A
wigwam,
wickiup or
wetu is a domed dwelling formerly used by certain
Native American and
First Nations tribes, and still used for ceremonial purposes. The term
wickiup is generally used to label these kinds of dwellings in the
Southwestern United States and West, while
wigwam is usually applied to these structures in the
Northeastern United States and Canada.
Wetu is the
Wampanoag term for a wigwam dwelling. These terms can refer to many distinct types of Native American structures regardless of location or cultural group. The wigwam is not to be confused with the Native Plains
tipi, which has a very different construction, structure, and use.