2 Villagers Dig Shallow Grave. Once I Realized What They Were Doing, I Couldn't Stop Watching
You hear a lot of talk about the state of the world these days. Weather patterns shift, technology continues to progress, and television shows about humans off the grid appear here and there.
In a variety of ways, people seem very keen to re-connect with nature. Maybe it has something to do with fundamental nostalgia — or maybe, we increasingly realize that our planet offers an astonishing array of plentiful abundance.
Scroll through social media, and you’ll find a range of posts and pictures focused on living more simply.
You’ll also find instructional videos detailing amazing techniques for surviving in the wild.
Perhaps the first thing you’ll notice about these videos is that they’re incredibly relaxing. They’re often free of dialog altogether — with ambient “soundtracks” that include occasional bird chirps, rustling leaves, footsteps, or the soothing drone of insect life.
One such video appears on a YouTube channel called “Primitive Survival Tool.” It shows two native workers digging what appears to be a shallow grave — and to date, it’s received nearly five million views.
The barefoot men use large sticks to gradually break up the soil. They clear away the dirt and debris with primitive woven baskets until a rectangular pit begins to take shape. But then, interestingly, they insert large logs at all four corners.
Before you can even begin to wonder what’s really going on, you’re mesmerized by the sight of large rocks baking in a big, crackling fire. These are used to heat water, which is mixed with dirt to form a cement-like paste.
The craftsmen smooth this paste across the bottom and sides of the pit, where it’s left to cool and solidify. At this point, you’re pretty sure this isn’t a grave at all — but then, what else could it be?
Still without any verbal explanation, the villagers build a makeshift wooden frame around the pit using more narrow logs. Then they add a rustic-looking roof, which is covered with thatched grass.
More water is mixed with more dirt, and this grassy material is cemented right to the frame. Square patches of sod are then cemented over the top and around the perimeter, for an almost tropical-looking finish.
Vaguely, you wonder if this could be some sort of sunken, primitive tiki bar. But things become instantly clear when the pit is finally filled with water.
It’s actually a miniature swimming pool! And besides being a great way to stay cool in warm climates, it’s also a pretty impressive example of human ingenuity inspired by Mother Nature.
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