Penan - Settlements

Eastern Penan build a semipermanent base camp inside a new territory; from there they move around the forest using a series of temporary camps. The base camp serves also as a storage facility. Western Penan, in contrast, live in a settlement for as long as two years; groups of one or two families each spread out from the camp to gather forest products, leaving the sick and elderly behind. Penan houses are made of saplings, and roofed with palm leaves; Eastern Penan build their houses on pilings, and Western Penan on the ground.