| caption: |
young mens' house and house for girls |
| text: |
Unlike Sema villages which are not Baptist the village has a young mens' house as well as a house for girls. The young mens' house has a cross carved on the frontal pillar and a number of substantial wooden bunks run down the walls. The boys are expected to report by 8 p.m. each evening and are fined two annas each for every night out. Two senior boys are in charge of the house. After assembly the boys sit round two fires. Singing and plaiting mats till 10 p.m. then they go to bed. The girls' house which is at the other end of the village is similarly neat and well built. About twelve girls attend and two senior ones check their presence every night. Absence is punished by an anna fine. The girls sit by a fire and spin till 10 p.m. The two monitors are grown up girls but both are unmarried. The main object of both houses appeared to be 'to keep the village youth from mischief'. |
