One of Indonesian unique traditions is about Papua’s unique traditional houses that you can explore further. Their traditional house in particular because of its characteristics and unique shape. Let’s take a closer look at this beautiful traditional house!
Honai, Papua’s Unique Traditional House
First, we will talk about the traditional house in Papua called Honai. The name Honai comes from two words, Hun and Ai. Hun means an adult man, and Ai means house. So, Honai can be explained as a house for an adult man. Here are some facts about Honai:
- Three Different Types of Honai
In Papua, Honai is a traditional house with 3 different types. The first one is a house for a man called Honai as well. Meanwhile, a traditional house with the same shape as Honai is named Ebeai. Ebe means body, and Ai means house. Ebeai is a house for adult women in Papua.
It’s interesting to know that there are different houses for women and men in Papua. But, you will become more interested to know that there is one more type of house. The shape is similar to Honai, but people use it for livestock. It’s called Wamai, and they used this house for their pigs.
- Look Like an Igloo
Honai has a unique design. The construction has a combination of Hobbit house and Igloo. The shape of this house is round with a cone on the roof. There is a small door that will face the sunset and sunrise. There are no windows or ventilation because it’s freezing in Papua. Also, they made this design to protect people from wild animals.
- It consists of Two Floors
There are two floors in Honai. This house is 3-7 meters high and has a diameter of 4-6 meters. The first floor is usually used for gathering. Also, they used this floor to mummify the deceased members of the family. Then there is the second floor, where the people will sleep. This arrangement has a purpose; it will keep the house warm because the temperature outside is very cool.
The Beauty of Millipede
Besides Honai, there is another Papua’s unique traditional house called Millipede. Millipede comes from the Arfak tribe in Papua. They usually called it Mod Aki Aksa. Here are some interesting facts about Millipede:
- Unique Construction Design
Millipede has a unique construction design. This house has many foundation poles distributed on the bottom to support the building. The roof is made from the pampas grass. They construct the walls from woods that are arranged vertically and horizontally. This house is 4-5 meters and 8×6 meters wide.
- Interesting Cultural Meaning
The Arfak tribe makes millipedes protect them from wild animals and rival tribes. They made the house on stilts so they would always be safe in the house. But, you need to know that this house is not only used to protect from physical attack but also from the black magic that is popular in Papua.
- Various Functions of Millipede
This house is not only a place to live. Millipede also had other cultural uses. People in Papua usually use this house to educate the children during their academic years. Also, they usually held tribal parties in this house. The party will be held on a ground that has no floor.
Papua’s unique traditional house became one of the cultural riches of Indonesia. We need to be proud of their existence. The traditional house in Papua is not only a place to live but also a place where their original tribe guards the tradition.
