Art and Photo by Heide Reynes

Aradack is an island located on the northwest of Daracka. It is a city and a province of its own. And it is the home of the flyers--the Maharlika who has the ability to fly.

It was said that many generations ago, Daracka's population consisted of only the old kings and the flyers until the men across the Never Ending Sea came. The population of the flyers dwindled into a single island.

There are several mountains on Aradack but only two tepuis. Most of the Aradacko live on the tepui at the island's center, where most farms and agriculture are also situated. The Eskolar temples are located in the northern mountains. The water port of the island is at the south end.

Tepuis in Daracka, in general, are the preferred settlement of Darackans. Most cities in the kingdom are built on top of tepuis, especially the older and larger cities.

The Aradacko build their homes on the face of the cliff of their tepui instead of building their city on top of it. They believe that their powers of flight are connected to nature, so they practice being close to everything that is natural. By building their homes on the side of a cliff, they are close to the sky above and the valleys below.

The traditional Aradacko home is a hut made of bamboo, coconut wood, nipa palm leaves, and other natural materials. A support beam underneath each house is constructed from durable material and dug deep into the cliff to carry the hut.

A bat-like creature lives mostly on Aradack but is also seen in some provinces in Daracka. This creature is called a kukatra. The Aradacko believes that this creature is holy and its presence is a blessing.

*** Nipa huts are the traditional homes in the Philippines. They are also built with natural materials. This is the inspiration for the Aradacko houses.

*** The capiz panes in the Philippines can be seen incorporated in some nipa huts, but these windows are more popular for houses built during the Spanish colonial era. Capiz is the shell of a mollusk.

***Inspiration:

The Aradacko build their huts on the face of a cliff of a mesa mountain in Aradack so they can be near the valley and forests below and the sky above. This location is balanced, and they believe their powers come from nature.

The home of the Aradacko is inspired by the traditional burial ritual of the Igorot, who mummify their dead. The coffins are hung on the side of cliffs so their spirits can be near their ancestors.

https://youtu.be/myEFOgmE1VI