How Were Native American Tipis Built?
Tipis are dwellings used as living structures by Native Americans. The point of this form of housing was based on the reality of their nomadic lifestyle; following the seasons and animals they hunted. Native American tribes were known to build tipis first, as simple structures, so they could move them easily as they followed the buffalo around the land to hunt for food. The buffalo hides they acquired from hunting were then used to cover the framework of these standing cone dwelling structures.
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Instructions
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Wood was cut from lodge-pole pine and cedar trees to form the structure of the tipi. The poles were about 6 to 12 inches in diameter and between 8 and 20 feet high. Between 10 and 16 poles often formed the tipi structures.
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The wood poles were put up to create a circle at the base and were tied together with sinew where they came together at the top, creating a cone formation.
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Buffalo hides were cleaned and scraped with sharp and strong bone, and then stretched and set out to dry before being placed upon the wooden structure.
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The prepared buffalo hide covers the entire wood structure except for a ventilation hole at the top where the wood poles meet. About 4 and 8 hides were generally used to cover the tipi. The hides were tied onto the poles by cutting small holes in the hide and tying them to the wood poles throughout the structure.
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One loose flap at ground level was created as the entrance and exit to the tipis. A small fire pit was often constructed inside the center of the tipi on the ground to provide warmth. The smoke from the fire was able to escape through the top ventilation hole.
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References
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