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The Origin and Construction of a Tepee
Inside the tepee a small ring of stones formed the fireplace in the center. Behind the fire was the alter where sweet grass, sage or other incense was burned. At the very back were the man’s ceremonial items bed, pillows and back rests made of willow strung with sinew lined the sides. Clothing tied in bundles, pouches and bags were tucked in the corner. Cooking utensils, food and riding gear were just inside the door. The first tepees were constructed from animal hide such as bison and deer. The poles were very light in weight. Trees such as pine, cedar or tamarack were used. The construction of the tepee was the responsibility of the women. While the men hunted for bison the women cut down the trees and stripped the bark off the poles. Once the bison hides were ready they sewed the hides together with sinew. It took 7-9 bison hides for an average tepee for a family. Inside the tepee the people slept, cooked, told stories, had feasts, sharing circles and peace pipes ceremonies. The tepees were not only used for shelter, but stood for family values. Each pole was a teaching such as: 1. family 2. happiness 3.
love 4. respect 5. strength 6.
greatfulness 7. faith 8. humility 9.
sharing 10. kindness 11. hope 12. creator’s guidance We chose certain designs which were symbolic. At the bottom of the tepee we have four colors representing the four races of people: white - Caucasian yellow - Asian red - Aboriginal black - African These colors also symbolize the for directions and seasons: white - North-Winter red - South-Summer yellow - East-Spring black - West-Fall (autumn) The eagle’s head is above the entrance way. The eagle’s wings are wrapped around the tepee which symbolizes protection. The eagle gives power, strength and wisdom. It also teaches us honesty and truth. The seven blue circles symbolize the seven teachings: Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery or Courage, Honesty, Humility, Truth These teachings if practiced would make this a better world to live in. The wolf’s head is on the north side of the tepee. The wolf is a strong and good hunter. He is also a survivor. The wolf was domesticated to help carry heavy loads. The bison was very important to the plains people. The bison hide was used for tepees, clothing, and food. The bones were used for weapons and tools. The bison is designed to face the west. The turtle is on the south side of the tepee. The turtle helped to create the earth. Turtle carried Mother earth on its back. Turtle Island is known as North America. The foot prints on the flaps were designed from the legend Murdo’s story and how the animals found summer. The footprints are that of a beaver, bear, moose, and fisher. Fisher escaped with the bag of summer but is killed. Today we see Fisher as the big dipper in the sky. The colored ribbons on top of the poles symbolize the different clans of the First Nations. Tepees went out of use in the 1st decade in this century. Today tepees are constructed from canvas and symbolically designed. They setup in the summer for gatherings such as pow-wows, ceremonies, sports, and special gatherings. Our tepee at Ralph Brown School is a teaching tepee. We are very proud to have one built by our students and staff. |
The grade six
students at Ralph Brown
school in Winnipeg, Manitoba , who participated
in the Aboriginal Education program began the school year in 1998
with the construction of a indoor tepee. The word tepee comes from the
Sioux Nation meaning "used for living in". This cone shaped
structure of the Plains Indians could be constructed by a single person.
It was roomy, well ventilated at all times. It was well lit and could
withstand high winds and heavy downpours. Properly made it offered all
the requirements of a good home; safety, comfort, privacy and even
luxury. Tepees go back to the 1540’s. The door of the tepee always
faced east toward the rising sun.