FREETOWN (Reuters) - Scattered all over Sierra Leone 's capital Freetown stay aging wood made houses, a number which usually appear more just like some people belong on the far east shoreline involving eighteenth century America than in the steamy West African city.
Others look like they may are actually built hundreds of years before from the destinations of the particular Caribbean, a further manifestation with Sierra Leone 's background for a colony proven to get liberated slaves.
For Lucy Senessie, a 24-year-old who world in one in the West Indies-influenced mother board houses within Freetown - regarded when 'bode ose' within the krio vernacular - this city's unique structures is a living check out its past.
"It is rather crucial if anyone is to view what exactly have been there before," she said, standing in the garden her fire wood household within Freetown's Murray Town neighbourhood. "The period when they colonise this particular country, there is only aboard stores with this country, but right now points have changed."
Isa Blyden, your documentary producer who have explored Freetown architecture, recognizes that foundation on the stores in the arrival associated with the 'Nova Scotians' to be able to Sierra Leone.
These ex - American slaves in addition to free blacks sought refuge while using British through the American Revolutionary War. After your British defeat these were evacuated in order to Nova Scotia throughout Eastern Canada, in addition to within 1792 a contingent arrived that will Sierra Leone.
Blyden views the initial single-storey Freetown Board House as being a reconstruction with the cabin-like fabrications designed somewhat earlier on that American eastern seaboard.
"The type associated with residence was being inbuilt America within 1776," Blyden said.
There were a few alterations though, notably a new three-foot foundation level of porous community diamond in which assisted anchor your home affordable during Sierra Leone's torrential wet season.
The later West Indian effect is actually visible in a lot more intricate snowboard houses. One living through multi-storey shape will be Lucy Senessie's home with 18 High Broad Street.
Situated contrary a new Methodist Church, it's wood made walls start out to begin with terrain level. Latticework covers your steps in the back on the structure, and even more lattice solar panels are usually inset on top of interior doors.
Joseph Opala, a good American anthropologist, microbes this West Indian influence to the actual advent of any contingent of Jamaican 'Maroons' throughout Sierra Leone.
These runaway slaves and also their descendants came towards nation inside 1800. Later on around the 19th one hundred year a West Indian regiment has been in addition stationed throughout Sierra Leone.
"The common being familiar with will be it can be simple, in basic terms West Indian buildings out of in which period," mentioned Opala, that has invested high of his personal lifestyle throughout Sierra Leone.
CANADIAN PINE
Sierra Leone was the moment typically forested, nonetheless Manilius Garber, vice chief executive belonging to the Sierra Leone Institute of Architects, pronounces quite a few board houses were being also constructed using timber brought as ballast in boats bound to get Freetown.
"Some belonging to the wooden is good old pine from Canada, or perhaps Europe, or somewhere," your dog said.
The surviving board residences are generally notion to get about 100 ages old. In 1940 some sort of British colonial ordinance forbade that building regarding thatched dwellings - since the first mother board properties have been - expected that will criticism hazard.
By in which stage though the fashion has been by now within decline, as stone along with later on concrete evolved into far more fashionable.
In the particular Congo Town neighbourhood involving Freetown, No. 7 Grey Lane will be an example of a surviving simple, single-story Board House. On this porch your metal cell is displayed green, whitened and blue, this nation's hues with Sierra Leone.
"I met this house when I was born, in order that it was designed just before I had been born," affirms homeowner 54-year-old Ezekiel Thomas, who works being a teacher. "It's just like an old-fashioned to help us."
It is difficult to help assess your surviving availablility of Board Houses in Sierra Leone, some of which will were being damaged while in the place's destructive 1991-2002 municipal war.
Isa Blyden states it has an boosting appreciation for the structures, but acknowledges which fire wood to get repairs is overpriced ahead by.
Mohamed Bakarr Jalloh, homeowner of any dilapidated Board House at 1 Macauley Street within Murray Town, admits he or she includes happen to be mocked for his accommodation.
"Some belonging to the neighbours, these people have a good laugh at us, due to the real wood condition," described the 26-year-old, who seem to is known for a poster of your skimpily clothed Janet Jackson throughout his first level bedroom.
"It isn't really strong; if your breeze blow, certainly not good."
Alongside this Krio Board Houses, this Hill Station area of Freetown will be home to help an additional list of beautiful hardwood houses having a various history.
After investigation within Freetown suggested this mosquitoes added malaria, close to hundred typical this British colonial authorities relocated his or her funds through the stifling coastal flats to be able to increased ground.
The funicular railway that the moment functioned Hill Station can be longer gone, although the station name hint is always on the abandoned upper terminus. Nearby, great wood dwellings take a position on metallic stilts motivated straight into tangible piles. Covered porches descend to help ground level.
It can often be said inside Freetown this these kind of houses, which were built regarding British colonial administrators, arrived that will West Africa flat-packed from the London department store Harrods.
British writer Graham Greene, which frequented Freetown inside 1930s and soon after lived inside town during World War Two, once cited "bright electric Hill Station."
The recent populace with Hill Station, Sierra Leonean municipal servants along with their families, express some people do at times nevertheless receive electricity. Pipe-borne water can be now non-existent though.
Matilda Senessie, your 23-year-old whom lifestyles at No. 8 Hill Station, claims they will from time to time plead for drinking water from bowsers planning to a good resort nearby.
"I love the houses. they are comfortable, spacious," the lady said. "The just matter will be the water here. We lack water."
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