How to Make a Shoshone Tepee

Tepee pins are often inserted horizontally.

The Shoshone is an American Indian tribe of the western United States. Because Shoshone were nomadic people, the women learned to construct tepees. Shoshone tepees are made with animal skins, sticks and rope, and are easy to construct, take down and transport. Though many Shoshone tepees have smoke flaps and other more complicated parts, a simple tepee is easy to make.

Things You'll Need

• 12 to 15 poles
• Tepee cover
• Measuring tape or ruler
• Scissors
• Twine
• Pins

Instructions

1. Print out a pattern for a Shoshone tepee, such as the one on shelterpub.com. This will help you construct a sturdy tepee. Refer to it throughout the building process.

2. Select a flat plot of land for the tepee and begin setting up. Choose 12 to 15 poles of the same length. A traditional Shoshone tepee uses 15 poles, but you can use 12 if you choose. The poles must be straight and sanded for the tepee to stand erect. The poles need to be 3 feet longer than the width of the covering for the tepee.

3. Select material for the tepee covering. A traditional Shoshone tepee would be made with bison pelts or another animal skin. However, you can use a heavy canvas or another weather-resistant material. Cut the fabric into a large semicircle, with the length (straight edge) twice as long as the width.

4. Make a tripod with three of the poles. Tie the tripod together with twine, making sure your knots are just a little higher than the height of the material that will cover the tepee

5. Lay the other poles against the tripod to form a circle on the ground and tie them in place with twine. Slit a hole in the center of the straight edge of the tepee fabric. Loop twine through the hole and fasten it to one of the poles. Wrap the fabric around the poles and pin it together along the seam.

6. Cut a door flap in the tepee so you can get in and out easily.

References

• Shelter Pub: Plains Indian Tepee
• Early Native American Tribes: Shoshone