Nocte Vernacular Architecture

The Nocte is a Naga tribe, found simultaneously in Assam. There are small pockets of some Naga tribes in the Brahmaputra valley. Though this Naga population have adopted the Assamese culture in general, but they are simultaneously continuing their traditional culture to a great extent. The traditional domestic architecture is such a field, which show distinctiveness.

1) The Architecture:

The Nocte people traditionally construct one stilt house for residence (hwom) and a granary (pung) in the homestead. The house is ideally constructed in north-south direction and the main door faces north cardinal direction. The traditional architecture of the Nocte superficially resembles to the stilt architecture of other tribes. But technique of the architecture displays certain distinctiveness. The hwom is attached with a ladder (waka-hwitho) in the front part of the house, which leads to the initial open area of the platform (tanliyang). The house possesses a rear open porch also (hachotanliyang), connected with a second ladder (hacho-hwitho). The ladder is a notched timber log or made from bamboo or plank. The ladder always has odd number of steps and the bottom side is always kept to the east.

The inner space of the house is partitioned into different compartments. The first room, after entering through the front door (w’ka-kachak), is the sitting space (waka) where guests are entertained. The front entrance possesses a low barrier wall above the doorsill known as kadan. On the other hand, the last room is the kitchen (paksa room) which has two halves. One of the halves is used as dining space while the fireplace (twap-poanbbe) is established in the centre of the other half. A door from the kitchen leads to an attached open platform, attached to the hacho-tanliyang, which is the scullery (ahupta-wah). The middle space, between the waka and paksa room, is used as bedroom. In a small house of a nuclear family, this space possesses a single room, called hwumnoom, used as sleeping space . But in a large house, the middle space is compartmented into number of bed rooms. In such case, a corridor (lum) leads one to the interior of the house. In such a house, the room attached to the kitchen is called jupthin, which is simultaneously used for sleeping and storing articles while the other rooms are used as bedroom that are called hwumnoom.

The fireplace (twap) is constructed on platform by putting soil on layers of plantain bark or palm leaves and held within a wooden frame. Over this earthen foundation, the three-legged iron hearth is kept facing the east direction. Over the twap, they hang a two or three-tiered bamboo shelf (khincha) to season fish and fire wood. On a wall near the twap, there construct another tiered bamboo ledge (fachan) to keep utensils.

2) Technique:

The Nocte house construction starts with planting of the three rows of roof bearing posts. The lateral two rows of posts are called paplei-thong while the middle row is called waking-thong. After planting of these posts, at a height of four to five feet, breadth-wise beams (tangpatan) are tied to support the platform. Then below the beams, platform-bearing posts (chato) are embedded like prop and this process is called chatoto. Then above the beams, bamboo splinters called ajang-ton are laid lengthwise and tie them with the tangpatan using bamboo string (loong) . The process of tying the ajangton is known as tankhap. Above the ajang-ton, bamboo splits (wah) is laid in breadthwise direction and tie them with ajang-ton placing four bamboo splinters over the wah. The construction of the platform ends with the process of wakhap i.e. the fastening of the wah.

After completion of the platform, the roof frame is prepared. It starts with the fashioning of one-ear holder (thongbok) on the top of the paplei-thong posts, to support the purlins. These purlins are called paploi-wah, over which breadth-wise beams (lapan) are fastened. Then the end of the waking-thong posts are fashioned in fishmouthed holders through attaching two temporary horizontal bamboos (wakong-din) to the middle posts. Over the waking-thongs, the central, ridge-bearing purlin (kangdongwah) is fastened . Over the purlins, principal rafter (satche) is attached. The Noctes attach the satche in curious manner through placing them below, not over the purlins. Again, unlike the usual custom of smashing a bamboo pole in the middle to bend and make a principal rafter, the Noctes use two separate bamboos and fasten them. Again, the two bamboos of the satche are fastened in such a fashion where the first, right-hand side bamboo is kept to the side of the main door. There place lengthwise bamboos (zulam) and fasten them with satche. Then over this, the (common) rafters (bachat) are attached breadth-wise at a gap of one foot. These rafters (bachat) are similar to satche in construction , fastened at one end while other end is distended. They are attached with bamboo dowel inserted through holes, pierced at the top end of the bamboo, at such a distance so that after attaching the members, about one inch of top end protrudes. Above this, they fix the lengthwise bamboo called kong-don (chal marali).

3) Wall Construction:

After this, they start the construction of the walls of the house. For this, they first fix a bamboo (ajing-ti-tok) horizontally over the platform, at the line of the walls. From this ajing-ti-tok, vertical poles called tou-ti-tok is attached through fashioning the bottom in fish mouth cut. Then a half split bamboo is attached and fastened horizontally with the tou-ti-tok which is called ti-tuk-khalang. Then again, 4 / 5 pieces of narrower flattened bamboo split (ajang) are fastened horizontally through which bamboo similar split (tit-tuk-wah) are inserted vertically from above to weave the wall. The process of weaving the wall is called ti-tuk-wad. After completion of the weaving, bamboo splinters are attached from outside and tie them with the ti-tuk-khalang. They leave the walls un-plastered.

4) Roofing:

The Nocte traditionally cover the roofs of their houses with palm leaves. For the purpose, they first prepare about 7 feet long tiles of palm leaves called louteyap, which are attached in the roof like thatch becha. To prepare louteyap, there lay a bamboo splinter (louchan) on ground over which palm leaves are laid, keeping the frond side towards the splinter. Then placing another louchan above, the leaves are secured with bamboo strands (lokset- lung). The louchan is tied about 5 inches below frond end. Another pair of louchan is tied again horizontally, after a gap of about 3 inches.

For roofing, the louteyap are laid over the roof and fastens to the rafters (bachat). The louteyap are laid from one side of the eaves and the louchans are tied to bachat. In this way, the whole roof is covered with the louteyap, except the ridge. Finally, the ridge (wakong-kong) is covered with palm leaves in a particular fashion. For this, a leaf is folded first, then wraps around the ridge, and fixes it with a bamboo spike perforated through the leave and passed below the kangdong-wah to fasten. Then the next frond is attached in similar fashion from the opposite side and fixes with another spike. The process of roofing is called chup-chup.