Indigenous Historical Architecture and Contemporary Practices
Wigwams and Longhouses – construction process and materials
Indigenous Architecture in Canada: A Step Towards Reconciliation
Canada is experiencing an unprecedented surge of Indigenous-initiated architecture and landscape design initiatives. Hundreds of new traditional spaces – from modest to striking – are being erected across the country, and this is pushing Canadians to move beyond stereotypical notions of Indigenous architecture as teepees or igloos. Indeed, a vast chasm persists between what is focused on in the media and the built realities within many Indigenous communities
Indigenous Architectural Consultants
Mound Builders
WIEP: Peeling Poplar Bark
Taking down a leaning Poplar tree (rotten roots) in our backyard, and stripping short bark sheets off of it for our traveling a-frame lodge 2016.
Building a Wigwam with Natural Materials | Bushcraft Shelter (PART 1)
Join us in the woods as we build a bushcraft wigwam using hazel saplings and cedar bark for the natural cordage and roof. This simple bushcraft shelter was originally built by first nations and north american tribes of the Eastern Woodlands in North America. A Wigwam is a dome or cone shaped primitive hut built using very simple materials. They built this type of shelter as their house because it is easy to construct and disassemble when following herds of game during the cold winter months where they needed to be mobile and put up shelters quickly. Traditionally, the women of the camp would build the shelter while the men would go off hunting food to survive. Typically, this style of domed wigwam would house one small family. They did however, build larger shelters in their camp using a basic timber frame structure. We are building this bushcraft wigwam using hazel saplings for the frame. These are best when cut green as they still have the moisture in them to help them bend. We then used the inner strands of cedar bark from logs nearby as lashings to hold the frame together. We stored the bark cordage in water to make it pliable and easy to tighten when doing knots. In Part 2 we will begin to peel the bark from the cedar logs and secure this to the wood frame of the wigwam.
Building a Dome Hut with Bark Roof | Bushcraft Wigwam Shelter (PART 2)
We continue to build the bushcraft dome hut in the woods using primitive technology to build the bark roof. We use using cedar bark which we peel from the log using hand made bark peelers or peeling spuds. The Wigwam Shelter is really starting to take shape now. We use the inner bark of cedar as cordage to stitch the bark to the frame of the shelter. We soak it in water a few hours to make it pliable. Now that the shelter has a roof, we will begin to plan the first overnight at the bushcraft camp. We're looking forward to practicing survival skills at the camp and to add further structures and projects.
The Building of the Iroquois Long House 2005
This longhouse was built according to plans that I found on the New York State Education Department website. It was built on Hiawatha Island in Owego, NY. The video shows how we built this longhouse "for the people". It came to me in a dream where I was told to build a longhouse. When I asked why, I was told "for the people." I hope you enjoy the video. Unfortunately, the longhouse did not survive 40+ inches of snow that came in overnight on December, 2021. It will always live in the memories of those who built it and on YouTube.
Decolonizing Design Equity Workshop by Prof. Wanda Dalla Costa + AEDE
Global Studio Lecture Series Hosted by Athabasca University RAIC Centre for Architecture, Advocates for Equitable Design Education, Indigenous Design Collaborative
Title of the Event: Decolonizing Design by Wanda Dalla Costa Date: Thursday, January 28, 2021 Time: 9:00am – 10:30am (MDT) / 11:00am – 12:30 pm (EDT)
Abstract
We invite you to join us for an online workshop led by Wanda Dalla Costa focusing on decolonizing design education from an Indigenous perspective. The workshop will dive into four Indigenous design research paradigms: Futurity, Placekeeping, Pluriverse, and Design as Ceremony. Participants will come away from this workshop with a deeper awareness of Indigenous design practices, which can bring insight into their own practice and research.