Nias House Rice barn in Sasak village of Sade , Lombok . Often the house as a whole, as well as its inner portion, seems to be symbolized as female being associated with positive image of life, prosperity and nourishment. The soul of the measure or the life (pagurip). Measurements for a house are based on dimensions of the householder's own body. An incorrectly measured compound will be embed (blocked), and may caused death to the inhabitants. The chief of the south Nias grew rich and powerful during the 19th century by trading slaves to Aceh in exchange for gold. Houses became impressive and huge. An elaborate set of ideas seems to have developed in the village of Bawomataluo, identifying the chief's house (22.7 meters tall and raised on giant ironwood pillars) with the body of the chief as well as with the earth and the cosmos. Chiefs appear to have exploited these symbolic ideas, as well as the material structure of the house, as a means of enhancing their own positi...