Zinc Roofing, Monsoon & the Fxxking Nites



Kampong (village) life is a customary scene in many parts of Malaysia/Malaya and British Borneo, including Sarawak, before & after the War (World War II).

As with the post-World War II economic boom, similar to other parts of the World before the mid-70s recession, the era of economic growth progressively helped Sarawak to transform from a rural Kampong lifestyle to a more urbanised standard of living.


Many older residents still can remember the earlier Attap roofing (thatched roof using nipa palm leaves) and changes to zinc roofing in the 60s & earlier 70s.

There were various nostalgic moments in those poor & happy old days as my older relatives used to recount in beer sessions.


The one those old men kept repeating was the story of Zinc roofing & the Monsoon rains.


Family size was big in those days, and many families lived in the same roof. There were not much entertainments at nights and most nights were quiet, especially after sleeping hours, unless it rained!

Raining could be very noisy in the monsoon seasons where it normally rained continuously for hours or days and it could be real noisy if the roofing was of Zinc sheets!

Unlike modern metal roofing system where fibre glass or rock wool is sandwiched in the roofing system for soundproofing & other building requirements; old day Zinc roofing with just Zinc sheets with wooden trust was already a luxury architectural design.

Intimacy could be difficult for many couples living with many big families & family members in the same roof in such simple housing in quite nights.

For many couples, the monsoons at year end coupled with Zinc roofing were wonderful moments!

An old man once told me of the raining monsoon night after roof changing (to Zinc sheets); it was truly noisy, but he could sense the heavy breath & pulse of the six couples including their own that lived in the same house, and he could feel the whole house was trembling!

On behalf of the generations who were born after that, special thanks to those who brought in the Zinc Sheets & the Monsoons!



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