Lore of the Kybo

Entering that humble wooden structure so elemental to our camping memories inspires terror in some and relief in others. The simple truth remains; eventually all must go. “Kybo” is its familiar name throughout world Scouting. A moniker that may hark back to filling Kybo brand coffee cans with powdered lime sprinkled in the facility to alleviate odor and promote decomposition. Have you heard toilet paper called “Kybo Tape” or “Kybo Wrap”?

Australian’s may call it a “dunny” or use the delightfully musical appellation ”thunderbox”. The Kiwis of New Zealand speak of the “long-drop”. Girl Scouts in the U.S. call it the biffy. (Could this be from the “BFI” (Browning-Ferris Industries) portable toilets? Or from an acronym for “Bathroom in the Forest For You.” ) In the national parks of Canada I have encountered ‘the box’ in back-country campsites – an facility with no walls or ceiling.

Initially a bit intimidating but the remote, often scenic location of the box and the open air of the experience are endear one to the arrangement.

While commonly constructed of wood some were constructed of brick.

Thought to be ostentatious facilities so constructed gave rise to a familiar simile “Built like a…” but you know the rest. Our Scout camp the common term is ‘latrine’ - a particularly military name . ‘ Latrine’ is a centuries old term the French derived from the Latin word “latrina”, contraction of “lavatrina”, from “lavare” to wash .

Sailors proudly call it the ‘head’ while the land-based branches of the armed service speak of ‘going to the can’ recalling that a can (a cut-off steel drum) was often used to contain the object of the exercise.

Europe’s highest (at a height of 13,976 feet ) serves 30,000 skiers and hikers annually.

Located on France’s Mont Blanc , periodically emptied by helicopter, the facility alleviated a spring thaw problem that caused some to call Mount Blanc ‘Mont Noir’. A retrete fuera de casa in Colca Canyon Peru is purported to hold the title ”the world’s highest.”

Vaudevillian Chic Sale penned a monologue featuring carpenter Lem Putt who made a career of building these humble striuctures. ” The Specialist” was published in book form and became something of a sensation in it’s time Tsi-Ku also known as Tsi-Ku-Niang is Chinese goddess of the latrine and the Etruscan goddess Colacina became Roman beneficent goddess of efficient drainage systems.

James Whitcomb Riley or James T.

Rankin penned the venerable poem ‘ The Passing of the Backhouse ‘ I have the following stanza committed to memory for entertainment on winter camping trips: But when the crust is on the snow and sullen skies were gray Inside the building was no place where one could wish to stay. We did our duties promptly, there one purpose swayed the mind; We tarried not, nor lingered long, on what we left behind. What lore or experiences have you to share?

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