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What kinds of homes did Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains use?
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Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains
Dancers at the Totah Festival Powwow performing the Northern Tradition dance, a dance inspired by Plains traditions, on September 1, 2007, in Farmington, New Mexico.
Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains utilized several types of dwellings, primarily depending on whether they were nomadic or lived in settled villages.
- Tepees: Used by all Plains peoples, the tepee was a portable, conical tent. Its foundation consisted of three or four poles, with additional poles forming a circular base. The cover was constructed from dressed buffalo skins, often decorated with representations of visions or war exploits. A central hearth provided heat and light, and a smoke hole at the top could be adjusted for ventilation.1
- Earth Lodges: Most village tribes resided in these large, dome-shaped, permanent structures. They featured a circular floor plan, were roofed and walled with earth, and were accessed through a covered passage. These lodges typically housed three-generation families and were often situated within villages protected by defensive ditches and palisades.1
- Other Structures: Some groups, such as the Osage and Wichita, built dwellings similar to the wickiup. Osage houses were oval with arched poles covered in mats or skins, while Wichita houses were conical and thatched with grass.1