Actually Lampung has several kinds of traditional houses. However, with many other cultures that have entered, the traditional house of Lampung that can still survive today is a traditional house called Nuwo Sesat which in its traditional language Nuwo Sesat means traditional house.
The Lampung area is often the gateway for many people to transmigrate because of its location at the forefront of the island of Sumatra. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are many people from outside the region who live in Lampung, which makes a lot of cultural exchanges in the Lampung area.
Basically Nuwo Sesat is not a residence but is only used as a gathering place for the community. There are several uniqueness of this traditional Lampung house, as described below:
The concept of a house on stilts
Almost all traditional houses in the Sumatra region adhere to the concept of a house on stilts. This is due to the fact that Sumatra is still in close proximity to forests. So that the house on stilts used to be made to avoid attacks by wild Sumatran animals that roam.
In addition, it is also to anticipate earthquakes that often occur in the region. The materials used are the same as other stilt houses, namely using wood as the main material, because this material has always been easy to find in the forest.
Has 3 main rooms
Because in the beginning it was built not as a residence but as a place for community gathering, therefore this Nuwo Sesat traditional house does not have any bedrooms in it.
Inside this Lampung traditional house, there are 3 main rooms, namely Ijan Geladak which is the part of the stairs that leads to the front of the house which is also shaded by a roof.
Then there is the harmonious pavilion which is the main room and is in the middle of the house which is used as a gathering place. Therefore in it there are chairs arranged for the people who come.
Finally, there is the port room whose function is to store all kinds of traditional tools used for community needs.
Built in the direction of the river
Laying out this traditional Lampung house is not arbitrary. These traditional Nuwo Sesat houses are usually built in rows and adjusted to the direction of the river flow. Previously, this was intended to make it easier for people to take water supplies for their needs, especially when there was an association. Of course, you will need water to cook dishes and meals.
There are other unique things that you can see from this traditional Lampung house. Namely, there is an umbrella decoration on it which has different colors such as red, white and yellow which symbolize the customary levels in the Lampung community.
