Our villages are built near a good water supply and good soil. Bigger villages are protected by rows of upright poles (a palisade) and sometimes we use more than one row. Narrow gates, areas to watch from and galleries let us keep a lookout for enemies. Six families live in a longhouse that are 6 - 9 metres wide, about the same in height and up to 30 metres long. Longhouses are made of poles bent over to form an arch, then covered with bark and saplings. Low doors are at either end with a porch usually where food and wood are stored. Holes in the roof let smoke out and light in. Fireplaces, usually about 6 metres apart, serve two families. Each family’s belongings are simple reed or bark mats, or animal skins on the floor; pottery vessels, baskets and containers for storing corn. A longhouse lasts about eight to ten years. A village is usually moved every 20 to 40 years. The move is made with help from nearby villages. Return to Other Ways of Seeing... |
