Construction in Duunyin Village

During the dry season when no farming is done the men work together to build new homes and repair old ones. This group is installing a grass roof on a new building. They have been building these huts the same way for hundreds of years using mud blocks from the local soil and grass from the fields. The block walls are plastered inside and out with a cement made from dried cow dung and mud. I hardens into a water proof surface. These walls will last a long time if the plaster is renewed from time to time. The grass is formed into long matts held together with rope platted from strips of tree bark. These matts are rolled up, positioned on the roof frame and unrolled to cover the roof in layers that are water proof for about 5 years. There is a strong sense of community and family in the villages, and they share the work and what they have with each other.