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Historyenjoyer822
Joined: Mar 2024
GENERAL DISCUSSION ON AFRICAN INDIGENOUS ARCHITECTURE
How Did Your Community Traditionally Build Without Modern Tools?
Before the age of cement mixers, bulldozers, and laser levels — our ancestors built cities, homes, palaces, and temples using nothing but their hands, wisdom, and locally available materials. From stone walls stacked without mortar to domed homes made from bundled saplings, the techniques they used were not only resourceful — they were genius.
In today's world, we often look to digital tools and imported solutions for construction. But what about the tools that lived in the mind, the body, and the rhythm of the community?
Let's Talk About It:
- 1.What materials did your community use — mud, thatch, stone, dung, reeds, bamboo?
- 2.How were measurements done? Did they use the human body (arm lengths, strides) or tools like strings and sticks?
- 3.Were there ceremonies before building? Who led the process — a builder, elder, or spiritual leader?
- 4.What were some clever engineering solutions your ancestors developed (e.g., wind-resistant roofs, passive cooling)?
- 5.How were the labour and roles divided? Was it communal? Gender-specific?