How do I use an Indonesian toilet? Indo-loo culture Part
I
Ever asked to use the bathroom (a.k.a. loo/jon/bog/dunny
‘down under’) at someone’s house in Bali
and not known what to do? Well, this claims to be your non-nonsense
guide to the Indo squat toilet and associated amenities.
The first thing you will notice is that Indonesian toilets
are not quite the same as what you would find in the ‘Western
world’. Sunk into the ground with tread marks etched
into the porcelain on either side of the part where you do
your business, a squat toilet is not the prettiest thing in
the world. Nonetheless, it serves a function and is apparently
good for the bowels.
The first thing you need to know is that an Indonesian bathroom
is a very wet place. A toilet is often multifunctional and
serves as a place you relieve yourself, a place you wash yourself
and a place you do the washing. If you’re into multitasking,
you could be in your element when you have a sudden urge while
you’re on the throne! With its slippery floor surface,
it may be surprising that you’re expected to remove
footwear before entering (except for the public ones!), but
I guess anyone would prefer to take their shoes off before
having a bath…
A squat loo doesn’t normally come with toilet paper.
You’ll need to use copious amounts of water to clean
yourself, which you get from a vat of water called a bak mandi
– you get the water out with the scoop provided. This
is where it gets tricky (or simply icky!) – using water
instead of paper means you’ll need to learn to become
a bathroom contortionist and a sharp shooter. You’re
guaranteed to get wet and there will generally not be a towel
or anything to dry yourself on. I guess most Indonesians bring
tissue paper with them or just put up with a bit of wetness
in their pants – this may remain an unsolved socio-cultural
mystery for some time… If you’re really keen on
this topic, ask your local friends how they cope!
Look out for Part II on Indo-loo culture next issue!
