long. Tie up 3 or 4 crackers together and insert in one end. Light up another cracker at the other. This will propel and ignite the others as it leaves the barrel.
The last cannon will be heard early in the morning of the last day of Ramadhan. Once done, my uncle would keep the cannons under water (in the pond in front of our house) until next year.
No more cannons now. Only crackers and fireworks...perhaps due to the fact that I have not lived in a "kampung" since then. "Lampu tujuh likur" replaced with neons, "chasing lights"...without that familiar kerosene odour nor black, thick smoke from soiled cotton wicks.
My kids knows not what it was like. The flick of a switch is all that is needed now to light up the trees, the house or garden. No need to rethread the wicks, going to the stall down the road for a bottle of kerosene, filling up with kerosene, lighting up one after another, re-filling if needed late at night, then collect them in the morning ready for the next night.
I wouldn't mine re-living this...wouldn't you?
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