The women’s hash is an old tradition in Brunei Borneo, and many women take part in this jungle run every week.
Every Tuesday, about 50 ladies of different nationalities gather in the Borneo jungle. Some do it for the exercise, some do it for the atmosphere, and some do it so that they can have a chat with their peers. Only features and guests of parts are permitted to participate, so when my friend asked me to come along, I said yes straight away.
Hashing in Different Brunei Locations
The run takes place in different locations throughout Brunei, and last week it took place in Rimba. When we approached the area, I could see cars double-parked everywhere. As we are in Brunei and I am yet to see a parking attendant, I did the same and parked along the road. My friend signed me in and told me that she had to introduce me to a few people and explain the rules to me; otherwise, she would get the ‘hashit.’ This, I later found out, is a bucket of cold water thrown over you. It is given to members that do not follow the rules, and apparently, someone always gets it.
Breast Cancer Awareness Hash
This week’s hash was dedicated to Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and everyone was wearing something pink. At 5:15 p.m., the front runner set off, and everyone else followed. Some were running, some walking, and I even saw a woman with a stick approaching the jungle. My friends and I set off at a walking pace as she had to explain the rules to me. The 1st point she said to me was to look out for three pink ladies, as the finder of those will get a prize. In my mind, I had an image of three ladies dressed in pink, and I was wondering why they were hiding in the jungle, but at the gathering afterward, I realized that I was supposed to have looked out for three small pink paper ladies!
A Hash for Everyone
We ended up behind the woman with the stick, so the pace was languid. After a few minutes, my friend decided to run past, calling out, ‘Coming through, coming through, which you have to do if you overtake someone in the jungle. At times, it was pretty challenging to move forward. We had to climb over and under sticks and trees, and the ground was muddy and a bit slippery. However, as it was a short run, we soon approached the finishing line, which was the same as the starting line.
Hash Welcoming Ceremony
Because it was my first time at a hash, I had to be introduced to the group in a ceremony. Everyone was singing their ‘hash song,’ and at the end, all newbies had to drink beer or water while the group was chanting ‘down, down, down. Ultimately, there was a table of food and other goodies to choose from. Overall, my first jungle hash was an excellent experience.