530 



the two roof-supporting poles (Goragora) are passed and sunk 

 into the ground. Standing on the upper platform, the men 

 can construct the framework of the thatching. In the loftier 

 houses, however, it is necessary for a man to stand on a thick 

 log of wood — about a metre high — in order to fix the two main 

 ridge-poles of the roofing. The upper ridge-pole (O'ure) is 

 much slenderer than the lower one (Bagira). Both poles 

 are passed through the front pile and are lashed to the 

 rear one (fig. 6). The front pile is as a rule higher, hence the 

 sloping profile of the roof. The Bagira (lower and stouter 

 ridge-pole) is passed through a hole cut in the front Goragora, 

 the O'ure (upper ridge-pole) rests on a concavity in the top 

 of the front pile. Both ridge-poles are very close to each 

 other, some 10 to 20 cm., only, separating them. The two 

 poles are, however, not fixed simultaneoiisly. After the Bagira 

 is put in, and before the O'urc is fixed, the inner frame of 

 the roof is constructed. 



This consists of a set of transversal ribs (technically rafters, 

 Baelo'uJ running from the Bagira down to a longitudinal 

 pole, parallel to the Bagira, which is fastened to the main 

 poles about a metre or so below the upper floor (this pole is 

 also called Ahdha — the general name for long, thin mangrove 

 poles). The rafters lie close to each other, and I counted 

 fifteen in a house of average size. On these rafters longitudinal 

 poles (technically roof battens, Berecrna) are fixed, running, 

 of course, parallel to the Bagira and Ahdha. There were five 

 Berednas in the same house in which I found fifteen B'agiras. 

 This framework of rafters and roof battens, made of fairly 

 thin, flexible poles of red mangrove, constituted the inner 

 skeleton of the thatching. The raison d'etre of this double 

 frame for the roof is, as far as I am able to judge, to give an 

 additional strength to the sago thatch, which has often to 

 stand a considerable stress of wind. It is also this form of 

 construction which enables the natives to give the Gothic arch 

 profile to their houses. It would be impossible to fix the first 

 (inner) set of rafters giving them the full curvature ; indeed 

 they are much less bent than the outer set of rafters (called 

 Lou). These are attached on top between the Bagira and the 

 O'ure (i.e., between the two ridge-poles), and to the Ahdha 

 below. Thus they start and end at the same points, as the 

 inner rafters, passing on the outer side of these. Hence the 

 greater curvature. The thatching (Ato) made of sago palm 

 leaves, folded half length and stitched together, is attached 

 to the outer rafters. The men begin at the top, and for this 

 work again require to stand on some elevation (usually a log of 

 wood). Thus the slopes (Beri) of the roof are made. The 

 two gables (Bahdgii) are made subsequently, the thatch being 



