Section of Maloca

The malocas had many parts and sections. The men added new sections. One part of the maloca was the garden. The banana trees formed a border between the maloca and the garden. These trees also provided fruit. The gardens were for special plants, like peppers and tobacco, as well as for plants providing medicine and drugs. Some malocas were big gardens called chagras. When sections were to be added to the maloca men collected leaves in the forest. Then they would weave them onto strips of wood. The new sections were put in place from a scaffold inside the house. There were married and unmarried parts of the maloca. Married men made their own screened off compartment in the maloca, where he lived with his wife and children. Unmarried men and guests slept in an open area in the front of the maloca. The maloca included many paths. One path led from the door to the river. Others led from the back door to the gardens, or to a stream. Another led to the forest or neighboring malocas.