CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 9: THE BAKA PEOPLE’S MARVELOUS HUT

The group’s doubts didn’t appear out of thin air.

The traditional houses of the Baka people are actually quite simple, even rough, to build.

This is because the Baka people are nomadic and often relocate.

If the shelter takes too much effort to build, it would obstruct their migration.

But humans always learn from experience and transform the world.

Over their long nomadic lives, the Baka people have developed an extremely simple way to build shelters.

It’s called a mongulu, a dome-shaped hut built with thin and flexible young trees.

The materials all come from the rainforest, making it easy to construct.

Among the Baka people, if materials are sufficient, two women working together can build a delicate little hut in a day.

However, the dome-shaped hut is not perfect; on the contrary, it has its fair share of drawbacks.

Because the materials are rough and the construction is simple,

the quality of the hut is not very good.

It generally becomes a dangerous building after a few dozen days.

But for Chen Wen and his group, this drawback is really not a problem, as they also plan to stay for just a few dozen days.

The biggest drawback affecting Chen Wen and his group is that this hut really lives up to its name.

It’s really small!

The Baka people are quite short, with the average male height not exceeding 1.5 meters.

The dome-shaped hut is just right for them, but for Chen Wen and his group, it’s a bit too small.

Among the ten men, the shortest is Lv Guocheng, who is nearly 1.75 meters tall.

The tallest, Zhang Hu, is nearly 1.9 meters tall.

And the roof of the dome-shaped hut is less than 1.6 meters high.

Entering it requires bending over.

"Can this really work?"

Gan Tieshan voiced his doubts unabashedly.

Chen Wen replied, "If I just tell you, you won’t believe me, so let’s gain practical knowledge through action. Let’s build one together and we’ll see if it works."

"If it works, we’ll keep at it; if not, I’ll step aside, and you can be the captain and lead the team to build another shelter."

These words successfully shut everyone up.

"Then let’s do it!"

The group said in unison.

As the only one knowledgeable about the dome-shaped hut, Chen Wen took charge of the overall direction.

He called Lu Heng and Du Feng, who were lying around.

After a simple demonstration,

preparing the stalks of the banana leaves became the task for the two.

The two didn’t have any complaints.

After all, this house was being built for them first.

Next, Chen Wen demonstrated how to construct the wooden framework.

He chopped off the branches of the young trees he brought back.

Leaving only the main trunk.

He bent the trunk back and forth several times to make it more resilient.

Then Chen Wen inserted the base of the trunk into the dug hole and filled it again.

In the opposite side of the little pit, he dug another one, marking the diameter of the dome-shaped hut.

After securing the bases of the two young trunks,

Chen Wen entwined and wrapped the tops of the two young trees together.

Seeing this, Gan Tieshan’s eyes lit up.

This thing is indeed simple!

Without waiting for Chen Wen to speak, he led Zhuo Hongnian and started handling other branches.

Then, mimicking Chen Wen’s actions, they dug pits, secured the trunks, intertwined, and wrapped them.

Soon, under the efforts of the three, the rough and simple prototype of a cross framework appeared.

"Just do it like this, get more branches, complete the hemispherical framework, and fix it around with thin branches as well, hey! Leave a door!"

As the framework construction got on track,

Chen Wen nodded in satisfaction, then looked at the two processing banana leaves: "Next, point the banana leaves downward and fix them with the split stems."

At this moment, Wang Zhi, who had gone to gather firewood, returned too.

Seeing the bustling camp, he joined in as well.

About an hour and a half later,

when the four who went fishing returned, a peculiar dome framework occupied one corner of the camp.

The processing of the banana leaves was also nearing its end.

While trimming the stems of the banana leaves, Chen Wen recounted the story of the Baka people to others: "Actually, the material used by the Baka people is called bamboo taro, not the one about inserting chayote, but bamboo’s bamboo and taro’s taro."

"We’re using banana leaves, which work almost the same."

"Alright, these should be enough!"

Chen Wen stood up, just in time to meet the returning Yan Bian and others’ eyes.

"Yo, you’re back so early? Had a fruitful day!"

Chen Wen said in surprise.

Upon hearing this, Bai Yachuan smiled and raised the net bag in his hand: "We caught enough for a meal today!"

Yan Bian seemed to recognize the prototype of the house: "Isn’t this the Baka people’s dome hut? Chen Wen, you know how to build this?"

"It’s a last-minute effort."

Chen Wen said with a smile.

He wasn’t relying solely on tips for survival; in the few days before arriving,

Chen Wen had quickly learned about rainforest survival.

Even now, without relying on tips, he’s not claiming to be a survival master, but surviving in the rainforest for a while wouldn’t be an issue.

Gan Tieshan holding banana leaves, looked at Yan Bian with a not so friendly tone: "You knew too? Why didn’t you say it earlier?"

At these words, Yan Bian shrugged helplessly: "I just recognize it, but I couldn’t build it. I don’t even know how to find the materials. It’s like everyone knows how to make a bow and arrow, but few can actually make one."

Gan Tieshan snorted and ignored Yan Bian.

If you didn’t know, you could have told us, and I would have figured it out somehow, wouldn’t I?

With some time before dinner,

Chen Wen led Gan Tieshan and a few others to start the final process.

Inserting banana leaves.

This step is quite simple; it’s just putting the trimmed stems onto the framework and doing a rough fixation.

If you have hands, you can do it.

Quickly, under everyone’s watchful eyes, a dome-shaped hut full of Baka people’s style emerged.

...

"Can... can people live in this?"

Lv Guocheng came over, looking surprised: "Won’t it fall with just a puff of wind?"

Hearing this, Chen Wen, who was busy reinforcing the base of the hut with mud, said without looking up: "Give it a push and find out."

While Lv Guocheng was hesitating, Lu Heng slapped a palm on the banana leaf.

Slap!

That slap was not light!

But under everyone’s nervous gaze, the hut didn’t even move, only the banana leaves that were slapped shook a bit.

"Whoa?"

Lu Heng was surprised too.

Just as he was about to lift his foot to kick it, Wang Zhi held him back: "Who kicks with their foot?"

But someone was quicker than Lu Heng.

Gan Tieshan kicked the side of the hut.

The result was the hut just swayed slightly before returning to its original state.

It’s really sturdy!

Everyone couldn’t help but think.

"Don’t worry, this hut is made with slender and resilient young trees, and the hemispherical shape helps dissipate force."

Chen Wen got up and also kicked it: "Besides, I covered the base with mud, and once it dries, it’ll be even more stable."

Before others could speak, Chen Wen looked at Zhuo Hongnian: "Zhuo, splash water, let’s test its water resistance."

Zhuo Hongnian, who was ready, grabbed fresh water and splashed it on the hut.

Whoosh.

The water flowed down the dense banana leaves, eventually seeping into the ground around the hut.

Du Feng crawled into the hut and felt around: "It’s fine, it’s dry inside!"

Chen Wen nodded and said, "In the afternoon, Lu Heng and I will find more materials, and you four stay to process the remaining materials, then build two more."

"When both of us return, let’s all help together and aim to make five huts before it gets dark!"

The others in the support group nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, the entire active group was completely shocked.

In just one morning, there was already a new hut in the camp.

It was stable and waterproof, not to mention that,

judging by how Chen Wen and his group’s ease, seems like building this hut was quite simple!

Darn, could he really be a born expert in wilderness survival?!

[This hut is truly amazing]

[Comparing it to the women’s group’s shack or the big group’s barracks, all I can say is the difference between people...]

[Ha, as if the men’s group did it alone without Chen Wen leading?]

[Putting aside everything else, with Chen Wen here, the men’s group is about to fly high!]

[I won’t deny that Chen Wen is carrying the men’s group because that’s simply the reality!]