Nicobarese - Settlements

Settlements are invariably located on the coast. Nearest the shoreline are three community houses. Behind these are a number of "birth" huts, in which a new mother, her husband, and their baby live for about a year after delivery. Behind these huts are the dwelling houses, usually on stilts, clustered around a sand-covered dance and sports ground. These huts are usually single-roomed and dome-roofed or rectangular with sloping roofs. Both house types are made of thatching woven through a frame of branches. There usually is a separate hut built near each dwelling that serves as a kitchen.