As a young boy, I was fortunate to grow up in the country. Camping trips were frequent and when I was a kid, my Dad and I spent a lot of time together combining camping and fishing. I developed a keen interest in learning about how to live in the great outdoors and this has led to my passion for tents.
The idea of a tent as temporary accommodation is only part of the story. As I delved into the history of tents I quickly learned that traditional tent-type dwellings come in many shapes and sizes. They were developed in different forms by nomadic peoples in opposite parts of the world, from North American to Asia, yet all have amazingly similar functionalities.
So while my Dad and I started our camping with a conventional commercial tent, I grew to really appreciate these traditional tents. I made a teepee tent with my Dad using instructions from a book (we did not have Youtube or the internet then!). This was the beginning of a lifelong fascination with all the splendour and diversity that nature offers. I learnt some tracking skills and how to survive in the wilderness — what could be eaten and what could not. Later on, building upon my research and knowledge, I also built a yurt tent which was challenging and great fun. Now that I live in the City, with a normal job and a family, I have decided to put this site together about teepee tents and yurts for those of you out there who are interested. If you have an article or a story (photos would be great too!) that you would like to share contact me and I will publish it for you
Teepee Tents – Everything You Want to Know
Teepee, tipi, tepee are all names that refer to the same structure. Teepees were developed by Native Americans as their portable home. Since the Plains tribes were nomadic, the teepee was designed to be set up and disassembled quickly and easily. Each family carried its own teepee poles and hides with them. Most teepees accommodated a single family unit, but a teepee could also be large enough to hold up to 40 people. Cooking, sleeping and eating were all done in the confines of the tipi. The tepees provided efficient protection from the elements, keeping its inhabitants warm during the winter and cool during the hot summers.
A typical Family Teepee tent
Teepees have become a common element in our everyday lives. Who hasn’t seen at least one “Cowboys and Indians” film depicting a teepee campsite? Children often create simple teepees in the backyard or even in their bedroom. More and more, teepees are becoming known as amazingly versatile structures that can be used not just for traditional camping but also as more permanent alternatives to wood and stone structures for a variety of uses from an at-home office to a place for quiet mediation.
The teepee was traditionally made of buffalo hide fitted around long wooden poles, usually ten to fifteen, placed in a cone shape. Modern teepees use canvas or a combination of canvas and polyester but otherwise are quite similar to the original designs. They still have an opening at the top and smoke flaps, allowing an open fire for cooking and heating. They are still simple to erect and practical and offer a living space that is distinctive and fun while being in tune with nature. So, if you are sold on the teepee’s possibilities, this is the place to be.
A Little Bit about Yurts
Although it is uncertain when and where the yurt originated, yurts have been used by the Mongols of the Asian steppes since the 13th century. Genghis Khan and his troops most certainly used the yurt as the primary dwelling, and its use spread throughout Genghis Khan’s empire in the 13th and 14th centuries. Marco Polo describes the yurt in his writings. The yurt is warm and cozy even in extreme cold, yet it remains cool in summer. In fact, the yurt is still the preferred form of housing for Mongolians today. And yurts are not just used as family dwellings. In the far flung provinces of Mongolia, the yurt can also be the school, general store, or courthouse.
Today, yurts are becoming more and more popular around the world as an alternative and economic form of housing. In a traditional yurt, there are no screws and nails, just basically fabric and a little wood, with everything connected by ropes. This makes the yurt very environmentally friendly, since it uses little of the earth’s resources. For those of you who wish a simpler and more sustainable lifestyle, living in a yurt leaves a very light footprint on our earth. The yurt’s round, open shape allows efficient use of internal space, while externally the yurt’s circular form means that the wind moves easily around it since there are no flat surfaces exposed to the elements. While a yurt can be simple and utilitarian, it can also be as decorative and stunningly appointed as its owner wishes.
Whether you are considering a yurt as your primary dwelling or as a permanent or moveable holiday home, the information provided here will give you some great ideas about how to get started and the incredibly practical and beautiful spaces that can be created for living in a yurt. Of course, yurts are being used more and more for commercial purposes, and are great for parties and even unconventional business meetings. Come explore the world of yurts with me..
Copyright 2011 - 2012 Teepee tents