FS in Oregon - 18' Crow Tipi / Lodge package

For Sale: New *Never Used * 18 ' Crow Tipi package includes everything needed to erect the lodge and extras. You will need your own poles.

The Crow Tipi is a 4 pole lodge, meaning the base foundation is a four pole style unlike the most commonly seen 3 pole style of the Sioux. The door of the lodge is a natural "A" shape. This lodge will sleep 4 - 5 people with ease.

DH and I purchased this lodge as a wedding gift to each other and we were subsequently gifted a 20" Blackfoot lodge for a wedding
gift. We use the Blackfoot lodge and have never used this beautiful Crow lodge. We are moving in the Spring and do not want to see it just sitting in the carrying bags not being used. When erected, it will look like this (but larger):



The traditional lodging of the Plains Indians is a very efficient, comfortable home that is easily taken down and relocated and setup again in a new area. The interior of the lodge is roomy and will allow for a wood floor to be constructed and used.

The package being auctioned was purchased for just under $1,800.00, the same tipi today sells for $850.00, for just the tipi alone. The package being auction contains the following:


18' Tipi canvas of either 10oz or 12oz marine canvas (I cannot remember which weight but it is one of these weights listed). The canvas as been treated for fire, water, mildew, and UV protection of the highest quality.

Lacing pins

Ropes

Stakes

Door Cover / Flap - made of the same material and covers the door opening

Tipi Liner - a liner that creates a second barrier inside that is approximately 4' in height

Ozan - made of the same material as the lodge itself. The Ozan is a half circle that is laced to the top of the tipi in the winter or rainy season. It prevents snow and rain from coming in through the top of the lodge.

Two (2) Carrying bags to store everything in and transport


This package does not include tipi poles. On the outside, in the back are two poles connected to the smoke flaps for a total of 17 poles to erect the lodge. The poles must be at least 22' long.

Shipping will be determined after auction closes and based on the destination zip code. These are two heavy bags and will either ship UPS Ground or Freight depending on the overall packed weight.

Please feel free to ask any questions you may have by either PM, email or posting in this thread. I accept checks, however, I will not ship an item until the check clears my account.



The story and meaning of this lodge:


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. Each part of the tipi has a meaning.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Thanks Cetawin, I didnt know about the details of meaning of each post. Does the tipi (or teepee?) strictly for the Plains Native Americans? I am uncertain about each region the Indians lived in like wood cabins, lodges, tipis and caves.

EweSheep yes. Just as the mocassins style tells us where each tribe lived, so do the homes. There were tribes of the Longhouse which were communal wooded houses. There were wood cabin style type homes, of course the pueblo style homes and down in swamp areas such as Souther Florida home of the Seminole, the home are raised off the ground.

The tipi dwellers were nomadic by nature and them moved through a certain area with the seasons and the buffalo herds. The Cherokee for example who lived in wooded structures were stationary and left "home" boundaries only for hunting, trading an the ocassional warring. But the tipi belongs stricly the plains indians while other had travel lodges that were smaller and more tent-like for hunting and so forth.