Information

The Native American Tipi

When ever we stage shows one of the questions we are asked most is can we bring the tipi. Most people get the tipi (teepee) and wigwam mixed up. The tipi is the conical structure pictured here whilst a wigwam is often a hut type structure made from twigs and bark.

Tipis vary greatly in size from about 14 foot diameter up to around 36 feet diameter.

As you can see the poles for a tipi can get rather large. Whilst a 14 foot tipi may only require 16 - 20 foot poles a 36 foot tipi would need poles measuring approximately 40 feet. People have asked me why not put one or two joins in them to make them easier to handle and transport but joints would weaken them and make them bend, the stress is in a different direction in a ridge tent and I feel it  would not look right any way. I have known people who had metal poles but in an electric storm that would not be safe at all

Click the Image above for an illustrated guide on how a tipi is erected.

We have found that the inside of our tipi has caused mush suprise as some people are amazed at how decorative a tipi can be.  Inside the tipi the dew cloth would be painted with pattens making it like the wallpaper we have on our walls. Some times the patterns were created with beads, our own is painted in designs. It took quite a while at first painting one colour then waiting for it to dry before painting the next. You can paint one of the inner colours which saves a bit of time but doing to much I found that you do tend to touch one while it is wet. Native Americans also had back rests in the tipi which are made of willow rods about 3/8 thick. They were stripped of the bark, painted and strung together with cords of heavy sinew. We use very strong cord instead of sinew.  They are then hung on a tripod made of poles about 1'' to 1.5'' thick you then had some where to hang your war bonnet and other small bags. Other small items were placed under the tripod out of the way which also kept the tipi tidy. Most of the bags and boxes of old were made of raw hide and painted, ours are made of thin wood and painted in the same way. Again like our homes, even the out side of the tipi was painted with some sort of design which would tell people some thing about the owners.

Lone Eagle and family preparing dinner over the fire. (An old converted Barbeque unit is used to light the fires as this then prevents leaving scorched marks on lawns)

If any one would like to own a tipi there are one or two people who make them, or you can make your own. If you do that you will want to read the book called "The Indian Tipi" by Reginald and Gladys Laubin. It gives you all the information you will need, from making a tipi to living in one. It really is a great book for Tipi lovers every where.