Generalization & Rationale Objectives Teacher Information Introductory Activity Main Lesson Download

Lesson 2 - Teacher Information

Tipis were the primary means of shelter for Plains Aboriginals prior to contact with Europeans. They ranged in size and after the introduction of the horse, which was able to carry larger loads, they increased in size. The assembly of the tipi had significance was not undertaken randomly. In Blackfoot culture, the tipi doorway always faced east and each of the tipi poles had a name. Tipis were typically made from young buffalo hides and were tanned and sewn with sinew in the spring or early summer.

The painting of tipis was a sacred event that required a special ceremony. Tipi designs were personal and remained the property of the designer. Designs were developed with a specific purpose in mind, and were created to protect the family and ensure happy lives. It was possible to give a tipi design away through a special transfer ceremony that usually which included some sort of payment. Often, people received ideas for their tipi designs through dreams and visions.

Buffalo, deer and elk were the most sacred and powerful animals to be painted on a tipi. Other animals that often appear in tipi designs are the otter, weasel, mink, beaver, raven, snake or thunderbird. Each animal symbol had its own ritual and special song. Ultimately, tipi designs reflected the natural environment as Aboriginal People have a special spiritual connection to the land. Borders along the bottom of a tipi could contain mountains, hills or stars.

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