Inside Austronesian Houses

Perspectives on domestic designs for living

Perspectives on domestic designs for living

Edited by James J. Fox

A publication of the Department of Anthropology as part of the Comparative Austronesian Project, Research School of Pacific Studies The Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia

Published by ANU E Press The Australian National University Canberra ACT 0200, Australia Email: [email protected] Web: http://epress.anu.edu.au Previously published in Australia by the Department of Anthropology in association with the Comparative Austronesian Project, Research School of Pacific Studies, The Australian National University, Canberra 1993.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry Inside Austronesian Houses

Bibliography. ISBN 0 731515 95 1 (print) ISBN 1 920942 84 X (online)

1. Dwellings - Asia, Southeastern. 2. Dwellings - Oceania. 3. Asia, Southeastern - Social life and customs. 4. Oceania - Social life and customs. I. Fox, James J., 1940- . II. Australian National University. Dept. of Anthropology. III. Comparative Austronesian Project.

392.360095

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Typesetting and drawings by Margaret Tyrie Cover design by Adrian Young Printed at ANU Printing Service, Canberra

Anthony Forge and Hedda Morrison Building a new longhouse (photo by Hedda Morrison) Inside Austronesian Houses Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xi Chapter 1. Comparative Perspectives on Austronesian Houses: An Introductory Essay James J. Fox 1 The Comparative Austronesian Focus 5 The House as a Topic of Study 6 Austronesian House Terms 9 Ordered Structures and Their Orientation 14 Structures of Origin Within Austronesian Houses 16 Time and Memory in Austronesian Houses 20 Concluding Remarks 23 References 24 Notes 28 Chapter 2. The Lahanan Longhouse Jennifer Alexander 31 Balui Longhouses 32 The Levu 33 The Tilung 37 Tilung Composition 39 Continuity of the Tilung 40 References 41 Notes 42 Chapter 3. Good Walls Make Bad Neighbours: The Dayak Longhouse as a Community of Voices Christine Helliwell 45 Lawang Construction and Lawang Space 50 Lawang Behaviour: Public or Private? 55 Concluding Remarks 59 References 60 Notes 62 Chapter 4. Posts, Hearths and Thresholds: The Iban Longhouse as a Ritual Structure Clifford Sather 67 The Iban Longhouse 68 Sources and Elders 70 Hearths and Posts 72 Upriver, Downriver, Parts and Wholes 76 Trunk, Base and Tip 77 East and West 80 The Longhouse Bathing Place 81 Interior Architecture 83

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