Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Architecture and Fine Arts

Sta. Mesa, Manila

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

Housing & Human Settlements

DISTINCT HOUSING
IN THE WORLD

SUBMITTED BY:

FRANCISCO, Ma. Melody B.

BS ARCH 5-2

Submitted to:

Ar. Ted Villamor Inocencio

 TONGKONAN
A Traditional House of the Torajan People

Figure 1. The Torajan kindred houses. (Source: http://nusantara-

cultures.blogspot.com/2011/05/tongkonan-torajan-traditional-house.html)

The Tongkonan is a traditional house of the Torajan people from South Sulawesi, Indonesia. The
houses that you are seen in the village of Ke'te' Kesu' are the so-called tongkonan. The name
tongkonan was derived from the Toraja word tongkon which means to sit down. These kindred
houses are known to be used for family purposes, and its construction involves the entire family
clan. These houses are made from timber, bamboo and other natural materials. They are built
off the ground on stilts and have wooden floors. The walls are highly decorated with carvings of
plants and buffalo.

Its most distinct feature is the roof having its two ends bending upwards which highly resembles
a boat. According to myth, the boat shaped roofing is said to be a symbol of the way the
ancestors of the Torajan people travelled by boat from the Mekong Delta in South China to
Indonesia. It is also claimed that the arch-shaped roof looks like the sky. Traditionally, the iconic
tongkonan had thatched roofs, but those built today usually have roofs made of sheets of iron.
(Houses Around the World, n.d.)
As indicated by myth, the first Toraja house was said to have been built in heaven by Puang
Matua, the Creator. It was based on four poles, and the roof was made of Indian cloth. Next,
Puang Matua requested the development of another house, on iron poles and bamboo roofing.
At the point when the ancestor of mankind descended to earth in the southern portion of Toraja,
he imitated the heavenly house, and a big house ceremony was held for the occasion.
The layout of the Torajan houses is permeated with symbolic meaning. The orientation of the
tongkonans has cosmological implications, and the design of the carved decorations on the
front has symbolic significance since it contains an assortment of messages about social
heirarchy and structure, and the relations to the world of the spirits.

As described previously, the creator Puang Matua is related with the North, and in this way the
tongkonan should also be facing North. The South of the house is associated with the afterworld
(heaven, or Puya) and the ancestors. The West and the East are related with the left and right
hands of the human body, but also with the world of the gods (East) and the ancestorrs in their
deified form (West).

Historically, only the nobility had the right to build these elaborate and beautifully carved
tongkonan. The most important noble houses were the seats of political power for local rulers
who dominated small groups of villages. Each of these families has a long past, brimming with
myths, mystery, and ancestral achievement. All noble families, of course, have a significant
history to justify their claim to wealth and status, whereas most ordinary people live in
undecorated houses. Sometimes the status associated with a tongkonan and the people who
are allowed to inhabit these houses, varies according to the different areas within Toraja itself.

Three different types of tongkonans can be distinguished. The first is called tongkonan layuk,
which belongs to the highest adat authorities. This type of tongkonan used to be the centre of
government. The second kind is the tongkonan pekamberan, which belongs to the family clan
and group members surrounding the adat functionaries. The third kind is called the tongkonan
batu, and belongs to the ordinary people. (Architecture-Tongkonan, n.d.)

TATA SOMBA HOUSES

 Traditional Housing of the Somba Tribe

Figure 2. Tata house: Another kind of fortress house. (Source:

http://mmb.cryst.bbk.ac.uk/homepages/ubcg60a/ghana/art.html)

Tata Somba Houses are unique and are only found in the Northwest of Benin. These home are
traditional and are built like fortresses to protect the occupants from wild animals or trespassers.
The word Tata means fortress in a sense of a regular habitat or a home. Somba is the tribal
grouping name given to the residents living in the region of Atacora in Benin. Essentially, Tata
Somba means the the fortress of the Somba.

Tata Somba houses are usually conjoined multistorey homes built in a form of a circle (See
Figure 4). Family members live in each conjoined home. The bottom level is used to keep
livestock at night , internal alcoves are used for cooking, and some rooms are used for sleeping
and the top floors or terraces are utilized to dry grains or used as an entryway for the interior
huts.

Male children, once theyve reached adulthood, are expected to leave their parental home and
build their own Tata. Its however a tradition that the paternal home is inherited by the eldest of
the family, whereas womens homes are those given to them through marriage.
 Figure 3. Architecture of a Tata Somba house. (Source:
https://unseenbenin.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/tata-somba-traditional-fortress-in-
northern-benin/)

The houses are made with red mud which is effective in keeping the temperature balanced. The
exterior tends to be more ornate with items such as cow horns and monkey skulls which they
believe are what keeps the household protected from evil spirits. Some of them are even
painted with unique tribal drawing and designs. (Abdoulaye, 2014)
However, there are different alterations that are made based on specific groups within the
Somba tribes. According to Abdoulaye (2014), there are 5 modifications of the Tata Somba
house based on the specific group within the Somba tribe:

1. Tata of Btammarib or Tata Otammari

The word Btammarib literally means the sand molders or builder. These
individuals are known for their building skills. Their houses usually consists of 4
floors; with the first 3 from bottom up are rooms while the last floor is the storage
room for food and various items. A ladder is used to access the top floor which
usually has 3 terraces facing different sides. Its through the terraces that one can
has access to the interior of the home.

2. Tata Tayba or Tata Natemba

Tayba are the residents of a town called Tayacou. The structure of this Tata is fully
constructed with a roof included. A ladder can be used to access the building while
there is an entrance directly from the bottom. It has 2 floors; the first floor has 2
rooms with a terrace and the second floor has up to 6 rooms. The storage room is
either on the second floor or built outside of the fortress. There is also a back
entrance to used to access the interior from the bottom part.

3. Tata Ossori or Tata of the Bssorib

The Bssorib are the Peuhl tribe found in the area of Natitingou. These fortress is
comprised of a very large terrace from which access is granted. On the first floor,
there are 3 bedrooms. There are also 4 storage rooms that are around the
compound.
4. Tata Otchao or the Tata of the Btchab

The tata Otchao is a slight modification of the Tata Otommari. The only difference is
a paved terrace as well as the ladder which gives access to one of the two small
terraces. You have to cross a second terrace in order to have access to the largest
terrace. Basically the terraces are interconnected like a railroad apartment. There is
a hole made on a side of the fortress usually where the kitchen is to let fumes out of
the interior and to create better ventilation.

5. Tata Berba

This Tata is unique as it doesnt have multiple floors. There is still a tall wall
surrounding it and a ladder is needed to enter the compound which leads to an open
court. Inside of the court, there are 9 huts and 2 storage units . The entrance through
the ladder is located newer the 2 biggest huts interconnected by a wall.
 REFERENCES

- Abdoulaye, L. (2014, 22 March). Tata Somba Traditional Fortress in Northern Benin.

Retrieved from Unseen Benin: https://unseenbenin.wordpress.com/2014/03/22/tata-somba-
traditional-fortress-in-northern-benin/

- Architecture-Tongkonan. (n.d.). Retrieved from Toraja:

http://www.toraja.net/culture/arcitecture/

- Houses Around the World. (n.d.). Retrieved from KidCyber:

http://www.kidcyber.com.au/houses-around-the-world/