The plains indians lived as nomads and buffalo hunters on the great plains. This way of living required a moveable dwelling who was safe and durable to water. By rubbing the buffalo hides with buffalo brain the hides for the tepees became resistant to water and sun. The tepee consisted of poles placed in a special pattern and about 14-20 buffalo hides sawn together with tendons. A smokehole was made at the top of the tepee and a closeable door. The fireplace in the middle of the tepee provided for warmth and cooking. The beds were placed against the tepee walls and buffalo hides became quilts. A tepees lifetime was about 10 years, and after that the pieces became clothing or repair for the new tepee.

The advantage with the tepee was that it took only a few minutes to take it down and transport it on a horse sled (travois). All that was womens work. As the europeans came and the buffalos disappeared they used canvas material for the tepees.

Moving camp required a carrier (“travois”) that would hold the long tipi poles and heavy hides. Women organized the camp moves, which included packing and pulling the travois.

Wickiups were bent-tree-limb structures covered with brush. Paiute, Crow and Apache used these structures when not “on the move.” When following the buffalo, these tribes lived under the sun and stars.

Pueblos were compartmentalized complexes. Men and women jointly constructed the pueblos, with the women applying the adobe surfaces to the structures that men raised. Upon completion of the pueblo, women were the unit “owners.” Similarly, Pueblo men were the primary agriculturists growing the maize, beans and squash, but women “owned” the harvest.

Like Pueblo women, Navajo women were equal participants in the building of their homes, applying the mud and brush surfaces to the structures men built. Navajo villages were small camps of related families, with a head mother in charge. Desert Navajo tribes built winter and summer hogans. Summer hogans were open-sided and brush-covered for coolness. Cone-shaped winter hogans had center roof holes for venting fire smoke.