đ§The á
áľá is a rectangular prismatic dwelling structure that is dominant in Eritrea.
Unlike the standard huts found in most of Africa, the á áľá is designed and constructed in such a way that it is compartmentalized to provide dining, socializing, sleeping, and cooking, areas not different than the modern villa.
To start with, there is the ááťá (kitchen) where the áŁááłáĄ ááá(áááś)ᥠá áŤáĄ ááᥠáááľáĄ á˝ááᥠááá áľ: áá-áĽáĽá and a variety of finger-licking áŁáťáĽáᥠare cooked. They are kept in the natural coolness obtained from the á áľá walls made from stone and mud and the ááᲠ(roof) made of various sized wood (timber), tree branches, hay, and dirt, supported by áŁáááľ (Pillars). Add to that, there is about 10 cm (4 inches) open spacing between the roof and top part of the walls at the ááľáŞ á¤áľ (main floor) area for circulation of fresh air where the livestock could sleep in. Sometimes they are kept outside the á áľá in the áá á (front yard) secured by á°áá°á (gate).
A section of the áá á is the front part of the á áľá where the ááᲠprotrudes to provide shelter from the elements, mainly rain and sun.
Usually, there are 2 ááĽáľáłáľ (beds) for those who love to sleep in the open or to guard the livestock against any possible wild animal intrusion even if there is a guard dog.
If one is lucky, there is a pile of áľáá (manure) and ááŁ/áážá (dung) or ashes from the áĽáśá useful for fertilizing the grain fields and to augment a firewood that the villagers need.
The ááťá is made up of the main one where many of the cooking is done - áĽáśá áááᥠááá & áťááᥠ- and another one where the áľááĄ(beer) áĽáááĄ(sweetened beer)or ááľáĄ (special alcoholic drink sweetened by honey), and other essentials are kept like á áľáᥠááťáᥠáĽáŤáᥠáŁá áŚ: á¸áŁáĄ á˝áŽáĄ á áá á¨áĄ áááᥠááśáĄ ááááľáĄ áĽá¨áᨠat a cool temperature. Of course, there may be a specially built-in "hole" strategically located on the floor on one section of the ááťá for our women's grooming needs the ááĽáĽá˝á˘
The largest part of the á áľá is the ááľáŞ á¤áľáĄ (main floor) where it is divided from the ááťá by some well built and neatly lined up áááłáľ (grain silos) and a áááááľ (passage)ᢠThe ááľáŞ á¤áľ hosts the ááĽáľáłáľ ááľ ááĽáľáłáąáĄ (beds) áá°áŁáľ ááľ áŁáááłáąáĄ (seating benches) ááá áŤáľ (chairs) and the ááĽáá with its áá áá˛áľ(grain grinding utensil) and áŚá˝áŤ (flour storage facility).
Finally, there is that áá (back door/ back yard), which many times includes a áá¨áŁá (corrugated zinc roofed stone-walled rooms).
Nowadays, the all-purpose iconic á áľá is being built by sustainable materials (like cement and mortar) for the áŁáááľ (pillars) and áŁááá (beams).
Many are also being electrified via Solar energy. Some of them are receiving water plumbing with a Satellite Dish and mobile phone service.
I have seen some ááłá with solar power for lighting and thermal water heaters, as well as rain gutters drainage system to catch critical water supply into an underground cistern; and a middle eastern type toilet (not my favorite) with an underground septic tank that holds the waste for disposal.
So, ladies and gentlemen, with a á áľá at your disposal who needs a villa? đ
Via ááá°ááŤá¤á á°ááá
@etconp
Unlike the standard huts found in most of Africa, the á áľá is designed and constructed in such a way that it is compartmentalized to provide dining, socializing, sleeping, and cooking, areas not different than the modern villa.
To start with, there is the ááťá (kitchen) where the áŁááłáĄ ááá(áááś)ᥠá áŤáĄ ááᥠáááľáĄ á˝ááᥠááá áľ: áá-áĽáĽá and a variety of finger-licking áŁáťáĽáᥠare cooked. They are kept in the natural coolness obtained from the á áľá walls made from stone and mud and the ááᲠ(roof) made of various sized wood (timber), tree branches, hay, and dirt, supported by áŁáááľ (Pillars). Add to that, there is about 10 cm (4 inches) open spacing between the roof and top part of the walls at the ááľáŞ á¤áľ (main floor) area for circulation of fresh air where the livestock could sleep in. Sometimes they are kept outside the á áľá in the áá á (front yard) secured by á°áá°á (gate).
A section of the áá á is the front part of the á áľá where the ááᲠprotrudes to provide shelter from the elements, mainly rain and sun.
Usually, there are 2 ááĽáľáłáľ (beds) for those who love to sleep in the open or to guard the livestock against any possible wild animal intrusion even if there is a guard dog.
If one is lucky, there is a pile of áľáá (manure) and ááŁ/áážá (dung) or ashes from the áĽáśá useful for fertilizing the grain fields and to augment a firewood that the villagers need.
The ááťá is made up of the main one where many of the cooking is done - áĽáśá áááᥠááá & áťááᥠ- and another one where the áľááĄ(beer) áĽáááĄ(sweetened beer)or ááľáĄ (special alcoholic drink sweetened by honey), and other essentials are kept like á áľáᥠááťáᥠáĽáŤáᥠáŁá áŚ: á¸áŁáĄ á˝áŽáĄ á áá á¨áĄ áááᥠááśáĄ ááááľáĄ áĽá¨áᨠat a cool temperature. Of course, there may be a specially built-in "hole" strategically located on the floor on one section of the ááťá for our women's grooming needs the ááĽáĽá˝á˘
The largest part of the á áľá is the ááľáŞ á¤áľáĄ (main floor) where it is divided from the ááťá by some well built and neatly lined up áááłáľ (grain silos) and a áááááľ (passage)ᢠThe ááľáŞ á¤áľ hosts the ááĽáľáłáľ ááľ ááĽáľáłáąáĄ (beds) áá°áŁáľ ááľ áŁáááłáąáĄ (seating benches) ááá áŤáľ (chairs) and the ááĽáá with its áá áá˛áľ(grain grinding utensil) and áŚá˝áŤ (flour storage facility).
Finally, there is that áá (back door/ back yard), which many times includes a áá¨áŁá (corrugated zinc roofed stone-walled rooms).
Nowadays, the all-purpose iconic á áľá is being built by sustainable materials (like cement and mortar) for the áŁáááľ (pillars) and áŁááá (beams).
Many are also being electrified via Solar energy. Some of them are receiving water plumbing with a Satellite Dish and mobile phone service.
I have seen some ááłá with solar power for lighting and thermal water heaters, as well as rain gutters drainage system to catch critical water supply into an underground cistern; and a middle eastern type toilet (not my favorite) with an underground septic tank that holds the waste for disposal.
So, ladies and gentlemen, with a á áľá at your disposal who needs a villa? đ
Via ááá°ááŤá¤á á°ááá
@etconp
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