Konso Settlements

Traditional Konso villages are highly organised with a multiple high walled defence system. Defence is paramount as skirmishes, although rare, still occur with the neighbouring nomads. Village localities are generally defined by a historical event, type of soil or a geographical characteristic.    

PALETA (walled villages) are circled by 1-6 defensive walls. Generally the land will fall away steeply around most of the village, leaving one level area to be heavily defended. Current development pressures for schools, clinics, flour mills, churches and modern burials are using these flat areas.

The wall circles are built as population increases. There will be footpaths on the inner side of the walls. There will be a few major exits that bear the name of the next neighbouring ward. The gates lead to common water points, farms or markets. Some are used as ritual passages.

Within towns the Konso live in individual compounds with wood and stone fencing around 40m2 in area. The compound will be divided into two halves: The upper part (OYTA) for people and the lower (ARXATTA) for animals and storage. Usually there will be 5 or 6 thatched structures (house, storage, granary, kraal and grinding space with stone mortar).

MORAS (up to 17 in a Paleta) are the practical and ceremonial centres of daily life and are located at the centre of the main central wall and at different locations within the village. There might be 1 or 2 outside of the walls. Paths lead from gates to moras. Paths also connect one mora to another.

PAFTA (large communal sleeping house for young men) are constructed on a stone platform 80 cm high built on 8 - 12thick poles 100 -150 cm above the ground. In the roof space is the platform for sleeping and a small opening in the middle with a step cut into the central pole.

1 or 2 moras occupy principal positions with high stone walls, bigger paftas, larger grouped generation trees (ULAHITAS), many DAGA XELA, ritual oath taking stones (usually 3 big rounded rocks) and a ritual spear sharpening stone. Major ceremonies common to the whole community are held here.

DINA is a grove of dense trees of Euphorbia just outside the village that is used for firewood, public toilet and plants for fire fighting.