the Wigiup

Nico and I started collecting supplies for this structure in the early summer with a plan to build a half buried ground insulated structure located beside the wigwam.  However the ground proved too wet so we decided to construct this simpler wigiup (not entirely a wikiup cause it resembles a wigwam in some ways so i call it a wigiup).  I wanted to build it in the near by forest where the soil is still clay but holds far less moisture.  Supposedly many NE NA natives built their winter shelters like we had planned, half underground but in forests.  In time we may use this bark to build the underground shelter we planned but i think we will do best to build it in well drained sandy soil to prevent molding.  I do believe that some mold would be inevitable in underground earth structures except i think it would quite livable in winter with with the cold temperatures, smoke and dry heat from the fires. However i can imagine this may be one of the reasons why separate summer above shelters were constructed ? 

  This wiguip was built between September and December of 2010. 

Thanks to Nico, Mike, Yvette, Julie, Myra, Gerry, Tracey, Myra, Aksana and Liam who helped make this happen.

Birch Bark Wigwam

you could live in a house like this !

This structure was originally constructed in Fall of 2009.  A new roof and smoke hole cover were added in the Fall of 2010 (as seen above).  Its design is based on the shelters of the of north eastern native tribes of North America and roughly fits the description of 'wigwam'.  My primary source of information was a small book written by Geoff Gotlieb and Illustrated by Barry Keegan entitled - Traditional Northeaster Dome Shelters.  I also got ideas from articles published in the bulletin of primitive technology and doing some online searches.

The wigwam was constructed with a cedar inner framework, overlain with cattail mats, and then covered with a birch bark exterior.  The birch bark is held in place by a an outer lock-down cedar framework.  The different components of the structure are tied together with spruce roots, elm inner bark, basswood bark, and a some prefabricated hemp rope.  Small Holes in the roof and walls were patched with pitch; a mixture of spruce/pine sap, beeswax/oil/fat and wood dust. The floor of the wigwam is covered with birch bark which keeps moisture from entering through the ground.  On top of this is a layer of spruce bows that keep the structure sanitary and fresh smelling.  There is a trench dug around the wigwam that keeps water from getting in around the base of the walls.  The floor is at ground level, however the outer walls of birch bark extend below ground level into the trench so that there is no way for surface run off to get iside the wigwam.

In the centre of the wigwam there is a fire circle which is build on top of a large heat sink of small stones about 30 inches underground.  A birch bark tube directs air from outside into the heat sink.  This allows a steady flow of air to be pulled into the fire without drawing cold air in through the walls.  There is an igloo style entrance on the front of the wigwam and this is covered by an birch bark door.  Inside the entrance tunnel there is an inner door made from an old fur coat, that keeps out the wind. 

I have lived in this wigwam off and on for the last year.  Last winter i had a wood stove instead of the fire circle but i wanted to try a more traditional method of heating this winter.  So far its worked very well. You have an open fire in the structure with the smoke hole open, it is smokey and you have to stay below 2ft or else it will irritate your eyes, however when the coals are red and no longer smoking you can close the hole and have a warm dry shelter to stretch and enjoy the evening in on cold nights.  The rocks from the heat sink get very hot and retain the heat for many hours.  Certainly though by morning it is cold.  Time to get go outside !

Special thanks to my Teachers, Friends and Family whos knowledge and support made this project possible.   Nico, Mike and Yvette, Tina, Gerry, Pierre, Barry, and Geoff.