Ahki Tipi Made by Little Joe
Ahki Tipi Comes From Two Different Native American Words
- AHKI is a Ojibwa word that translates to Earth or Land.
- TIPI is a Lakota word that translates to Lodge or Dwelling.
While Little Joe’s tipi pattern was originally designed for Ceremonial needs, it is now being used by thousands of people all over the world for a variety of needs and reasons.
Who Is Little Joe?
Little Joe’s adopted Grandmother persuaded him to start making Tipis. She gave him the pattern and told him “With every new Tipi please say a little prayer asking to bless everyone that enters this lodge, If you don’t feel good while you’re making one, wait until you feel better to finish it. And always remember this very important thing. Whatever it is you put into making a new lodge will come back to you threefold”.
Little Joe felt that his Grandmother was gifting him with something very close to her heart! Little Joe passed this teaching down to everyone that helped him make his tipis for people all over the world. Presently, Little Joe’s Son is the keeper of these teachings and maintains the family business now that Little Joe is retired.
Tipi Basics
Tipis are comfortable in extreme heat or cold and have been more or less used across the Great Plains of North America since prehistoric times. A more modern tipi design came into much greater use once horses were introduced to the indigenous people in North America. Horses allowed native peoples to become more nomadic. The design of the tipi was perfected to the point where it could be taken down and set up quickly so the components became more easily transportable. There is also some evidence suggesting that tipi dwellings may have been in use as far back as 10,000 years BCE.
Modern Day
Today, you may see tipi, tepee, or teepee but each spelling is referring to the same type of structure. Tipis are a roomy, mobile structure that are used for a wide range of needs. Tipis are used by Schools, Day Care, Restaurants and Museums, Outings, Gatherings, Talking circles, Camping, Powwows, Teaching aids, Weddings, Extra guest rooms, Movie rooms, Hunting, Parties, Play houses, Temporary or Permanent shelters. Some friends of Little Joe even given birth in a tipi he gifted them with.
What Sets Us Apart From Other Tipi Makers
We use nylon straps instead of cotton on all of our tipi covers, liners and doors. All of our seams are DOUBLE LOCK STITCHED with 100% Acrylic thread unlike most other tipis that are chain stitched with cotton thread. Our tipis are also super reinforced at all stress points to withstand years of use in any weather condition.