THE KARO >>Types of Houses of the Karo -Ono and Gappa
Ono is the main living house of the Karo. During the cold seasons of the rain ,when the rainfalls and the mosquitoes prevent people from sleeping outside,it is the Ono which provides them with shelter.Enterance to the narrow and very low door of the Ono is possible only by creeping.It is constructed in such a way that it does not let mosquitoes in during rainy season.
Inside the Ono ,above the fire place ,hanging from the roof, and fixed to the central pole there is a storage place called Korre where household utensils such as bowls,drinking calabashes,cooking pots and gourds are stored. The Ono of the karo has to be rebuilt or renovated every six monthes due to the prevalent termites.
Gappa is a form of a flat-roofed shelter usually built infront of the Ono. Several hosehold activities such as food and coffee preparation,grain grinding,house hold level meetings, entartainment and drinking,and dry season sleeping ,take place in it. Some house hold utencile such as stone made grinding-mills,cooking pots and local beer calabashes are kept in it ,especially in the day times.In both Ono and Gappa variety of wild animal skins are spread for the purpose of sitting and sleeping on.
