Portable Homes Around the World
Learn more about four of the most popular styles of nomadic housing among traditional cultures.
Have you ever dreamed of abandoning your house or apartment for the open road? In some cultures, life on the move was the historical norm. Modern economic pressures have made nomadic lifestyles less common, but the lightweight homes people invented have survived and are even still used today.
In most cases, people living in traditional portable housing have needed to stay mobile to follow an important resource. The Great Plains of North America, for example, saw seasonal bison migrations. Many indigenous cultures followed the herds of bison, which provided nearly every resource they needed. In other cases, herding families stayed on the move to provide fresh pastures for animals like cattle, horses, sheep, and goats. These are five of the most common types of portable housing, used in traditional lifestyles.
Yurts and Ger
The yurt is a tent home of the Eurasian steppes, most notably used by Turkic-speaking and Mongolian peoples. More recently, it has spread across the world as an inexpensive and eco-friendly form of alternative housing. What makes the yurt so popular? Authentic tents are lightweight, spacious, and well insulated. They are typically supported by a lattice frame and roof poles. Felt covers made from wool are then fitted over the structure to create walls. A spoked wheel at the peak provides ventilation, allowing smoke from a central fire to escape. In experienced hands, a yurt (its Turkic name) or ger (its Mongolian name) can be disassembled or reassembled in about two hours.
Chums and Lavvu
The cold plains, mountains, and forests of Northern Eurasia are home to many nomadic cultures such as the Sami, Nenet, and Evenki people. Historically, these cultures were primarily reindeer hunters and herders. Each year, reindeer herds migrate with the seasons, and the people who rely on them follow. Chum tents and the closely related lavvu of the Sami allowed families to stay on the move in comfort. These tent-homes tend to be large, reaching up to 30 feet in diameter. They are typically crafted from reindeer hides or birch bark wrapped around supporting central poles. An opening at the top then funnels smoke out.
Today, these tents are still called home by reindeer herders from numerous cultures, though they tend to use more lightweight and durable modern materials. Additionally, the chum and lavvu have both found fans among campers, who value their easy assembly and spacious interiors. The lavvu in particular is now also an important symbol of Sami culture and identity.
Tipis
The tipi is a portable tent home of North America’s Great Plains and Prairies. Many different indigenous cultures in the modern United States and Canada, though not all, historically lived in tipis. The tent closely resembles the chum and lavvu but tends to be taller and narrower, with smoke flaps that can be opened and closed. Tipis were also used mainly to follow the migration of game animals—most notably the bison. As a result, a typical tipi was made with buffalo hide. In winter, the tents could also be lined with hides, furs, and blankets for insulation.
Desert Tents
The deserts of North Africa and the Middle East are home to a different type of tent house—one that does not need to withstand harsh winters. Like the other structures examined here, these geographically adapted tents are built by multiple cultures across vast distances. On the Arabian Peninsula, the most well known of these cultures are the Bedouin. In the Saharan Desert, tents are also used by Berber peoples such as the Tuareg.
Felt tents are made from the wool, leather, and hides of herd animals like sheep and goats. They are designed to be open and well ventilated, while still sheltering their residents from the wind, sun, sand, and surprise storms.
Modern Nomadic Homes
Today, the nomadic or seminomadic lifestyle is still practiced around the world. Most people from a nomadic cultural heritage now tend to lead more sedentary lives, but there are still communities in regions like Russia, Sapmi, Mongolia, and the Sahara living in the traditional way for at least part of the year. Thousands more have adopted other forms of nomadism, including RVs, houseboats, caravans, and similar lifestyles. Would you consider portable housing in the future? Have you already made the switch? Share your thoughts and experiences!
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