Living in Pondok Kalompang Gubuk

At back lane - My two younger sister and my brother. Photo taken in the 1970s.

 

At back lane - Me and my only brother. Photo taken in the 1970s.

My two younger sisters and I were born at Pondok Kalompang Gubuk in the 1960s, each about two years apart. My Mom told me that the midwife from KK Hospital came down to our home to help with the delivery.

I remember vividly the time I was a little girl playing with my sisters and friends around my age. My childhood friends were from nearby pondok. "Ponthuk" is the proper Baweanese pronunciation for the word "Pondok". Two shophouses away from my home used to be Pondok Tachung and across the road on the left side used to be Pondok Pangga.

My siblings and cousins at the entrance of our home in the early 1970s.

My sisters and I went through the changes in time as we grew. We experienced living in a pondok and witnessed the changes in life-styles of the pondok residents as they made progresses through the years -in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s.

My sister, brother and cousin Anam. Photo taken in the 1970s.

The back lane was our playing ground whenever our footballers mamang were not available to bring us to the Kampong Kapor Community Centre.

Generally, pondok residents had to follow rules and regulations of the particular pondok they were living at. These rules and regulations vary among each pondok. At Pondok Kalompang Gubuk, some of the general rules were; lights to be switched off at certain time; one was not allowed to spend too long in the shower; and the bachelors, including the male guests who were mainly seamen, were not allowed to go to the second level. The seamen usually spent a night at the Pondok and left Singapore the next day.

The Bachelors of Kampong Kapor in the late 1950s / early 1960s

A huge, high table covering one-third of the living room became bed to these men during the night. The 'ambin' as it was called, being placed against the three walls of the room on the right (as one sees it from the entrance door). Each men slept on thin mattress that could be folded and kept on the shelf mounted to the wall just above the right window. During the day, it became an area for relaxing. The men usually sat on the 'ambin' as they chat with each others.

The site where the "ambin" used to be.

Above this window there used to be the shelf for keeping the folded mattresses.

Photo was taken in the 1980s.

Below the "ambin" was a store-like place where plates, glasses and cutlery used for functions were kept in wooden boxes. These were bought with the funds collected from pondok residents and also members who once lived at Pondok Kalompang Gubuk. When the "ambin" was dismantled and thrown away during the 1970s, the wooden boxes including the contents were shipped to Bawean to the people living at Kalompang Gubuk village.

The site where the long dining table used to be.

This photo was taken in the 1980s.

They were preparing a birthday party for little Anam.

Opposite the "ambin" was a long dining table for the men to have their meals. It was also used to welcome male guests. Tea or Coffee with pastries were prepared by Mak Lurah and served by Pak Lurah (as the host). It was at this table that the General Meetings were conducted. Pondok residents and members used to gather at the dining table for discussions. Generally, every pondok in Kampong Kapor had their individual committee headed by the Pak Lurah. A treasurer was appointed to collect membership funds from pondok members. He also collected the rent and utility money from the pondok residents. This system was prominently seen during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

The middle room at the ground floor and the front room on the second storey was for married residents. There were many families in these two huge rooms. The wardrobes were placed in such away that they acted as partitions between the spaces of each family, while the entrance to each of these spaces were covered by curtains.

The middle room on the second storey was for the ladies. My granddad, Pak Lurah Haji Siddik who was the Head of Pondok Kalompang Gubuk between the 1960s to early 1980s, occupied the rear small room on the second level. At this level, there was a toilet and shower room mainly used by the women.

The features on small space accommodation area were very prominent during the 1960s. Through the years, this space area grew bigger as more pondok residents moved out to live in HDB flats. By the 1990s, only one family still living at Pondok Kalompang Gubuk.

My grandmother doing her cooking.

This area was a small part of the kitchen.

Photo taken in 1980s.

The women of Pondok Kalompang Gubuk shared a communal kitchen. Each family was given a space to do their cooking. It was a huge kitchen. There was a big "ambin" used for work space in preparing food. The "ambin" was also used by the women and children to have their meals. Some married couples also had their meals there too.

My youngest sister playing model posing for the camera.

Photo taken in the early 1970s at the backlane of our pondok home.

At the rear part of the pondok, there was a back door. This door opened to the back lane. This rear area of the pondok was the place for washing clothes. The women washed their family clothes in front of the toilet and shower room. They took turns one after another. The washing was done only after the men had showered and went to work.

The rear part of the Pondok, in front of the toilet and shower room.

Photo taken in the 1980s.

In the late 1960s, a small room was built on the second storey above the kitchen at the rear part of the pondok. This room was my family's room. It was built by my granddad who was good at carpentry work. Carpentry was his hobby during his off days working as a PUB driver. This room was well built and often used during weddings. The bride usually used this room to get dress and be ready for the wedding ceremony.

My family's room. The Photo were taken in the 1970s during a wedding occasion.

I enjoyed living in pondok. It left me with beautiful memories of my childhood life. My family and I left Pondok Kalompang Gubuk in 1974 to live in HDB flats. Eventually, many followed my father's footsteps. They purchased HDB flats and moved out from the pondok.

The Bachelors of Kampong Kapor.

My father on the left most, with his friends acting out as musicians.

Photo taken in the late 1950s.