The Dorze people living in highlands west of the Abyssinian Rift Valley have a unique style of building their homes. The twenty-foot-high bamboo frame is covered with the sheaths of bamboo stems or straw, and resembles a giant beehive. Doorways are set in a bulge of the house, which forms a reception area for guests; they are small enough for a person of average height to stoop low before entering. These remarkable houses can last for forty years or more.Bamboo grows luxuriantly in Dorze country at over 9,000 feet. Families protect it in their farms because it is a very valuable resource.