Shelter

The Arapaho tribe lived in teepees. They used it for many reasons.

The Arapaho used the teepee because they were nomadic and needed

to follow the buffalo. A teepee could easily be taken down so it was

easy to travel. The teepees were carried by a triangular dog sled called

a travois. The dogs carried the travois when they were traveling. The

tribe members attached a harness to the dog that is connected to the

travois. The teepees were built by women. They used wooded poles

from cedar trees, and about 15-20 hides from deer, elk, or buffalo. The

hides were stretched, tanned, and the laid in the sun. The wood poles

were trunks from small trees with the bark skinned. Each teepee was

12 feet high. They usually painted their teepees or decorated them with

beads. Most Arapaho teepees had zig zags or polka dots. The teepees

were cone shaped and had a flap as an entrance. In the middle of the

teepee was a fire pit which they used for heat, light, and cooking. A

teepee was occupied by a mother, father, their children, sometimes a

dog, and maybe an unmarried aunt, or uncle. The teepee was a great

shelter for the Arapaho.