The Alaba people live in the central highlands of Ethiopia. They are Muslim and farmers. Their houses are round, made of wood and mud with thatched roofs and mud floors. The outside of the houses are painted with elaborate murals. Inside the house there is a separate area where they keep the animals. The livestock spends the night in the house with the people which adds to the warmth of the house. They have no electricity and depend on drinking water from rivers and ponds, usually quite far away.