The wigwam (also referred to as a “wetu”) is a traditional Native American single-family housing unit that was a popular choice for tribes throughout much of the northeast and elsewhere. Most scholars believe that this is untrue, and that wigwams were somewhat portable, though the extent to which these structures can be moved is debated. Most texts on the subject claim that the outer covering of t
he wigwam (often made of cattail weaves or birch bark sheets) was the only portable element of the structure, but primary sources from early European settlers seem to indicate otherwise. In his 1634 writing, New England’s Prospect, William Wood observed that, “…these poore tectonists (Native American males) are often troubled like snailes, to carry their houses on their backs…”, indicating that perhaps the entire structure would be moved, either disassembled or in whole, from location to location. My project will test the feasibility of Wood’s claim by reconstructing an authentic Native American wigwam and attempting to move it once it has been completed. To ensure the authenticity of my project I will be using self-made traditional Native American stone tools and building methods. I look forward to working with SUNY Potsdam students and believe this will be a very educational study for archaeology and history students alike.
