It's now the dry season in Kissa, so there's no farming work to be done. People do spend a lot more time chatting and relaxing, but they also take advantage of this lul in farm work to build and repair their houses.
So, to build a house, the first thing you do is go to the local mudhole:
There, you make mud bricks, which are left in the sun to dry out and harden.
The bricks are stacked into walls, which are then covered by a different type of mud, then smoothed out. That is then painted using different dyes.
Here is a donkey cart bringing in some mud. Everything in the construction of the house is made from different types of earth: the bricks, the mortar, the coating and even the different paints. People have to pay attention to exactly what proportion of water, sand and clay they use in all of the different building materials, in order for the building to last.
The roof frames are made out of wood, traditionally covered with dried grasses.
Nowadays, though, some people have roofs from sheet metal. If you look in the background, you can see that the roof behind them is made from thatch.
And thats how you make a hut! It's usually something the whole community comes together to do. I.e., you help 20 people build their houses, and then, when you want to build you house, you'll have 20 helpers. They last around 10 - 20 years, although the thatch does need to be replaced more frequently.
What's your house made out of?
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