What were Ho-chunk homes like in the past?
Unlike other Siouan tribes, the Ho-chunks never lived in tepees. They lived in settled villages of rectangular houses shingled with birchbark. Here are some pictures of birchbark houses and other Native American homes. The Ho-chunks also built sweat lodges and large council buildings for ceremonial and political purposes. Today, Ho-chunk people live in modern houses and apartment buildings, just like you. What was Ho-chunk clothing like? Did they wear feather headdresses and face paint? Ho-chunk men wore a breechclout and leggings, and sometimes a shirt as well. Women wore a tunic-like deerskin dress. The Ho-chunks also wore moccasins on their feet. In cold weather, they wore buffalo robes. In colonial times, the Ho-chunks adapted European costume like cloth blouses and vests, decorating them with fancy beadwork and ribbon applique. Here is a webpage with pictures of Ho-chunk clothing, and here are some photographs and links about traditional Indian dress in general. The Ho-chunks didn
