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Essentially we started with the poles. This is, in the Black Feet style, a three pole
structure. So they start by raising a tripod that's tied at the top. They then go around
and lay in all the other poles in a specific sequence into that tri-part structure in the
top. Once those poles are firm and in place they're a little bit looped again at the top
with a tie to be firm. And then one singular pole has the entire cover of the tipi tied
to the top of it. It's raised onto the back of the tipi and then like a flying tent the
tipi is unfurled on either side around to the front where the lacing pins are then inserted
down onto the front until you reach the doorway. I'm Susan Kennedy Zeller, Associate Curator
for the Native American art here at the Brooklyn Museum and we are installing Tipi Heritage
of the Great Plains. This is a major exhibition opening at the Brooklyn Museum February 18,
running until May 15. Behind me and surrounding me is what we call our welcome tipi. It is
a special tipi that is 30 feet tall and 23 feet wide. We commissioned it from Lyle J.
Heavy Runner, who is Blackfeet Artist. And it has the bleeding buffalo design, which
is the design that he literally owns and painted for us.
The reason we call it the welcome tipi is because it is the beginning of the entire
exhibition and the public is welcome to enter the tipi. We're asking that everyone be able
to experience tipi's from the inside out and go on in and see what the structure is of
this wonderful tipi. And then go on to the rest of the exhibition and discover everything
as to why the tipi is so essential to Native American Culture not just historically but
today in contemporary times.