Reviving authentic sustainability of indigenous Sri Lankan clay housing

The foundation should be one foot, well dug. The wall structure set with twigs should be between widths of 6 to 10 inches

Podi Nilame

Daily mockery is indulged in, somewhere upon planet earth at any given point of time, through theoretical rhetoric by political leaders, academics and others on protection and conservation of the environment. Repetitive bombastic statements that are often never followed up in action, are especially amplified on 5 June, the date modern man has designated as his day to wake up to the abyss that he has dumped the environment in (being quite happy to descend back again into his nightmarish developed stupor the morning after). 

Amongst the avalanche of token comments and crocodile tears, we cannot find anything worthwhile being done to conserve the rich earth borne knowledge nature had bestowed upon us humans. 

We who have made our environment a horror of concrete that cohabits with its terrifyingly choking cousin of convenience; plastic, no longer seem to recollect that our forefathers once lived in homes that were directly representative of the pristine nature of the earth. In Sri Lanka, as this edition will show, clay housing was the genuinely sustainable base that kept both the occupant (humans) and the host (planet earth) healthy and in a stress-free mode. Today the way we live in prison-like unsustainable conditions puts both humans and the earth into mood swings, which when occurring in humans is depression and when manifested by earth are landslides, earthquakes and cyclones. Ancient man was mindful of this, considering the earth to be a living, breathing patron which man was keen not to make an enemy of. 

The modern global education system in its myopic, inane and becuffed eugolising of the deathly apathetic rote existence that we called development has ignored the need to re-trace traditional knowledge. Traditional/indigenous knowledge is connected to all sectors that has from age to age helped man to live in accordance with the edicts of mother earth.

We today focus on Sri Lanka’s pre-colonial housing that used the purest of earth’s resources; clay. Reverting to clay housing supports promoting human wellbeing and contributing to the non-pollution of the environment. Current day construction is a contributor to earth pollution, air pollution, climate change, sea and water pollution and overall landfill waste. 

Therefore as our mass communication based duty the Harmony Page this week pay our attention to the traditional science of clay-based construction. Clay-made housing requires specific expertise. We today focus on this re-education.

It should be reminded that after colonisation in Sri Lanka clay housing was labelled as a ‘primitive’ form of housing that symbolised ‘poverty.’ Although this page has focused on clay construction in our earlier editions as part of our indigenous knowledge series, this piece of writing is aimed at being an educative step by step tutorial alongside an interview with an expert on the subject.

We hope that what we have endeavoured today will help anyone to construct a clay home in the same manner that our ancestors did, without the use of any non-biodegradable or unsustainable products (and live happily in simplicity and devoid of the economic stress of repaying hefty housing loans). 

This article is dedicated to Prof. Nimal de Silva, the iconic Sri Lankan who committed his entire life to the conservation of traditional knowledge of this country. Prof. de Silva; architect, artist, promoter of indigenous medicine and overall conserver of heritage of this land who passed away last month dedicated his life on assisting Sri Lanka to use the rich indigenous knowledge of this country for economic and holistic nurturing. Ancient clay construction was a medium that was often discussed with him by our team and he used to lament that although he knew how to build a mud house to perfection in the same way his grandfather did that there was almost no villager today below the age of 85 who could revive the bygone nostalgia for clay housing.

In today’s interview we feature a 72-year-old expert on clay housing. He is Podi Nilame from the village of Konwatte in Kurunegala, who is part of the sustainability team of Fox Kandy, an indigenous knowledge promoting tourism endeavour atop the picturesque Hantane region.

Podi Nilame is one of the few surviving Sri Lankan elders who still retain the expertise passed down over past generations on how to build (a genuinely sustainable) structure in the same manner as our great grandparents and grandparents lived in, using what can be defined as the gold of the earth; clay. 

We met Podi Nilame when we interviewed the Fox Kandy resort team on their efforts to move away from plastic which can be read in the weeks to come as part of our sustainability and tourism series.

Today’s clay construction tutorial is featured alongside an interview with Podi Nilame and a pictorial that will add visual clarity to the instructions provided. We thank Fox Kandy for allowing us to witness and understand the clay construction process and for giving us access to Podi Nilame. 

Q: Please introduce yourself.

A: I am Podi Nilame and I live in Konwatte, a village in Kurunegala.

Q: Are there any clay housing visible in your village in these modern times?

A: No. There are none today. But I grew up in a clay made home which all our family members loved. I remember up to the 1970s these types of housing existed in the village. When I married at the age of 26 I had no house so I made a nice clay house, a large one – with three units – room, verandah, kitchen. That house lasted so many years. 

Q: Do you associate clay housing with health promotion?

A: Yes. Most of what we have as modern illnesses emanate from financial stress, excessive body heat and the craze to earn unnecessary luxuries which make people lose track of life’s true joys. Clay is cooling and purifies the system as does pure soil. If you have a headache and go and sleep within or outside a clay house you will feel magically refreshed. This is why our grandfathers were never imprisoned in brick hospitals with illnesses.

Q: How do you measure the amount of water needed to build the mud/clay house?

A: Humans instinctively know how much of water is needed – soil becomes clay when you take out the pebbles and rocks and thresh it well, pouring in water to make it soft. Then you have to make small mounds with your fists (as you would make cutlets!) 

Q: Does the quality of clay within the soil differ according to the district and is it amply found throughout the country?

A: Yes, and Sri Lanka generally has vast amounts of clay throughout the island, with the exception of a few places such as Kotte where the soil is hard. And yes, the texture and hue of the clay varies on the climate of the district. For example the clay taken from the earth in Kandy is darker and damper than the clay found in Kurunegala, an arid location where the clay is whitish. Clay found, say in an area like Matale, maybe even damper than Kandy and reflect a darker red. 

Q: How long can clay housing last?

A: Over 60 years. I can say certainly that it lasts more than brick houses which is built now for just about 40 years. For example the brick house me and my family live in now is 20 years old. I think it is ready to breathe its last, with so many wrinkles (cracks!). 

Q: What about the cadjan roofs that accompany these clay houses?

A: The coconut palm roofs can last for up to a year. Today we find when it rains there are leaks in our ceiling based roofing. But there are none in cadjan roofs even when there is a heavy downpour. Every year this type of roofing needs replacement. Earlier in villages the entire community would unite to replace the cadjan roofing of any house. It was a very enjoyable community bonding process. This is how we lived. 

Q: How many cadjans would be used for the replacement of a roof?

A: About 250 would be needed for an average house. 

Q: How long would it take to build a house with clay?

A: Between two to three months depending on the size of the house.

Q: Thank you Podi Nilame. Can we now begin the tutorial?

A: Yes. 

Below is a segmented step by step instruction. We begin by concentrating on the process of transforming ordinary earth into clay.

Note: Selecting the earth and sifting out the stones/pebbles/tree roots/any debris from the soil is the starting point. The human resource combination of three to four people will make the job easier. 

1. Using a mamoty the earth has to be dug out and put aside. Then the small pebbles and rocks have to be sifted out along with tree roots and debris. This will take some time to do properly. 

2. When you keep digging the soil one gets enough of clayish mud with lesser stones. This has to be mashed and mixed with water. Once you pour in the water you will know when to stop. The mixing of the clay can be done with a mamoty and by threshing with feet. The more you thresh it, and put water, it changes into clay. In some places, long ago, they used to use buffaloes to step on the soil.

3. Once a fair amount of mud is collected from the earth that you think is enough for a medium size accommodation it needs to be kept covered with cadjan for about three days. This is called padang kireema in Sinhala. This is a kind of fermentation. 

4. As for the amounts of the mud needed, our ancestors instinctively knew these measurements. They did not define the amount in kilos or measure it.

We will now focus on the actual construction beginning with the roofing.

Roofing; cutting and preparing the coconut fronds

In the science of clay construction one should set up the structure and sort out the roof with the cadjans.

The roofing is very important. The coconut palms have to be cut and then immersed in water and kept for three days. This is to make it palpable and easy to weave. It also lasts longer when this is done. After taking the coconut fronds out of the water – we usually put it into a stream – and then split it from the main spine. Now we have two halves. So the weaving can be started. Then it should be put in the sun for about two days. There is something called a pol athu messa (the traditional storage unit for the cadjans where it is usually stacked when collecting to construct the roof).

After weaving the coconut palms a fire has to be set up and the fronds put into the furnace and taken out instantly. In a similar way as done with plantain leaves when used to wrap food.

Overall structure 

Now let us focus on the setting up of the frame for the roof and the general housing structure. 

As indicated in the pics for the structure – branches from trees such as Domba, Ketakala or Attonia are used for the four corners. The skeleton of the entire structure needs to be firm for the roof to be strong.

For the setting up of the roofing parala – vertical platform of the roof we need wild tree thick branches – or from the specified trees as above (Attonia, Domba or Ketakala).

The slim and straight bamboo or betel nut are used for the horizontal Reepa. Please see picture. 

For the equivalent of the window grill small twigs from basically any tree will do. 

For the general structure the thick branches from earlier specified trees – about six to eight inch width with a general height of 12 and 14 feet need to be collected. Please note this changes depending on the height and the width of the house in general. The more solid branches (8 inch width and 12) are to be used for the corners to stabilise the building. For the stabilising of the roof and fixing it to the ground which is referred to as the Mudunkanuwa (we have reiterated it below) two 14 feet branches of the above mentioned trees with an 8 inch circumference) should be used. 

The full length of the branches for the corners is 12 feet and these have to be really firmly positioned deeply into the ground. Two feet should be allocated where it is tied to the roofing platform.

In this system of construction as you can see in the photograph there is a pyramid type structure which is the Mudunkada. Two firm branches are needed for the Mudunkada leeya. This needs to be 14 feet. The circumference needs to be about 8 inches. 

Instructions 

1. The measurement for the size of the house needed is to be made.

2. This is usually 12 feet width and 20 feet length. This could vary on your personal preference. If you want a clay mansion you can build that too. 

3. Now the digging out should commence – so that the clay can be fixed – the whole process is described as gepala kapanawa. Just like we have in brick the same size structure is made in box form and raised high – width 8 inches with the earlier mentioned trees or hardy wild trees – including Turpentine. (In Sinhala this is called setting up the bithi kanu meaning walls). Here you make the height to reach the roof and tie it all up with coir. Earlier we used Maduwel a kind of a jungle creeper. It is very tough and extremely secure when tied.

4. Now these wall structures once it is set up with the tree branches and tied is filled with the clay that has keen nicely sifted and pebbles taken out/mixed. (Please remember that soil becomes clay when it is well threshed and fermented for minimum of three days. For better fermentation it is covered with coconut palms and maybe plantain leaves. 

5. Usually for an average house there are two rooms and there is a veranda type area as is seen in the pictures. 

6. The windows need to be measured out. The size can be according to individual preference.

7. According to choice, twigs can be used without a wooden frame that can be closed or one can fix a wooden frame. Any wood of a wildly grown tree can be used. But it should be strong.

8. Termites can be lured to clay walls but the natural methods of preventing their encroaching include setting up the entire floor by using a thorough mixture of ash, Humbas matti (outer layer clay of the termite castles and cowdung (10% ash, 40% cowdung and balance 50% clay as defined above). The process of making the clay of the termite house outer layer is the same as described before with the exception that it has no pebbles to remove! The floor as stated above is extremely healthy for the body as it removed all toxins from the feet and it has a polished smooth look and gives a coolness that modern day air-conditioners cannot match. 

Conclusion

We will continue this clay construction series by focusing on more complicated buildings; such as monasteries that were built in ancient times in Sri Lanka with mud/clay. While we have today, mentioned basic information on how to construct a simple mud house, we are aware that some facts could get lost in translation. However we will in our traditional knowledge conserving series add more clarity and rectify any omissions. 

As part of our environment-based education we will also soon focus on wild creepers that were used for tying up the housing structures in ancient times. Our thanks go to Podi Nilame who painstakingly put us through this process and extend our deepest appreciation to Chris Quyen, Chief Operating Officer of Fox Kandy. The General Manager, Raushan Meyen, an ardent fan of sustainability and ancient knowledge, contributed much background information and allowed us to study the clay structures of their resort.