For a couple months now, I have driven
by this house where the owner has adobe bricks drying in the front
and has started an earthen house off to the side. So about a week
ago, I decided to walk down there while Corné was at Thsepo. Turns
out, the owner was there and his two workers. He knew decent
English, so we go to have a nice chat. The beginning of the
conversation was about how his wife wasn't on time or something, she
had his cigarettes, and so on, so in a round about way (which, I'm
learning, is cultural), he was asking me for a smoke. After I
politely refused him, we got onto talking about building.
He digs the soil right out of his back
yard. Then mixes it with water to get it muddy, and then puts it in
his mold, which is a metal tin of some kind with the bottom cut out.
They've got the water amount down pat, when the guy lifts the mold
up, the brick basically keeps it's shape. They leave them to dry for
2-3 days, then put them up on the wall, using an earthen mortar to
stick them together. Nothing added to the mix. They told me this
several times.
The house is looking good. I wonder
why more people don't do this. I asked them several times, but they
must not of understood the question, never got an answer.
After the owner left, I stuck around
for a couple more photos and to do some video. I was showing them
the video when friends of theirs came down the road. They jumped the
fence to watch, and then insisted on having their photo taken!
All in all, it was a great experience.
Some people would think I'm crazy walking around Mautse, but I never
felt threatened. I actually got two more great photos on the way
home!
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