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When a Mangyan house is built on a slope, the
entrance faces the rise. The steep roof is of cogon  grass,
the sidings, of tree bark, and the floor, of logs and
saplings. The house appears to have no windows. However,
it has a narrow strip of opening between roof and wall.
For added protection from floods, wild animals,
and enemies, houses were built on trees, anywhere from
two to twenty meters above the ground. Such houses have
been found among the Ilongot, Tingguian and Gaddang in
Northern Luzon, and among the Mandaya, Manobo, Tiruray
and Bukidnon in Mindanao. One type of tree house nestles
on the branches of a tree. Another type rests partly on
a tall tree stump and partly on a cluster of tall
stilts.
The
people of the Cordilleras in Northern Luzon are
swidden farmers. But some, particularly the Ifugao,
Bontoc and Kalinga, are known for their rice terraces.
With massive, towering walls and a skillfully devised
irrigation system, the rice terraces are a wonder of
primitive engineering. It is no surprise that the
terrace builders were able to construct sturdy dwellings
remarkable for both simplicity and ingenuity.
The one-room Ifugao house known as
fale is a little marvel of construction. Outside, the
Ifugao house seems to be nothing more than a pyramid
resting on four posts. The interior space enclosed by
slanting walls, sloping roof and ceiling formed by the
loft appears nearly spherical. The dark, windowless
chamber suggests a womb.
Four
wooden posts rest on a pavement and support two wooden
girders which, in turn, support three wooden transverse
joists. On the posts are wooden discs that prevent rats
from entering the house. The ladder is drawn up at night
or is hung across the front when the occupants are
away. The floor joists, floor sills, vertical studs and
horizontal beams at about head level form a cage that
rests on the posts and girders. Floor boards are fitted
between the joists. Wooden sidings slant outward and
rise to waist height to
form the lower half of the wall.
The upper half of the wall is formed by the inner side
of the roof.
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