afrovisionary: architecture: Houses of the town...

afrovisionary:

architecture: Houses of the town Tiebele located in Burkina Faso

This past year, I published an article on black architecture or lack there of in the US and Europe. The idea was what we have lost in becoming a part of the diaspora. We have lost a hold of architecture among numerous things.

Modern society has basically taught all of us that we should not decorate the outside of our houses as our homes are not art itself. This goes against many native African ideals and this is apparent in the town of Tiebele in Burkina Faso which has become famous for each house being handpainted on the inside and especially/more importantly outside.

The reasons for doing may have started for natural reasons but evolved with the potential for better things.

“To those inside the community, they carry meaning and invoke spiritual protection. But mud designs also serves to protect the walls themselves. The decorating is usually done just before the rainy season and protects the outside walls from the rain. The incised lines break the flow of water in heavy rainfalls. Adding cow dung, compacting layers of mud, burnishing the final layer, and varnishing with néré all make the designs withstand wet weather, enabling the structures to last longer.” —- handeye magazine

better things. Though traditional in nature, the connection that these drawings create for the people are of a type of transcendence regardless of economic level. I am only imagine if western black people would start to re-evolve these ideals, the amazing structures that we could create are beyond reason.

Ras_G &The AFrikan_SPace _Program

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