- The Tipi-Second Mother
- By Kaali'kaash-Vera He Does
It-Half
- Told to me by my big brother,
Henry Old Coyote
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- The tipi was the dwelling of the
Plains Indian. Made from buffalo hides (canvas), lodge pole
pine and shaped like a cone with two outside flaps that protrude
from the top above the entrance. On the outside, in the back
are two poles connected to the smoke flaps. Each part of the
tipi has a meaning.
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- The Apsa'alooke (Crows) are known
as four-pole people. According to the number of poles which
formed the basic foundation, the different tribes were known as
either three or four-pole people.
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- The tipis consists of four base
poles, which represent the 4 cardinal points and seasons of the
year. The northeast is the force that controls the day
coming over from the east, the southeast is the eternal summer,
the southwest is the point where people leave the world, and the
northwest, the eternal winter, where the weather comes and
freshens the earth. Facing east, the two door poles
represent the spirits of the lion is on your left and the bear is
on your right, protecting the tipi. Two flap poles, the
smoke flaps represent the spirits of the owl on the left and the
right the coyote who are on guard over the tipi night and
day. A chief pole which represents the owner of the
tipi. Two helper poles and the secondary poles, represent
elements or forces in the life of the owner and are personal and
connected with nature, they reflect harmony and are important for
a good life. The poles being wooden represent the trees.
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Larger Version
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- The tipi represents a woman,
every day as you come out you are born all over again. You
have a second mother as long as you have a place to come home to,
where you have security and happiness.
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- The base poles are tied and the
other poles are placed upon the base poles, from the back to the
front, with their top portion interwoven in a criss-cross pattern,
lock the poles. Except for the secondary poles, the others
remain constant. As the tipi poles come together, so do the
forces they represent converge and protect the person.
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- Between the northwest and
southwest poles is the place of respect. As a person enters
or leaves the tipi, he walks clockwise. The tipi faces east,
so when a person first goes out to face a new day, he takes four
steps, then turns to the right. He makes a wish with each
step. By turning to the right, he affirms the path of the
sun, he has gotten ahead of it and taken care of facing it before
it sets. Doing this a person realizes you can't go back to
the past, you want and look forward to good days.
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- Big Metal introduced the wooden
pegs. The Crow tipi is left white. Marking on the
poles and pegs are to identify the family living in a particular
tipi. Markings, raw hide strings tied on the tips of tipi
poles, decorated door and other ornamentation are individual
family representation. To use these gifts, you must have the
rights.
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- Before moving into a new tipi,
wishes are made for a home of plenty and of long life. It is
a woman's role to make, set up, prepare and care for the tipi.
