Not by the Hair of my Chinny Chin Chin, Part 2
When I was first trying to decide what type of site I'd prefer, I was torn. There are advantages to sites in the middle of nowhere and advantages to ones that are closer to civilization. I've come to love my half in and half out site, a state of being that is reflected accurately in the build of my house. Half modern and half custom, my house represents the constant state of imbalance that Vanuatu teeters on; one foot in the globalized world, and one foot in the very core of tradition.
*I'd like to note that in my previous entry I mentioned my roof is made of banana tree leaves. As a testemant to my phenominal journalism skills, this was very wrong. It's actually made from the Natangora tree leaves. I apologize for the inaccuracy.
Slicing bamboo into strips that are still attached to one another allows them to flatten and be woven together
Splitting the bamboo in half
Weaving the bamboo walls
One wall goes up!
More weaving
A lot of bamboo needed slicing
Slicing up bamboo with varying amounts of success.
Rest a little... a lot.
The bottom was woven before being put in, the top was woven into place
Picking up sand from the beach to make the cement, while mama roasts cooking bananas on the beach
Digging up the toilet
Resting a little... again
Making more thatch out of Natangora tree leaves for the toilet roof
Resting a little... again, again.
Cement making for the floor, finally!
The Monday after a big meeting, 32 adults and 10 pikinini showed up to work on my house
The food some of the girls made for the 42 people was served on leaves, of course.
Natangora trees. These kind of trees are responsible for my houses roof
Fixing the gap in the roof
Hiding from a torrential downpour
The window screens being installed by my Papa
And up goes the inside wall
Masonite
The toilet has structure...
And a door!
My standing fireplace
My mama with the kitchen she designed
The last of the cement goes in
Resting a little... again, and again, and again
And the door is on!
The calico decorating my walls is sea turtle themed
This is where all my many letters will go. I have at least 4 squares worth already. Help me fill it, please and thank you :)
6 weeks and a lot of crankyness later, I thought my sister hated my guts. This week she texted me that the room was cold without me in it. What a trooper
Finis noia.