Custom houses in Papua Island, like any other traditional house in Indonesia, offer visitors a unique experience. Besides having a unique shape, each side of the building in a traditional Papuan house also has philosophical values. If you are curious about the types of traditional houses in Papua, let’s just talk about it!
Honai Traditional House
Honai houses are often used as the main icon of traditional houses on the coast of Papua island. The walls of this building form a circle, which is made of strong wood and arranged in parallel. The traditional Honai house is also made of piles of sago leaves, straw, and weeds that uniquely form a blunt cone. The aims of these materials are to keep the house warm and prevent rainwater from falling directly into the house.
Honai has a special meaning. “Hun” means “male,” and “ai” means “house.” So it’s not surprising that this house was built specifically for men, especially for adults.
Kariwari Traditional House
This traditional house has an octagonal roof shape. It is a three-story house and is believed to be able to protect the house from cold weather, especially during strong winds. The first floor serves as a place to train boys to be ready to become mature, responsible, skilled, and strong men.
Then, on the second floor, it serves as a meeting place for traditional leaders to discuss important matters. On the third floor, is a holy room for praying to God and ancestors. The shape of the Kariwari roof also symbolizes the proximity between the housekeeper and the ancestors.
Jew Traditional House
The Asmat tribe is known as the main inhabitants of this traditional house. Because the Asmat tribe has many tribal members, the Jew traditional house is larger in size than the other houses. This custom house is also built from selected rattan roots to unite the wood for the house’s foundation.
Because it can only be occupied by unmarried men, the natives of Papua Island referred to it as a “bachelor house.”Boys under the age of 10 and women are not allowed to enter it. Besides, the Jewish traditional house also has some functions, such as a place for practicing skills and education, dancing and playing music.
Ebei Traditional House
The Ebei Traditional House is the opposite of the Honai Traditional House because it is made especially for Dani women. Little boys are allowed to stay in this custom house. However, when they become men, they should move to a traditional Honai house.
Ebei means female body, which has a philosophy of being the body of life for everyone before being born into the world. So, Ebei House is a place to learn to be a good wife and mother for women who are growing up and ready to get married. In this house, they learn to sew, cook, make handicrafts, and many more.
Honai and Ebei houses have similar shapes in that they form a circle. The meaning of these two houses is one unit and one heart in the same thought. This traditional house is also a symbol of dignity for the Dani tribe.
Hunila Traditional House
Hunila traditional houses are longer and wider than other Papuan custom houses. This traditional house is widely used to store various cooking utensils and food ingredients. Generally, this house is a shared kitchen area between several Honai and Ebei houses. This house has the function of producing food for the whole house.
The food ingredients that they often process are sago and sweet potatoes. Once ripe, they will deliver it to their respective families and pilamo (adult males).
Conclusion
Nowadays, many people adopt the shape and design of some traditional houses from Papua island. The combination of modern and traditional vibes in a house actually creates a more aesthetic impression for the owners.
