A mudhif is a traditional reed house made by the Madan people (also known as Marsh Arabs

Marsh Arabs

The Marsh Arabs , also known as the Maʻdān , are inhabitants of the Tigris-Euphrates marshlands in the south and east of Iraq and along the Iranian border....

) in the swamps of southern Iraq

Iraq

Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....

. In the traditional Madan way of living, houses are constructed from reeds harvested from the marshes where they live. A mudhif is a large communal house, paid for and maintained by a local sheik, for use by guests or as a gathering place for weddings, funerals, etc.