Tipi

A portable, conical dwelling traditionally used by Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains, made from a framework of poles covered with animal hides or canvas.

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Tipi pole framework: The arrangement of long poles that supports a tipi’s cover and defines its conical shape. Poles form the load-bearing structure and can be assembled into a portable dwelling.
Tipi raising: The process of arranging poles and attaching a cover to erect a tipi. A carefully ordered sequence allows the dwelling to be raised by a small group.
Plains Indians: Indigenous peoples whose homelands and histories are associated with the Great Plains of North America. Tipi use developed among multiple Plains peoples, with designs and practices varying by nation.
Powwow: A gathering of Indigenous communities featuring social dancing, singing, and cultural exchange. Tipis may be erected at some gatherings, though they are not a defining feature of every powwow.
Tipi cover: The outer covering of a tipi, traditionally made from sewn animal hides and later often from canvas. The cover turns the pole frame into shelter from wind and precipitation.
Tripod lashing: A binding that joins three poles so they can serve as a stable tripod. The initial tripod anchors the pole arrangement during many tipi-raising methods.
Plains bison: A bison population that historically ranged across the Great Plains of North America. Bison hides supplied durable covering material before canvas became widely available.
Indigenous architecture: The diverse building traditions developed by Indigenous peoples around the world. The tipi is one distinct architectural tradition among many Indigenous forms of shelter.
Smoke flaps: Adjustable panels near a tipi’s top that help vent smoke and regulate airflow. Their position can be changed to improve ventilation as wind direction shifts.
Tipi smoke hole: An opening at the top of a tipi that allows smoke and warm air to escape. The opening vents a central hearth when smoke flaps are adjusted to the wind.