| The word ‘tipi’ comes from the Lakota | | | | morning sun. |
| language and is made up of two elements: thi, | | | | To make the cover, fifteen or more skins |
| which means ‘to dwell in’ and pi, which | | | | (preferably from buffalo killed in the spring when |
| means ‘they dwell’. | | | | their skins were thought to be thinnest) were |
| Tipis were used by most (but not all) Indians of | | | | stitched together with buffalo sinews under the |
| the great plains as the tipi is highly durable and | | | | watchful eye of an elder. The smoke flaps at the |
| mobile, easily broken down and packed away | | | | top were sewn on by a woman with a cheerful |
| quickly when a tribe needed to move camp in | | | | good nature; never a shrew. |
| pursuit of more fertile land, warmer climates and | | | | The ‘dew’ cloth or inner liner was then |
| buffalo. | | | | hung inside the tipi and provided an insulated |
| Buffalo were indispensable to the Native | | | | airspace that drew smoke up through the flaps. |
| Americans. They provided them with food (meat) | | | | The inner liner was often painted with the designs |
| tools, clothes, weapons (buffalo hide shields and | | | | inspired by the dreams and visions experienced |
| strings for the bow) and the skins of many | | | | by the owners. Painting also served the purpose |
| buffaloes were needed to cover the fifteen foot | | | | of warding off bad spirits and brought protection |
| tipi poles. | | | | to the dwellers. |
| Although there was an abundance of buffalo (prior | | | | The Indian women of the tribe were responsible |
| to the 19th century bison hunts) there was very | | | | for the construction and ownership of the tipi. |
| little wood on the great plains and the Indians | | | | They chose the campsite, erected and took |
| would often travel many hundreds of miles in | | | | down the tipis and chose how the tipis were |
| search of straight poles to erect their Tipis. Three | | | | furnished and arranged around the heart of the |
| poles were lashed together to form a tripod and | | | | tipi; the fire. Used for warmth and for cooking, |
| then additional, lighter, poles were added around it | | | | fire also held a spiritual significance as it was |
| two or more feet apart. The shape of the Sioux | | | | symbolic of purification and transformation. |
| tipi is not a perfect cone and is slightly longer at | | | | Cool in the summer and warmed by the fire in |
| the front than at the back. The poles would | | | | the winter the tipi is a truly magical place with an |
| always be positioned so that when the cover is in | | | | overwhelming connection to the past. Born from |
| place the entrance faces away from the | | | | the herds of buffalo of the great plains the tipi |
| prevailing winds and towards the rise of the | | | | truly is the home of the hunter. |