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Create a Miniature Tipi at Home

Plains Native Americans lived in tipis and many people still own tipis and use them for various reasons. Often people will set up tipis at powwows or at ceremonial grounds. Tipis may have been a home to many Native Americans, but its shape is also very important.
 

 

Lakota’s believe that what is above is the same as below – if you make two tipis and invert one on top of the other, you will see they are mirrored images. Lakota’s believe life must be lived in a good way; you must be respectful of everyone and all around you. Of course this is a belief that so many others also feel is very important.

A miniature version of a tipi is easily made at home! You will need the following:

  • Small board or cardboard to set tipi on

  • 12 small dowels, slightly sharpened points on one end

  • Small piece of material, canvas or similar heavy type material

  • Glue

  • Hole punch or Pin

  • Toothpicks

  • Pen or other writing utensil

Use a pen to put marks equally apart in a circle shape on the board, leave a slightly larger opening on one side of the tipi where you will have the door. With just a little glue attach the dowels to each mark you made, leaning them all inward to create a cone shape with a little of the top of the dowel above the cone, about an inch of the top of the dowel (this top part is the slightly sharpened end) will be above where the dowels all come together. The dowels represent the sapling tree poles traditionally used to build a tipi.

Place your canvas, or other heavier material, around the dowels so you get an idea how large you are able to cut the material. It should either touch or be slightly above the board or cardboard you use on the bottom, and wrap closely around the top edge – you will also cut a spot for a door and flaps for the top. This will be all one piece of material. Be sure to not wrap the entire shape with the material, but cut it to just touching above the door – meaning do not overlap the material.

You can use a small hole punch or a pin to punch holes in the material above the tipi entrance and use toothpicks to hold them together, also add one set of holes under the tipi entrance if you wish and use toothpicks there as well.

Imagine what it took to put the tipi long ago and what it still takes to put it up today since it is still used in many areas.