THIRTY FAMILIES IN ONE HOME

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 27

THIRTY FAMILIES IN ONE HOME

The community house is one of the unusual institutione of the Indian natives of Guiana. They usually are about ] eeventy feet in diameter ' and provide housing accommodations for more than ' thirty Indian families, says A. Hyatt Verril! ia the "Wide World." The families sharing tha dwelling are j friendly and each respects the rights of his neighbours, keeping strictly within [ the limits of the space allotted "to them. . In the centre of the structure, which is I cone-shaped and covered frith a grass • roof, a fire is kept smouldering, and : about this fire the women and a few men ' may be found working at their various occupations at almost any time during the daylight houre. Some of the women are weavers who ■ make the gaily-coloured hammocks in " which the natives sleep, while others are ■ occupied in doing bead work or cooking. I The work of the men consists largely of , making bow. and arrows or doing j featherwork. The feather crowos of the Waiwoi tribesmen are enormous affairs 5 and often are topped off wita great ; plumes. Theee elaborate crowns, how--3 ever, are worn oary ti «renKrai»l» and . dance*.