Senapang Buluh (Bamboo Gun)

One of the fun things to do was to play cowboys, especially gun shooting. Since we cannot afford to buy those expensive toys sold at the shop, we come out with our own creativity - make our own guns. Those who were raised in the 'kampong' will know exactly what I am talking about.

We seek small bamboo about 1 foot long. We cut off about 2 inches at the base and insert a small stick also out of bamboo (stuck into the base), to be the pumping stick; that should slide fittingly into the rest of the bamboo passage. The pumping stick will push the pellet shoved in from one end of the bamboo and will shoot out at the other end. It works by applying air pressure. Pellets are green 'cenerai' fruits knocked into one end and then shoved and push all the way to the end. Another one will then be shoved from the same back and with the air pressure building in between the green 'cenerai' fruits, it will force out the earlier green 'cenerai' fruit in front, like a bullet, giving a pop sound just like a gun! Maybe not as powerful as a bullet, however it could instill pain to whoever is being shot at!

'Cenerai' trees can be found almost anywhere and it fruits all year round. The fruit is about half the size of a ground nut. It is a wild tree that grows about everywhere and since it provide nice shelter from the sun; even though it is a wild tree it never got chopped down. The 'cenerai' fruits are green; it would always mess up the clothes when we try to knock it into the small bamboo passage way. I would normally get a tongue lashing when I get home as the green paste stuck on the clothes could not be washed away no matter how much and with whatever you try to clean it with.

No matter how much the risk of being scolded or sometimes beaten up for messing our clothes, it was all worth it playing cops and robbers with our 'senapang buluh'. No expensive toy guns can bring the same satisfaction!