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    Ethiopian Traditional Housing

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    1K views18 pages

    Ethiopian Traditional Housing

    Uploaded by

    Lole Tube
    Ethiopian Traditional Housing

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 18
    Ethiopia has been called the citadel of Africa. It is a mountainous untyys various peoples, speaking many languages, form the present ation of 25 million. thas an ancient culture and a recorded history dating back several thousand years "Alttade fa the most important factor regulating the tempo of tife in Ethiopia: the fauna and the flora of the country vary essentially amcordiny to altitude. The types of agriculture, indeed even of per aematty traits, are said to depend on their specific location. Ethio pians believe that the highlanders are slow and even-tempered) and That the lowlanders are easly angered. There are three traditional Classifiations of altitude: dega or highland, weina-dega or middle altitude and kolla or lowland. "The mountains offer three advantages in so far as human settle ments are concerned. First, mountains provide protection to Villages and. large settlements and all important Ethiopian Towas are located in areas difficult to reach, Secondly, although Meet” of highland Ethiopia is. situated within the tropics, it Unjovs & sofiness of climate, rather Uke the summer climate, of Swiderland, ‘The altitode is chiefly responsible for this, Thirdly, Stitude provides a remarkably healthful environment. Above the middle levels, weina-dega, the twetse Ay cannot survive, and fs a result cattle and draught animals are found in abundance. ‘As we shall ee later, cow dong constitutes an important element in ihe construction of housing, and even cattle horns arc used, as hooks for hanging a varity of utensils. The anopheles mosquito Uiges not breed above. 1,900 m; hence malaria does not exist hove this level. The same is true of yellow fever and cholera above 1,500 m. [ETHNIC OROUPS AND, HOUSING TYPES [Fthiopia has a remarkable variety of peoples. A. simple grouping, tinile it does not provide & clear picture of every tribal grow, evertheless affords an opportunity for presenting an_ overview. Exhiopians may be grouped ino Gree major ehnic aroupings. These three groupings and their distribution aver the country is shown in 106 SOME TRADITIONAL TYPES OF HOUSING IN ETHIOPIA Naigzy Gebremedhin the following map. The groups are: (1) Semitised| Cushtie Group! (2) Cushitie group. (2) Nilotic group. The Tigré Chie's House Sha the Tiere farmer's house are samples of the houst-(ypes pro- uced by the fist ethnic group, Le. Semitised Cushitic group. In this contexte the Gurage people and the Gurage house-type de: feribed here are an exception. The Gurage people are regarded as Somitied Cushites, though their house-type is in substance no Sierent fom the’ typical house-type of the sreat majority of Cushige tribes. The Shoa Gala house is a simple of the type built by the most important sub-group of the Cusbtic group. AS can be Seen Fam the map, this group is distributed throughout the whole of Ethopia. Map of Sthepla showing bation of ene eons. 4 Chencha and Sidamo bamboo houses are built by people whose ‘vibal affinity is closer to the Cushtie group than to the Nilotic ‘group. However, since there isa close similarity between these type houses and the house types built by Nilotic peoples, the Sidamo house and the Chench houses will be ken as representative sam. ples of the type of houses built by the Niloti group, ‘This group occupies what is classically known as th historical part of Ethiopia, They are proponents of early Ethiopian Cheistian cut ture. The influence of their culture is felt throughout Ethiopia. The ‘most important sub-group is the Amhatie-speaking group which is Found throughout the provinces of Gojam, Begemeder and Shoa “These people occupy the salubrious highlands practising sedentary farming. They raise a variety of crops and keep different kinds of domestic animals and their agricultural practice is generally of a very high standard. The trial structure varies a great deal according to the sub-aroups ‘This group is the largest ethnic group of the country. UlleadorfT “writes, "The peoples of Cushitie speech in Ethiopia occupy not only Map of Bthiopla shoingdtriato of housing pee cused the sy ee metue ES] Avot the vast area ofthe eastern, southern and western plains and moun: lain slopes, but they also constitute the substrate upon which the Semitie speaking emigranis have been Iaid.”™ ‘Nuaerous sub-groups exist. The largest sub-2roup, the Gala, is believed to be composed of no less than two hundred smaller groups. The language ofthis group, Galina is spoken almost as widely a is Amharic. Ullendorff writes: ‘Their original habitat was probably in the corner ofthe horn of Africa, but continual Somali pressure drove them west and south-west. It was only in the fifteenth and sixteenth cxnturis that they began to penetrate into the Abyssinian highlands, and once they had ascended the fertile plateau, they abandoned their way of life as nomadie herdsmen and became sedentary cul tivators? ‘As tie accompanying map shows, the Cushitic people who occupy 4 large portion of eastern Ethiopia are stil nomadic herdsmen. ‘Among these both Gala and other tribal sub-gcoups are found. The house-type produced by nomadic herdsmen has tueh ia common with the house-type produced by the Nilotic groups (see below). A ‘major distinction should be noted, however, which concerns the use of materials, Whereas the typical house produced by the Nilotic _roup uses materials collected from the immediate vicinity, nomadic herdsmen have tended to use more permanent materials, such as ‘woven mats and skins of animals, and even thee wicker-work tends to be well prepared and of @ permanent nature, These materials are light so that they ean be easily transported from place to place, asthe nomadic herdsmen move in search of grass and water Tor their animals ‘This group is the smallest of the ethnic groups, and occupies the western border. ‘The type of house they build is similar w the CChencla house and the Sidamo house deseribed farther on in this report. The people who belong to this group live in the remote Jowlanes near river banks and on the shores of the large lakes of Ethiopiz. Among the sub-groups may be mentioned the Baria and Kunams tribes in the north, the small Nilotic tribes along. the Ethiopim Sudanese border such as the Mekan, Mao, Guaaa, ete ‘These people have traditionally made their living by hunting, trap ping and fishing The Weito for example, who live along the banks of the Nite are despised by the highlanders because they hunt the hippo. ‘potas. Nowadays, many of these sub-groups have learnt 0 till the lane and cultivate craps. Ethiopi’s long historical heritage and architectural achievements providea useful reference point forthe analysis and understanding of Fraditinal hosing types. Often one can eally tence some traditional housing details to past Ethiopian architectural practice, The build ings of the ancient kingdom of Axum are well known; Axumites rected truly imposing structures. One of the stelae which now lies 107 broken in pieces appears tobe the hishest monolithic block ever built bby ancient man. ‘Decorations ofthe largest stelae at Axum symbolise building structures. One cannot assume that the Axumites in ceality ‘constructed eight. or ten-storey buildings even ifthe ruins indicate this”* The plan of a palace recently excavated at Axum may be favourably compared with the layout plan of @hudimo, or farmer's house ofthe Eritrean type it was not until the middle of the seventeenth century that Ethiopians learned how to make lime mortar, nor ist surprising that it took so long. The sedimentary rocks ofthe central highlands have 1 deep cover of lava so that limestone does not show in many areas. ‘The art of making strong mortar opened up the possibility of con structing arches and vaults, and pave rise to the tendency towards the tus of mortumental dimensions. Lindahl suggests tha the break with Ethiopian tradition in this respect affected the change in height of rooms and the size of window openings-* Pan of sto, retanslrfarmer' hoe, Evra pe This owe i shared By Sera hose hap rm Donel Maria. Viale Tipit Abtazion sr scsh lon of poace recent excarated at Axa. ton) 108 U=Uton stove Deas Cour Nic Neds tultinted Most Ethiopian traditional houses representa very refined product. House types in the northern region exhibit a remarkable continuity of characteristics, posibly as a result of continued improvement the building process, which must be regarded in the context of an economy that has not changed for a long time. In tis respec, itis useful to compare two ilustations. The first represents a model of @ house believed to be about fifteen hundred years old, This clay model was found near Axum in 1959, Itis about 25 em long. The second figure shows the elevation of a Tigré farmer's house as itis bull today. The similarity between the two plans is striking. Ethiopian traditional house-types are also characterised by their simplicity Decorations are rare and the internal arrangement of the houses is marked by a stark austerity, though the Tigré chie's house is an ‘exception. On the whole, it appears that great pains are taken to avoid flamboyance of style. Materials are used in the simplest and most obvious ways, and the use of wood and stone au manuel is preferred, leans, son and plan flay mode hows fu ear Asam Innearly ll traditional Ethiopian houses, irrespective of the tribal, and religious aflitions of the people who build them, the cent area is reserved for important people ardor for specially important ‘occasions. This practice is less frequent in the case of rectangular houses, probably because partitioning in rectangular house ire tively easy. The designation of the central space in the house as the place of honour is not only of Christian origin, Daniel, Marinelli ‘and Cipriani suggest that this practice exists also in Moslem ‘communites,” but the similarity between the designation of space in ‘Christin church and that of an ordinary residential house is worth mentioning. In traditional circular Ethiopian churches, the three concentric parts have the following functions: (I) quené maki, i. the place where hymns ase sung and where the ddbudra or cantors stand. To this part the community at large has ready aecess. It corresponds to the outer part of the Tabernacle, or of Solomon's Temple. The next chamber (2) is the queddest or enda ta'amer ‘place of miracles’, hier is generally reserved For priests, but to which laymen have access for the administration of eommunion, This is equivalent tothe ‘mide part of the Tabernacle, or of Solomon's Temple. The inner ‘most part (3) is the meigdls or geddusd geddusan, where the tabot Fests and to which only senior priests and the king are admited “This corresponds tothe Holy ofthe Holies ofthe Tabernacle and the ‘Temple. This room is carefully guarded, and by its subdued light or Virtual darlness the air of awe and mystery is greatly aecentuated.* In the traditional Tiget house, the four ceatral pillars define the space, which, as in church nomenclature, is called the midds, the saneiz Sanctorum. In some cases, women are admitted to the area ‘outside the pillars only. Cipriani subdivides Ethiopian house-types according to the charac: teristes of the supporting frameworks. He recognises three funda ‘mental types: (1) rigid elements: (2) exible elements ‘planted’ to the -sround at one end; (3) exible elements ‘planted’ at both ends. This classification does not apply to rectangular houses.? "Typo of houses dep from L. Ciro, p47, 109 Ethiopian howse-types may also be clasiied according to the building process used, Three main processes are: (I) Piling, i. the process used in connection with elements such as blocks, burnt bricks oF stones; (2) Twining or tying, ie. the process by which building elements are ted together by rope, plant twigs or other suitable tying material; 3) Weaving: bamboo and grass are (wo excellent examples of materials that can be woven to produce houses. raph shoes eeniation of sruture and maria wed tn relation oer “The six house types which will be described below may be clasiied as follows: 1 Tigre chieP'shouse Round conical roof Yes [Tigeéfarmer’s house Rectangular flat root Yes 2 Shoagala house Round conical roof No 2 Gurage house Round conical roof No 3 Chencha house Paraspherical No 3 Sidamo house —__Paraspherical No ‘Some important characteristics of these house-types are (1) Houses produced by processes 2 and 3 are usually with cout corners. ‘They have either cylindrical wall and a conical oof or are roughly hemispherical. The reason tor thus may be explained as follows, Tying and weaving lend themselves admirably {o the production of plane surfaces that have no abrupt change. 10 (2) One also notes that house-types produced by processes: 2 and 3 generally have no window opening. This also appears obvious. Surfaces produced by the ting or weaving process do not accom ‘modate openings easly and nataraly. In practice, openings are made bby literally cutting a hole in a finished surface, This exercise is both wasteful and avwhward. In the case of « house built by the piling process on the ather hand, an opening can be fairly easily accom. modated. Ethiopian stone house-types are likely to have many more ‘openings than other house-types. (G) The root and wall of house-ypes produced by process 3 are not distinctly differentiated, (4) Producing house-types by process 1 is slow and expensive, since the weight of the House is very great. It also requires some ‘additonal thought in arranging for an adequate and safe foundation Hous types produced by processes 2 and 3, however, are quickly rat up, and their weight is very light. Not much thought need be fiven tothe Foundation of such houses. [At present, itis not clear which process is the most advanced, althoigh Cipriani suggests that as the mode of life changes from hunting to sedentary farming the house-type changes from a spher- ical shape to a differentiation between the wall and the root. He thereay implies that the construction of a walls an important mil stone in the development of housing. Clearly, each area in Ethiopia, nm ee —e ee thas developed and refined the process presently in use because the ‘materials used are found in abundance in the immediate vicinity. In ‘Tigré an excellent quality stone for masonry work is found in great ‘abundance, and masonry work appears to be of avery high standard there. In the south and the southwestern parts ofthe country. bam. boo and various other building materials ofa vegetable character are ‘commonly found, and tying and weaving are therefore used for building houses. In some areas of Ethiopia there is a thorough mixture of styles and building methods. These areas are endowed ‘with materials suited for the production of housing by al the three processes, HOUSE-TYPES ‘TioRé FaxMn's HOUSE (Hudmo)"” ‘The area where such houses are to be found includes the present provinces of Tigré and Eritzea (see map). ‘Three important public activites are included in the land-use plan of a typical village (1) A church and a graveyard attached to it. (2) An open air meeting place (bao) ()A place for the accumulation and burning of vi products. (Guadyp) Apparently the villages have a fairly well articulated logistic plan for waste disposal, based on the voluntarily donated service of the head ofthe family Houses in this area are built very close to one another, and in levains ond pon of Tg hous, Adiga te. The part covered outst the tk ‘4 twfanity to se Eran pe, Note ‘hat oe the foes herons one Ps ie oer as tree. Api ro Darl and Maris» 297) some cases units are constructed 50 as to share a party wall. The lage layout in Eritrea and Tigré i in sharp contrat to that inthe southern part of Ethiopia, The pattera in the other area is to have a rather dispersed type of setlement. In general it is possible to detect two types of Tigé farm houses ‘The Eritrean type is built into the steep side ofa hill or mountain. ‘The casual observer has great difficulty in detecting these houses, particularly from a distane, since they fend to lend completely with the surroundings. "Tho other varity, which is found around the Adi-Grat area, is ready visible even from a distance. Both types have iat roofs com- pose of compacted earth resting ona system of round timber beams. ‘These houses have very well

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