260 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF GUIANA INDIANS (ETH. ANN, 38 
any particulars as to the raison d’étre of a type of construction so rad- 
ically different from anything to be met with elsewhere in the district. 
307. The strictly elliptical house of the Wapishana, Makusi, Pata- 
mona, and Arekuna (pl. 60 A, B) is but a development of the cir- 
cular one met with among these same people, notably of the second 
variation of it seen in the Arekuna country (pl. 57, fig. 1C). The 
ridgepole is increased in length and the three main posts, together 
with tiebeams, etc., become separated, while the purlin, halfway be- 
twen ridgepole and wall plate, is strengthened with three ties or stays 
in place of crosstrees, one for each post. In the smaller of these ellipti- 
cal houses, the central post, together with its tiebeam, disappears (fig. 
74). It is to be noted, further, in this type of habitation, that while 
the rafters at the two rounded gable ends have their thicker ends 
down, those resting along either side of the ridgepole have theirs up. 
In many of these elliptical buildings one or both gables may be 
straight (vertical) instead of rounded. This is usually but a tem- 
porary expedient adopted to save time and labor during the course of 
construction, e. g., the advent of the wet season being earlier than ex- 
pected, but occasionally the building may be left in such a condition 
permanently, although among the particular tribes mentioned above 
it is not considered orthodox. Usually there is a door at either end 
for the use of the two sexes respectively. 
308. Indians have names for all the different main parts of the 
house, but do not appear to possess any for “ roof” and “ wall” as 
distinct from the house itself. 
NAMES OF THE Parts or A House 
= ee — 
English. Makusi. |  Patamona. salar ee Sie c Wapishana. 
Ridgepole. nekatauru. ipu-yapong. waipabu. bakurida. 
Main post. yanrakin. ipu-yaino. sakurai. 
Rafter. yara. yarai-i. yara. uradurr. | 
Wall plate. yawakoi. yawokoi. yawokoi. ekuan-pirr. 
Purlin. tewang-yessi. yawokoi. yawokoi. yaradurr dikil- 
kinya. 
Collar tie. iwaka-muréi iwaka-murei. | iwaka-murei. | iwaka-tipiri. 
(=monkey 
bench). 
Side-wall post and gue pichi Pee (=but- 
: ; esseména. 
Side-framing post.|} (house foot). tocks). 
Tiebeam. pakurna. yapapoino. yaporkaino. tukutchpang- 
kuanapirna. 
Door. sapi, monata. | monata. monata, .tawudai. 
Round house. tukutchpang. | tukutchpang. | tapui. tukutchpang. 
Elliptical house. | parakapang. pakarabang. parabang. kaban-kaudina. 
