Indonesia is a diverse country. Not only language and ethnicity. Indonesia is also rich in various traditional houses that differ from each province and tribe. In Papua, there is a traditional Honai house. Then, how did bird’s nests inspired Papuan in Honai construction?
About Honai House
The Dani, Lani, and several other indigenous Papuan tribes live in the Honai traditional house. However, only in the mountains and valleys of central Papua can you find this Honai house.
A honai house has two stories and is between two and five meters tall. The second story is used for activities, a lounge, a dining room, a place to work on crafts, and other areas, while the first story is used for sleeping.
On the first floor, males sleep in a circle, and women on the second. The space on the first floor is heated by a campfire in the middle.
Five to ten people can dwell in the Honai home. Because the Dani people inhabits a region in Papua with extremely chilly mountain air, the structure was constructed without windows for their protection. As a result, the Honai house’s shape is likewise designed to adapt to the air surrounding it.
Bird’s Nest Inspired Papuan in Honai Construction
The Honai House is distinguished by its distinctive mushroom-like shape and dark brown color. The honai house’s fundamental design is a circle with wicker-covered walls and a straw-covered conical roof. Honai homes are constructed from sustainable natural resources. Moreover, the honai house resembles a bird’s nest.
Yet, the concept of a bird’s nest inspired the creation of the honai house. The Dani originally watched how birds built their spherical nests to safeguard and warm their eggs before they invented the honai dwelling.
They started learning how to build dwellings after witnessing to keep themselves safe from the hot, cold, and wet conditions. The honai home as we know it now was eventually built.
The Philosophical Meaning of Honai House
There is a philosophy behind the architecture and design of the Honai house, namely:
1. Roof
Roofs made of thatch or straw may appear frail. Thatch, though, maybe really savage. Its meaning is independent, robustly critical, and versatile.
2. Timber Wall
The Honai home has circular-shaped timber walls. It serves as a reminder to uphold and transmit culture, beliefs, sense of self, and a single heart and objective in accomplishing a task. It also serves as a symbol of unity.
3. Floor
Straw or grass covers the floor of an Honai dwelling because they represent the essence of simplicity. The Honai home is completely without chairs.
At the Dani residence, guests are welcome to have a seat on a grass mat. The Dani aspired to come together as one by doing this. This simple Honai home makes it simpler for the nomadic Dani to move and find new locations.
When making an honai, families will invite their friends and family. They will share meals together as they work on the project. “Stone burning” is the name for this custom of communal dining.
The traditional Papuan home hides several significant ideas about community and interdependence beneath its seeming simplicity. Understanding the traditional Papuan homes is crucial to preserving Indonesian culture.
That’s about the Honai house and how the bird’s nest inspired Papuan in Honai construction.
