1.2 Name of the element, as used by the community or group concerned
Mudhouses in North Bengal
1.3 Short, maximally informative title (including indication of domain(s))
Mudhouses are a historically traditional way of housing practiced in North Bangladesh and other parts of the region. The practice and knowledge of developing mud houses falls under the domain of traditional craftsmanship.
1.4 Community(ies)/group(s) that recognize the element as part of their cultural heritage
The community I work for has a tradition of living in mud houses for generations. The people of this area have been living in mud houses for generations. Most of the residents are landowners / farmers. The people of this area have been involved in agricultural work for generations. Plowing is their main livelihood. People of other professions also live in this area for social needs. But the farmers are the majority here. Most of the people who are involved in agriculture live in mud houses. The original children of the land identify themselves as the people of the earth, and they feel comfortable living in the earthen house. They believe that we are born from the soil, the soil is nourishing our body (providing food), we are plowing the soil and growing crops. Our bodies will be mixed in the soil (soil will be our last address), so we have to stay in the mud house. The law of creation cannot be done otherwise. This is where the traditional identity of the community concerned matches.
1.5 Physical location(s) of the element/how often it is practiced
Most of the villages in Shajahanpur, Nandigram, Sherpur and Kahalu upazilas of Bogra district of North Bengal have mud houses. In addition, mud houses exist in most of the upazilas of Naogaon, Natore and Rajshahi districts. In fact, there are mud houses all over North Bengal. However, the majority of mud houses is most in the mentioned areas.
1.6 Short description (max. 200words)
Innumerable mud houses can be found in the villages of the vast plains of North Bengal of Bangladesh. A unique feature of mud houses is that mud houses are cold in summer and hot in winter.
There are mud houses in most of the districts of North Bengal. The people of the northern districts claim to be the children of the soil. I have also seen some mud houses in the villages of different tribal areas of Bangladesh. Especially in Santal, Garo and Hajong areas. In terms of structure, the earthen structures in the tribal areas are very simple. However, the earthen walls / designs of the indigenous villages are more colorful, complex and pictorial than the earthen walls of the respective communities. Especially in the villages of Saotal, the walls are much more patterned and colorful.
The walls of earthen two / three storey houses in the area concerned are so thick and stiff that they are stronger than concrete (in some cases). Although brick walls can be easily broken, clay walls are not easy to break, in some cases very difficult and arduous work. For this reason, mud houses have survived for ages.
1.7 Domain of the element (select one or more/suggest alternative domain)
2. Characteristics of the element
2.1 Practitioners(s)/performer(s): roles, age, gender, social status, and/or professional category etc)
There are many localities where builders work on and make mud houses.
Ekabbar Hossen, 58, male, farmer. It is to be noted that he had earlier done the work of erecting (construction) walls as a deuli (locally called) of a mud house. Now no one cultivates the land, so he changed his profession and now works as a day laborer in other people's land.
2.2 Other tradition bearers (individuals/groups and their roles)
In addition to those who build the walls of the mud house, there are some workers who help in the construction of the walls. Just as masons' jogalis (those who procure materials are called jogalis) make a mixture of sand, cement, and earthenware to build brick walls, so do mud-house jogalis. In this case, the workers make a hole (in regional Bengali it is called 'Jaun') by throwing different types of soil in it and mixing water according to the proportions and making a mixture of them with a spade and their feet. The worker then makes pellets and supplied them to the wall builders. The wall builders sit on the walls and hang them on the wall.
Once the walls of the mud house are built, the women design them by painting Alpana on the wall. Just like urban painters paint the walls of city houses.
Large palm trees are cut down and the roofs of mud houses are made of hard bamboo. And in the upper part there is a tin tent.
Not specifically applicable, but homeowners have a number of tools that may be included. Such as: hammer, batali, baishkhan (bamboo cutting machine), saw, spade, da etc used to aid building of the mudhouses.
2.5 Associated intangible elements (if any)
The wall design / alpana is a unique intangible element associated with this element. It also flows spontaneously from generation to generation. The amateur / artistic / artistic minded women of the village hold this (this quality) without any conscious effort. Coating is done by mixing the famous red soil, sand and loam soil of North Bengal with coal / stove ash. Lime and various artificial colors are also seen to be used in many homes. This is an optional job, not the main job for those who still do the work of painting / painting Alpana. But before, when there were 100% mud houses in the village, this was the main occupation of the women of the village.
2.6 How are women and people of other genders associated with this ICH element
Women have a major role to play in preserving this tradition. Women maintain the buildings under construction and the houses after construction. Draw beautiful designs / alpana on the walls of the house, cover the floor of the house with red clay. However women are not able to directly participate / involve themselves in the work of building walls, erecting walls, cutting soil, preparing soil, etc.
2.7 Division of labour during the practice of aforementioned ICH element
Different people do different kinds of work. The erection of a mud house was built by the combined labor of all. Here, first a group of workers cut the soil, another group of people prepared the walls with the soil suitable for giving them to the walls, the bankers do the work of building the walls. The campers shed the rice, and the housekeepers make the roof and other parts of the house.
2.8 Customary practices governing access to the element or to aspects of it
No practices involved with access to the element.
2.9 Modes of transmission
These works were passed down from generation to generation. But this flow has stopped due to the loss of tradition. Architechture has focused on cement, bricks and modern techniques, eschewing old traditions.
2.10 Organizations concerned (non-governmental organizations and others)
None so far
3. State of the element (viability)
3.1 Threats to the enactment (if any)
The first and foremost threat to the continued practice of this tradition is the 'deuli' and change of occupation of the housekeepers as the construction of mud houses / houses has come down (even closed in some areas). Besides, the tendency of the present generation (now educated / less educated) boys and girls to live in brick houses instead of mud houses is a big obstacle behind this practice. Mud houses are also prone to being non-durable.
3.2 Threats to the transmission (if any)
The current professionals in this field are changing their profession as they are not involved in house building. Seeing that, no one of the new generation wants to come to this profession anymore. In addition, the demand for construction of mud houses has decreased among the people Everyone is now leaning towards brick houses. Insufficiency of clay house building materials and division of labor in procurement of materials are all partly responsible for this. Brick home materials are relatively readily available and can be bought by anyone who has the financial means. But the house materials made of clay have to be collected more than you have to buy.
3.3 Threat to associated tangible elements and resources (if any)
Lack of collectible soil and soil collection space. Earlier, everyone used to dig a pond and build a house with the soil of that pond. The capacity to allocate separate space for soil collection is declining. Lack of livable and cultivable land is responsible for the overpopulation.
3.4 Viability of associated intangible elements (if any)
As a child, I used to see hundreds of designs / alpana (maybe thousands) on the walls of mud houses. Before any festival or formality was celebrated, designs were painted on the walls of earthen houses to create a festive mood. Those designs used to shine as memories of the festival. The color of the festival was stuck on the wall for months. If the earthen walls had not been repainted or if it had not rained, it would not have been easily removed. If you saw a bright alpana or design on the wall of a house, you would understand that a festival was going on in that house a few days ago. How long ago it depended on the brightness of the color. If the color of the alpana / design is much brighter, then it should be understood that the formality of the festival has been completed very recently. If it is a little less bright, then a month has passed since the festival and if it is dim, it should be understood that the festival (festival) has taken place more than a month ago.
3.5 Safeguarding measures in place (if any)
There is currently no protection program to address the threat of erection of mud houses and extinction of living traditions. At least the conscious civic effort to highlight the importance of this tradition was not noticed. Therefore, in order to encourage future practice and dissemination of this material, it is essential to take awareness, encouragement / motivation program among the people of the community.
4. Data gathering/documentation, Consent and preparation of inventory entries
4.1 Consent of community/group/individuals concerned for data collection with a view to inventorying
Relevant data have been collected sitting in earthen houses. Everyone here, even me and all of my family we live in mud houses. Everyone in our home is aware of this traditional effort to preserve the earthen house heritage. Still images and videos have been captured with the permission of all concerned. I have learned the information by asking the members of the house and the village about different things at different times. They answered all my questions with utmost sincerity.
4.2 Restrictions, if any, on use of data collected
The data has been highlighted in bold. It was not possible to give a detailed description due to lack of details. Therefore, the statements of the data have been described without being specific.
5. Resource Person
5.1 Persons/groups, including community representatives
Maznu Mia (25) is a member of the community.
www.facebook.com/folklorist.maznu
folklorist.maznu@gmail.com
+8801760433146
5.2 Date(s) and place(s) of data gathering
Date : 2020-05-16 Place(s) : Date of data collection:
Friday 15/05/2020
Saturday 18/05/2020
Sunday 18/05/2020
Data collection location:
Village: Kaludam, Union: Kharna, Upazila: Shajahanpur, District: Bogra, Division: Rajshahi, Bangladesh.
6. Safeguarding techniques
6.1 Existing safeguarding techniques in the community for the safeguarding of the ICH element
No existing efforts have been made in the community to preserve the heritage.
6.2 Suggestions for safeguarding of the ICH element from the community
Preserving this heritage is possible only if the current generation of the community can be made aware of the heritage.
7. References to literature, discography, audiovisual materials or archives
7.1 References to/in literature
In the literary works and novels of several writers and novelists born in North Bengal, including Akhtaruzzaman Ilyas, mud houses have been mentioned.
Research and literature:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326250346_In_Search_of_Resilience_Exploring_Mud_Houses_of_Northern_Bangladesh.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326250269_THE_CHANGING_PATTERN_OF_MUD_HOUSES_IN_THE_BARIND_REGION_OF_BANGLADESH
Housing report : https://www.humanitarianlibrary.org/sites/default/files/2013/08/Housing%20Report%20Mud%20House%20of%20Bangladesh.pdf
Study on earthen housing:
https://issuu.com/sss.rgu/docs/rodda
7.2 Audiovisual materials or archives
Mudhouses in transition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdlkuNaO7Nc
Maatir ghor, maatir manush:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHND1cINTtw
The warmth and wisdom of mud buildings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7I5BWW-0c8
7.3 Discography or archives
8. Modalities for updating the information contained in the inventory entry
8.1 Persons/groups, including community representatives, who compiled the inventory entry
So far in the relevant inventory, I (Maznu Mia) have recorded the data alone. I (myself) am a member of that community. So as a representative of the community, I did not need anyone's help. However, a mobile photographer named Sabbir Hossain took pictures of the mud houses.
8.2 Consent of community/group/individuals concerned for data collection with a view to inventorying
No credentials were produced, so it was not possible to obtain written permission due to ongoing covid-19 pandemic. However, verbal permission has been taken.
8.3 Date of community consent to include the entry on an inventory
2020-05-16
8.4 Present condition of the cultural element
Threatened with extinction
9. Community suggestions
(a)Brief description of suggestions for safeguarding of the element by community members/experts/holders, if any
In order to encourage future practice and dissemination of this material, it is essential to take awareness, encouragement / motivation program among the people of the community.Suggestions include developing sustainable business models involving mud houses, such as ecotourism where mud houses are used as hotels / resorts. These efforts have taken place at a small scale in some resorts but these have yet to include communities.
Example - https://www.novemecoresort.com/mud-house-4/
Durability of mud houses and developing new architectural techniques that draw from research to develop resilient mudhousing could also preserve this heritage.
(b)Brief description of restrictions on use of data collected, if any