Landscape
Fugo Volcano Island is a triangular shaped isolated bump of land in the middle of the Marr Sea. It’s located near Madagascar islands. Climate is sub-tropical, with hot-humid weather for most year. Island is sized 5000 sq km roughly.
The key geographical feature of this city is the live volcano, called the Fugo volcano. The Volcano can erupt abruptly, last it erupted was 10 years ago. While normally, a volcano spews ash, this volcano throws out a molten metal. This metal is found only on this island. The people of the island call it Gosic metal, which has combined properties of gold, silver and copper and so can be used for multiple purposes. The molten form of erupted metal forms a layer around the volcano and every time that happens, the fresh water supply recedes and floods the surrounding areas. This volcano is a huge tourist attraction due to it’s exotic and unique natural scapes. There are floating rocks (igneous rocks with magnetic properties) on the fresh water lake that surrounds the volcano mountains. They form a part of the natural eco-system of the island. The Fugo lake serves as the central source of fresh water for the city. However, over time, community rain water harvesting structures were designed for capitalizing the heavy rainfall that the island receives.
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Housing Typologies and Vernacular Structure - mostly the houses are built around the Nyang trees using their wood for construction as well as using their massive trunks as the base structure for all the construction. Nyang Trees are 7 to 15 metres tall. They have a mushroom like small foliage, but a sturdy broad trunk which is erect on the plain where it grows, which is why it can be used as a main pillar to make the houses. Rain water harvesting is maneuvered through the tree canopy which is used as collectors and channelized down to the water aquifers used as another fresh water reserve and since it is an island, there is heavy rainfall perennially.
One section of the island is entirely dedicated to maintain pristine natural reserves complete with forests, mangroves and wildlife sanctuaries. There are no farmlands; because of the salinity of the soil, it is not possible to grow cereals, but people grow vegetables and fruits. For this purpose, there are community kitchen gardens around every household block.
One section of the island is entirely dedicated to maintain pristine natural reserves complete with forests, mangroves and wildlife sanctuaries. There are no farmlands; because of the salinity of the soil, it is not possible to grow cereals, but people grow vegetables and fruits. For this purpose, there are community kitchen gardens around every household block.
The native inhabitants of the island generate two types of wastes - kitchen and toilet waste. The wastes are drained into a collective pit where it gets composted. Each and every house connects its waste drainage through pipelines along the main trunk of the tree coming down from the top of the tree to the bottom. These are thereafter connected to pipelines (made of gosic material) laid in the ground which leads it to the large vermicompost pits after every block of household which uses human faeces to create compost which is used for cultivation. Below the pits, through the rockbed the water generated percolates down to the aquifers.
MotoMaji Temple: The native people worshipped fire and water. The structure of the temple also is characterised by an extensive use of the two. The temple has a semi domed structure supported on the four columns. There is a perennial fire burning in the centre of the temple. The temple is surrounded by water. The devotees bathe in the water and then are allowed inside the temple. The devotees are not allowed to bring along any offerings apart from camphor. The surroundings around the temple have a distinctive aroma owing to the smell of the burning camphor. There is community housing for the disabled, diseased and the aged around the temple. These housing quarters are also a part of the temple and are known as God’s own. After prayers, the devotees are expected to render their services such as cleaning the surroundings of the temple, the maintenance of the burning fire and volunteering in the God’s own.
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Kigeni Square (The European Settlement): This settlement comprises of European style houses, cafes, bookstores and is situated within the broader commercial area. The entire settlement is designed with a business / occupational orientation; the Europeans used this as the centre for spreading their culture among the natives. The most popular part of this settlement is the Skylark Boulevard, along which are lined exquisite shops and cafes selling pieces of European culture - books, food, clothes and marijuana. The most prominent place here is the art gallery where people get together to smoke up and appreciate art. The unique part of this gallery is that it entirely comprises of replicas of famous paintings of Leonardo da Vinci and sculptures of Michelangelo which were made entirely from memory by the Europeans who came and settled here. The natives find the paintings and sculptures as distasteful as there is not enough nudity and the Boulevard is often a site of protest against it.
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Nyumba Makazi (The Native Residential Colony): This area generated the maximum interest in the European settlers as they were surprised by the truly communitarian form of living adopted by the natives. Every cluster of trees was converted into a series of tree houses with no outer compound walls or fences. The houses ranged from small to mid to big in size but all the resources were shared by the citizens irrespective. The community pits collected waste generated from each house and the aquifers collect rainwater from each house. These clusters of tree houses are surrounded by community gardens and kitchens. The ‘kachcha roads’ lead to the paved roads to access the non-residential areas where schools and hospitals are situated. The one part of this area which is the most happening is the Hokum chowk where natives would gather to do a series of energy releasing exercises. After sun sets, everybody gathers and lets out any emotion that comes to them. People can be seen laughing out loud as well as crying uncontrollably, kicking trees in anger as well as hugging them with love. After this people have community meals and go back home.
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Tafreeh Sadak (The Tourist Hotspot): This place generates the foreign exchange for the island. Hotels, resorts, museums, monuments as well as adventure sports facilities are available here. But the one part of the sadak which attracts the maximum attention is the Wishbowl street where one can get anything by offering anything in return - a lemonade in return for a hug, or a brownie for a kiss or a visit to the volcano in return of a one night stand. People bargain to get the most out of these deals.
The island combines exquisite natural features with a vibrant community life making it one among the places you must see before you die. |