What Type of Decor Is Found Within Native American Homes?
Whether you’ve ever wondered what Native Americans did with their houses, or are simply interested in the history of these unique structures, you can find out all about the style and decorations used in their homes. This article will explain the styles of homes that are unique to Native American tribes, including Grass houses, Wigwams, Domed-style homes, and Longhouses. Also, you’ll learn about the Native American lifestyle and the unique design aspects of each.
Grass houses
Grass houses were homes made by Native Americans in the southern Plains. The traditional style is reminiscent of a beehive, and the building process was communal. The grass house would be constructed by weaving bundles of prairie grass over a wood frame. These homes can be up to 40 feet tall and were used by farming Plains Indians in their villages. Nola Davis painted a grass house constructed by three families. Davis’ painting is a good example of communal construction.
While modern home architecture is relatively uniform, the original Native American homes were individualized and often designed to use local resources and climate. While traditional Native American homes are rarely used for actual living, they are still widely found in educational and ceremonial settings today. Here are a few examples of the types of Native American homes. Let’s look at some of their most distinctive features. If you’re interested in learning more about their traditional homes, here are a few facts to consider.
Wigwams
Many of the original Native American homes were made with wigwams. These structures are still used as dwellings today. The Ojibwa, Lenape, and others constructed their homes with wigwams. They would roll the covering of the wigwam to move from place to place, then unroll it when they returned. When necessary, they would create a new frame for the wigwam.
Wigwams are typically oval and dome-shaped structures used by native American tribes. The term wigwam comes from the Eastern Abenaki wigwam, which is derived from the Proto-Algonquian ‘wikiwami’. Wickiups were used by native tribes of the Pacific Coast, Southwest, and Great Basin. Wigwams were constructed of a variety of materials, including bark, wood, and woven rushes. Many people today use wigwams for cultural and spiritual purposes.
Domed-style homes
The domed-style decor is typically seen within Native American homes, including the tipi and barrel-shaped long houses of the Seneca and Ottawa tribes. In addition, domed-style homes are often found within the structures of the Cayuga, Osage, Pawnee, and Kickapoo tribes. In addition to their dome-shaped homes, these Native Americans used round rooms to reflect the sacred ceremonies of their tipis.
Domed-shaped structures date back to prehistoric times. They are also often used in modern-day construction. The bubble house, developed in the 1940s, was an affordable housing structure for many developing nations. A modern version of a geodesic dome was developed by David B. South. He was inspired by the geodesic domes created by Buckminster Fuller and worked with his brothers to build a dome-shaped potato storage facility in Idaho.
Longhouses
Native American longhouses were permanent dwellings. These structures were often constructed from wood, bark, and other natural materials. Longhouses were constructed in the shape of a long rectangle, usually eighty feet long and eighteen feet wide, with doors at both ends. They were covered with bark panels and mats. Often, there were separate entrances and exits for men and women, and the roof was a domed structure.
These structures were often divided into private units, usually by a central passage. Private units were separated by walls and had living and sleeping areas. In some cases, kitchens were built in separate rooms. In some cases, these units were built out of the longhouse, away from the main structure. This allowed for less smoke and insects to be trapped inside. Several types of longhouses can be found within Native American homes.
