SomaliNet Forums

All the houses and buildings i've seen back home have a nasty-arse chiingad roofs that are ugly and also annoying when it rains (because when it rains, it rains hard). Havent we ever heard of the concept of clay tiles?

Tile requires fuel to fire, and is heavier and bulkier to transport and bear on a roof than thatch, tin or cement composite. This makes it expensive to use, especially where timber is in short supply.

Here in California where roofing tile is desireable because of fire danger, it is used only on the very most expensive of homes. The ordinary citizen makes do with composite shingles. There was a time when slate was common on the roofs of public buidings, but that use has been almost entirely replaced with cast concrete.

Yes Somalis know about those roofs but they are very expensive compared to the "Jiingad"..We used to have in some roofs of Mogadisho houses..My uncle's house had those and in Somalia they are called "Itarnig"..I don't know how to write in Italian but that was how it was pronounced..They are more cooler than the regular Jiingad....and they don't rust..

I see what you mean, I guess its sufficient and economical.