The Teepee



The Teepee
		The teepee was an ideal shelter for the Plains people. As they were constantly on the move their home had to be quickly and easily transportable. The teepee was basically a frame of long pine poles leaning to a point where they were then tied together. A carefully crafted sheet, made from between 8 and 20 buffalo skins covered this frame.		Teepees being erected
In hot weather, flaps were opened and the lower part of the covering was rolled up to allow air to circulate. In winter an extra skin lining was added to the covering, making it more cosy. The fire that burned in a shallow hole in the centre of the floor kept the teepee warm and was also used for cooking. Smoke escaped through a hole created by opening flaps at the very top of the teepee (as in top picture). A teepee was always set up with the entrance facing east as the winds on the plains blew mainly from the west.			A teepee village on the Plains
Blackfoot Tribe with travois on the move			When the tribe decided to move on again two of the poles were tied to a dog. The other ends dragged along the ground. This roughly triangular frame was called a travois. The teepee covering and the family's other possessions were then tied onto and carried on it. After the Europeans came, the travois was pulled by a horse. This also allowed their teepees to be bigger. back to top
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