Putting up the Tipi

Our tipi is made by a Comanche gentleman from Oklahoma. It stands about 18 feet tall, and has a diameter of about 14 feet. It's pretty spectacular.

To be sure we could handle it, we brought Morgan in to teach us proper Comanche-style tipi raising. Several of our staff are pretty experienced in this area, but none of them knew Comanche-style. (Each community has its own style, largely based on whether the tipi is a three-pole or a four-pole base and how many additional poles are used.)

Comanche tipis are four-pole based. In total, there are 13 poles. This wasn't to be the final -- we needed to see how to do it, and figure out how it fit in the space so that we could determine the proper final placement, as well as the anchoring system we would use so that kids couldn't knock it down no matter how hard they try. Here's how it went.


First, the poles are laid out in a specific format where the front poles surround the back poles. They are tied tightly together with a long rope.


Three people are needed to raise the poles, because two need to hold the ends of the poles while a third person holds the rope taut and guides the poles upward. Then they are separated to their rough places.



The next part works better if you're an expert. If you're not, have enough people on hand to ensure those four base poles don't move! First, the three northern side poles are laid into place. They have to cross a specific way to ensure stability. Then the same happens with the three southern side poles.


Pole 11 is the tent pole. The canvas is attached to this pole, and it has a specific placement in the back of the tipi.



The canvas is then unfurled and worked around the tipi, so that both ends meet at the front. No wrinkles please! It's a sign that the tipi isn't properly constructed.



Wooden dowels secure the canvas over the opening. It's a simple system but incredibly durable.


Finally, the flap (ear) poles go up, and link into the canvas for the tent flaps. These flaps traditionally can be opened or closed to keep out the rain, let out the smoke from the cooking fire, or keep out the wind.


I haven't seen it yet myself, but I understand that if you drive by the museum at night, on the 3rd Street side, you can see the tipi beautifully against that blue wall. I hear it's stunning.