Vernacular Analysis

6.3 VERNACULAR ANALYSIS in Nam Tra My

Most of people living in NTM are minority ethnics includding Ca Dong (Xe Dang), MNong and Co.

VILLAGE

“Ploi” (village) is a crucial unit in local minority society. People who have lived in a village have a strong traditional association with each other and also with people in different villages of the same ethnic group, all of whom regard each other as members of one family.

HOUSE

Two main types: + For individual households: . On stilts (1m-1.5m or 0.5 - 0.8m), the ware house is outside . The house has a lower part to the ground, the ware house is inside + For many households in the clan: on low stilts, the length is from 50 to 80m

“RONG” HOUSE

Community House for each “Ploi” A place for enforcing the customary laws, celebrating important events, organising community spriritual festivals, exchanging cutural values, etc. - Each “Ploi” has about 15-20 roofs, each roof has 8-10 people. - The distance between villages is about 1, 2 or 3 km. - Built near small streams, at the foot of mountains, along narrow valleys or scattered in remote hillsides -Housing in the village is arranged arbitrarily, not according to any plan. - Big spaces in the middle is for social activities or festival celebrations.

- Materials: bamboo, rattan, palm leaves, timber - Construction: + On stilts + The gabled roof made by thatch + 3 main doors ( 1 on the middle of the long side for visitors, the other two on 2 gables + Floor : thin timber panel + Basic functions: living-room, kitchen, sleeping spaces, livestock storage, toilet + North-South to get wind or Southest for good sun + No windows + Access the house through a bamboo/ wooden stair-

case - Inside: + Kitchen: 1 to 2 kitchen for small house, many kitchens for long houses (one for each household) + No waredrobe, hangging clothes are very sloppy + Sleep anywhere, feet turned to the fire pit, head towards the wall above, wall on the other side to store clothes + No partition

Typical stilt house: +6-8m wide, 15-30m length + High roof, look like an upside-down ax ( the more big roof representing the more strength and power of a “Ploi”)

Communual Space

A big yard in the middle of the village is for social activities or festival celebrations. - Form: Circles ( made by people standing around) - Ornamentation: +Spiritual symbol placed in the central + Colourful

- Form: house in stilts - Spatial : storing food inside, below is a place to store tools, raw firewood.

Livestock Store House

2 types: +Inside + Outside: stay away from the house from 5m - 10m for fear that if the house catches on fire, food will still be available all year round.