Dave'sTeepee Raising

In September, my brother Dave's teepee was finally ready to set up. He had worked on it for the two previous years, making the pattern, cutting and stitching the canvas, working on all the details. He got a commercial sewing machine and converted his cabin into a tent-making factory. He invited Mom and me and my friend Tamara up to watch the set-up one sunny September day. Then we had a potluck/ceremony inside the teepee. It was fun and serious at the same time. I took 109 pictures of the event, which are attached as a slide show. If you want to see them bigger and faster, click on the picture, it takes you into the Picassa program and lets you do that.

Dave is honored to be a Firekeeper for many Native American ceremonies. He is 1/64th Native American himself. He travels around with a shaman from South America when he can. His teepee is for holding ceremonies. It is about 32 feet in diameter. The canvas weighs 250 lbs., not including the poles.