More of the world's tallest tipi building

Those keeping an eye on this blog may have noticed that I've been adding photos of the progress of the new Lakota Studies building every week as construction continues. Today a 22-ton crane was delivered to the Antelope Lake campus for the construction of the top of the tipi, and onlookers watched in amazement from throughout the campus as the tops of the tipi poles were put in place to crown the giant tipi. Poles from the tipi could even be seen from the Main Campus two miles away.

photos taken on August 22, 2011

photos by Mary RedOwl-Begay

There is discussion of having the new SGU Lakota Studies building measured and recorded in the 

Guinness Book of World Records for the World's Largest Functioning Tipi Building when it's complete. A larger tipi is already in place in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, with a sculpture topping 20 stories high. However, since it is not an actual building, SGU's building may qualify as the world's largest tipi-shaped building.

A large metal eagle feather sculpture will be added to the top tipi poles when the construction of this section of the building is completed. The eagle feather sculpture was designed and built by Ted Bordeaux of White River, who also plays steel guitar for many SGU functions such as Graduation, Founders' Week and the Annual Elder's Holiday Dinner.