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February 14, 2006

How to build a grass hut

Ever wondered how the Fulani make their lovely domed huts? No? Well, I think I'll tell you anyway:

For your home-made Fulani grass hut, you will first need fifty good long bendy sticks (fulfulde: loosi).
	You will also need 8 grass mats (fulfulde: dangeleeji hu'do), each one between 15 and 20 feet long.
Plant the sticks in the ground about two feet deep and bend them inwards to meet in the centre. Gird the structure with three belts made with remaining sticks, and tie the intersections tightly with rags.
	Put the first three grass mats around the hut's bulging midriff. You might need a few friends to help you with this.
Choose a gap (any gap) for the doorway and then roll on three more grass mats, this time at ground level. A doorway will lend functionality to your finished hut.
	This is Adama from Jaw-Jaw. He has been building grass huts for as long as he can remember. Adama is pictured here in his Friday best, shortly before taking a mosque break
Use the remaining two grass mats for the roof. Use a yuwngal (a gizmo which looks like a large wooden tuning-fork) to pierce the mats from the outside and tie them to the sticks - you are basically sewing your hut together.
	Choose the smallest member of your team to get up on top of the hut and tie the roof mats down.
Shout encouragement and instructions from safe below. Wanna noon (Not like that) and Tinna taa saama (Don't fall off) are two oft-heard suggestions.
	Adama's cousin Belko isn't scared of heights. Or if he is, he doesn't admit it.
Cover the hut with loose grass. Let your creative juices flow as you shape and style your hut's hairdo, bearing in mind that some kind of central tuft is currently de rigeur (and has been for the last three thousand years)
	Rake up any leftover grass while your friends pose for pictures. Keith will be sleeping in this particular hut when he comes to stay later this week. If you would like to try it out after him, be my guest.

Posted by sahelsteve at February 14, 2006 05:59 PM