The Powhatan women built permanent homes made of bent saplings covered with woven mats or bark slabs. If the family was of higher status or of a larger families, the houses were constructed in a long tunnel-like fashion to which the English gave the name longhouses. The English thought that these houses were flimsy but they were very strong compared to the colonists' houses. They were well-suited for the summer heat by having the central fire alight with embers to keep the insects away.  In the winter the houses got more mats to keep it warm and dry. The central fire in the houses is important because it keeps all of the men, women, and children warm and safe.  This fire also kept the house dry while outside it was snowy or rainy.  These longhouses were also good for storing food and protected people from predators such as bears, snakes, and deer.