MALAGASY FIRE COOKING STANDS

by Renard_Bleu

23K2659

Intro: MALAGASY FIRE COOKING STANDS

On a recent work trip to Madagascar I had the opportunity to meet several work crews in the jungle, and witness how the local people had developed a myriad of ways to put a pot over a fire to cook (rice or soup). I would have assumed that a single best setup would have evolved to dominate and render all other designs obsolete; as you will see this was not the case. I am not going to go into detailed descriptions of how to construct these cooking stoves, I have never attempted these myself and the images are really quite self explanatory.

***Make sure that you are not building a fire under dry forest conditions and always have several liters of water ready to put out your fire if it gets out of control***

The example above can be called the Delta design. 
  1. Find a Y shaped section of a branch
  2. Sharpen the base
  3. Push, or pound it into the ground on a slight slope
  4. Affix two other branches to form a V into the crook of your Y shaped branch
  5. You can adjust the height of the pot by sliding it towards or away from the Y and adjusting the position of the supports to hold your pot up.

STEP 1: TRICORN DESIGN

This was actually the most common setup that I saw. You basically push three separate sections of branches into the ground to support your pot. Nice wet wood is better here because the pieces will get charred.

STEP 2: THE HANDLER

This was the design that really got me interested. In this case I think they chopped off a sapling near the base with a machete and trimmed the edge so that if fit snugly through the handle of the pot.

STEP 3: THE FULL KITCHEN

These guys were really organized. They shoveled a notch in to the slope and built a simple rectangular frame (without nails or rope) to hang the pot, but also to keep the bugs off their pans. 

9 Comments

nstvstv 3 years ago

The cast Aluminum Dutchies are useful too.

sanjay117 10 years ago

So wonderful! In India we use similar arrangements, but word of precaution , in one instance students on jungle treck used stick of available shrub to stir the stew,after few hours lost few teeth! Aftermath with local people revealed that the shrub was known as DATPAADI meaning shrub that knock teeth off! be careful in jungle while you eat and drink!

Renard_Bleu 10 years ago

Thanks for the support. That is a crazy story, and great lesson! I wonder if there would be any application for dentistry? Although teeth falling out is unlikely to be the only effect...

kde jong 10 years ago

How cool to see this up close. Simple is best.

Renard_Bleu 10 years ago

When you don't have much to work with (in terms of supplies), then simple is ALL you've got!

artworker 10 years ago

this ible can be marked as survival 101!

Renard_Bleu 10 years ago

Thanks. For these guys (rural Madagascar), it is second nature. In a pinch I would likely have rigged up with something more complex and more full of FAIL!

Renard_Bleu 10 years ago

Well thanks. I was most impressed myself!