Anishinabe Wigwam
Visit our Anishinabe wigwam which was constructed during The Good People Aboriginal Festival, June 20-21, 2009, by Anishinabe wigwam builder Ken Tabobondung, assisted by many wonderful volunteers. Wigwams were the primary dwellings used by the Anishinabe in the Grey County area.
A wigwam is made by covering a conical or dome-shaped framework of poles with sheets of elm bark. This round shape allowed snow to slide off easily thereby preventing the structure from collapsing. The wigwam’s frame is made up of young pliable maple saplings securely placed into deep holes in the ground to ensure frame stability. Using traditional methods, the men pulled down the tops of the saplings to form the conical shape while the women tied them together using strips of animal hide. The frame was then covered with sheets of elm bark leaving a smoke hole in the top of the structure. The doorway would have been covered with an animal hide with a branch stitched onto the bottom to help weigh it down. The Anishinabe built their wigwams on a slight slope so that rain would drain away from their homes. All wigwams were built with an east facing door - the direction of the rising sun.
