ᐑᑭᐚᒻ
wîkiwâm
The Cree word for a tipi is ᐑᑭᐚᒻ (wîkiwâm).
ᐑᑭᐚᒻ refers to a cone-shaped tent traditionally constructed using wooden poles and animal skins.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is wîkiwâm.
Did you know?
- In many indigenous contexts, the concept of the 'tipi' is tied to much more than shelter, often serving as a spiritual symbol of the connection between the earth and the sky.
- The spelling of the Cree word in syllabics, ᐑᑭᐚᒻ, follows a specific phonetic logic that represents sounds differently than the Roman alphabet used in English.
- The word 'tipi' is often used in North American English as a generic term, but using it to describe a permanent wooden house in a Cree context would be incorrect.
Example conversation
Two people are walking through a camp.
- Aᐑᑭᐚᒻ ᐊᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ ᐊᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ?tipim wîyâw?Is that a tipi?
- Bᐄ, ᐑᑭᐚᒻ ᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ.ê, tipim îyîwâw.Yes, it is a tipi.
- Aᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ ᐑᑭᐚᒻ ᐊᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ.îyîwâw tipim wîyâw.The tipi looks beautiful.
- Bᐄ, ᐊᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ ᐊᐄᐊᐊᐄᐤ.ê, wîyâw wîyâw.Yes, it really is.
