Housing in Rural Cambodia - Australian Lutheran World Service
Village Life in Cambodia—ALWS Awareness Week 2014
Housing in Rural Cambodia Traditional homes in rural areas have wooden frames, a gabled – thatched, tiled or iron roof; walls of timber or woven bamboo; bamboo ladders or wooden stairs back and front, and a bamboo fence. Traditional homes in the country side are on stilts to raise the houses above flood waters during the monsoon season. In some areas homes are built three meters high on stilts for protection from annual flooding. Traditional homes are rectangular in shape and may vary in size from four by six meters, to six by ten meters. Smaller houses are usually only one room, but larger house interiors are usually divided into three to four sections and separated by walls of woven bamboo or hanging curtains. The first room serves as a living room, and to receive visitors. The next is the parents bedroom, the third or fourth room is for children, or unmarried daughters. When they are older, sons sleep anywhere they can find space. Although some houses look impressive from the outside, they rarely have much furniture inside. Rural Cambodians do not have beds, but rather sleep on the floor on bamboo mats. They do not have tables and chairs—they eat under the house on platforms close to the ground. It is a very simple way of life. Near the rear of the house is a separate kitchen for food preparation. Families spend very little time upstairs during the day. The area under the house serves as a work area for the daily chores. The area under the house also serves as a shelter for the animals at night. Some families have toilet facilities that consist of simple long-drop loos in the ground, located away from the house. Other families use the nearby bush for their toileting. Traditional homes have at least one or more large clay vessels outside to catch and store rainwater for their domestic needs. Family members and neighbours work together to build the house, and a house-raising ceremony is held upon its completion. For further information contact Email: [email protected] Ph: 1300 763 407 Web: www.alws.org.au
Australian Lutheran World Service Awareness Week Village Life in Cambodia
Dare to Dream a Different World
Housing in Rural Cambodia Traditional homes in rural areas have wooden frames, a gabled – thatched, tiled or iron roof; walls of timber or woven bamboo; bamboo ladders or wooden stairs back and front, and a bamboo fence. Traditional homes in the country side are on stilts to raise the houses above flood waters during the monsoon season. In some areas homes are built three meters high on stilts for protection from annual flooding. Traditional homes are rectangular in shape and may vary in size from four by six meters, to six by ten meters. Smaller houses are usually only one room, but larger house interiors are usually divided into three to four sections and separated by walls of woven bamboo or hanging curtains. The first room serves as a living room, and to receive visitors. The next is the parents bedroom, the third or fourth room is for children, or unmarried daughters. When they are older, sons sleep anywhere they can find space. Although some houses look impressive from the outside, they rarely have much furniture inside. Rural Cambodians do not have beds, but rather sleep on the floor on bamboo mats. They do not have tables and chairs—they eat under the house on platforms close to the ground. It is a very simple way of life. Near the rear of the house is a separate kitchen for food preparation. Families spend very little time upstairs during the day. The area under the house serves as a work area for the daily chores. The area under the house also serves as a shelter for the animals at night. Some families have toilet facilities that consist of simple long-drop loos in the ground, located away from the house. Other families use the nearby bush for their toileting. Traditional homes have at least one or more large clay vessels outside to catch and store rainwater for their domestic needs. Family members and neighbours work together to build the house, and a house-raising ceremony is held upon its completion. For further information contact Email: [email protected] Ph: 1300 763 407 Web: www.alws.org.au
Australian Lutheran World Service Awareness Week Village Life in Cambodia
Dare to Dream a Different World
