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Written by Gillian
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Part of the pleasure of travelling to new places is seeing how other people live. Matmata certainly gives food for thought when you visit the underground homes which were built by the Berbers to keep cool from the intense heat of this arid area. Matmata lies inland, just south of the center of Tunisia, midway between Gabes and Medenine. Although it is a little off the beaten track, it is one of the most interesting and special places to visit.
The underground homes are accessed from the courtyard or ‘Haush’ which is dug out well below ground level. Doorways then lead into the circular rooms which are about 10m in diameter. The homes are almost cave-like inside, with no windows on most of the interior walls. A shelf is cut out of the walls which are roughly white-washed to reflect the light.
The cool earth insulates the darkened rooms and keeps them cool. Residents have to be agile to climb from one level to the next using pegs in the walls and a knotted rope. Although these homes are cool in the heat, they are not so good when it rains, as the mud walls tend to loosen and slide into the courtyard. This is certainly primitive living by most standards – no electricity or modern-day gadgets!
This small town is also home to the Hotel Sidi Driss, which offers visitors a chance to stay in a similar underground dwelling for a night. The hotel rose to fame in the Star Wars movie as the home of Luke Skywalker, along with his Aunt Beru Lars and Uncle Owen. Behind the hotel you will also find a small museum. |
