Tipi etiquette:who sits where?

[Jacques]

Ok,i have conflicting informations about the sitting places of men and women in the tipi.
Some say right side of the door for the men,some say women sit there.Any input anybody?

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[whirlwind]

This is one I'm curious about also. I'd read men on North, women on South. But then I've also read the other way around. I don't know. I'm sure different tribes and bands were different. Also different occaisions were probably different too. More imput would be good.

Whirlwind

[Iron Wood]

Jacques,
Great question, and one I've been curious about myself. I too have heard many conflicting ideas on this. I have read about walking all the way around, from the south side of the door to the north. With this, you are suppose to pass behind everyone. How big is this tipi, and how close is everyone to the fire? I've also heard that men enter, and turn to their right, and women turn to the left. Does the custom of one tribe differ greatly from that of another? Curtis

[Jonathan]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Jacques:
Ok,i have conflicting informations about the sitting places of men and women in the tipi.
Some say right side of the door for the men,some say women sit there.Any input anybody?

</font>

Hi Jacques,
Tipi traditions may vary from tribe to tribe, and the traditions in place today, mainly during Peyote Meetings (Native American Church), are not the same as "social" traditions. From what I have been told, in the old days among the Lakota and Cheyenne, the senior man of the lodge sat in the seat directly opposite the door. The women sat on his left side and any men sat on his right side. When entering or exiting the lodge, folks would go in a clockwise direction, similar to the sweat lodge traditions seen today. It was considered rude to walk between the fire and an individual, thereby cutting off their supply of heat or light momentarily. In addition, you would not want to interupt any conversations taking place. Most importantly, the altar was between the senior man's place and the fire, and you never passed between or over that location. When in doubt, it's a good idea to consult the owner of a lodge as to what traditions are followed, if any, before entering. Lastly, a good general resource is the book, "The Tipi" by Reginald and Gladis Laubin. Hope this helps.
Jonathan

[Iron Wood]

I'm still a little confused. If you "foliow the sun" to get to the left hand side of the senior man, then you have to pass him at the back of the lodge. I too have read about entering this way. I have also heard of the men coming in and going to one side, while the women go directly to the other side. I have, likewise, read that you should pass behind people, rather than in front of them. In a small lodge, that would be difficult, especially if all your belongings were packed around the inside edges. That would require those seated, to sit almost into the fire. I agree that different tribes had different customs. I'm just not sure how all of this would have worked in practice.