Tribal House in Waynad

The tribal huts found in the highlands of Kerala are minimal in their spaces and structure. Locally procured bamboo, grass and mud are the basic materials of house construction. Each plot is fenced with bamboo sticks to mark boundaries and for protection against wild animals. Bamboo framed roof is covered with a thick layer of hay thatch. The roof slope is so steep that there is no chance of rainwater seepage to the inside spaces. The edge of the thatch roof is hardly 150 cms high from the ground- the roof being very deep to protect the walls and plinth from lashing rain. The walls are made of woven bamboo screens and finished with thick layer of mud on both sides. Certain portions are left unplastered for the provision of ventilation. The mud walls keep the inside spaces cool even during summers. The plinth is low, of about 10-30 cms height and is extended outwards by about a feet, with wooden logs or stones, which protects the walls from getting damp during rains. This part of the extended plinth is known as the ‘thinna’ and forms the main social and activity space. Then there is the ‘kolaya’ which is the side open verandah and the ‘akam’, the inside private space which has few openings and is used for living and storage. There is a separated ‘adukkala’ or kitchen space within the house. The floors are finished with cow dung. Most of the houses also have a ‘thattu’ or attic which is built as a part of the bamboo structure itself.