| caption: |
Chapter One. The Material Background |
| caption: |
differences with Thendu houses; girls' sleeping quarters |
| text: |
Structurally, the houses of most Thendu villages were similar to the type described here, but there was some difference in the allocation of the space enclosed within the four walls of the house. The main difference related to the sleeping quarters of unmarried girls. Whereas in Thenkoh villages adult girls were accustomed to spend the night in girls' dormitories, in Thendu villages there were no separate buildings for girls, and most dwellings contained a room where unmarried girls slept and could receive the visits of young men. Usually, the girls of several families congregated in such a room, and in the large houses of chiefs there were girls' rooms similar in function to the girls' dormitories (yo) of the Thenkoh villages. The houses of some of the paramount chiefs were of enormous size and contained several large halls for entertainment and gatherings, as well as numerous rooms for the use of the chief's many wives and children. The largest of these chief's houses measured was 360 feet long. |
