# Native American dwellings part three/"The Quiggly"



## Awanita (Dec 23, 2014)

In 1990 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released a film that was directed by Simon Wincer directed by Stanley O’Toole, Alexandra and Megan Rose. The Movie was called Quigley Down Under it starred Tom Selleck as an American cowboy and rifleman and the setting was in Australia’s outback. Australia has been called the land down under for who knows how long. Here is the kicker Tom Selleck played the character Matthew Quigley and Quigley though spelled with two g’s in the Chinook language means down under or underground. I don’t know if the writer of the movie knew this and used it as a play on words but it brings us to our next Native American dwelling The Quiggly.

The Quiggly was an underground dwelling of the Early Native Americans that pre-dates the invasion of the white race. The quiggly was a circular hole that was about eight feet in depth and depending on the number of families or individuals could vary in size from ten to forty feet in diameter. In the most southern part of British Columbia and the Columbia Plateau are the areas that these dwelling or the remains of the quiggly can be found, although there have been some found on the northwest Oregon coast. The quiggly hole was a very simple form of dwelling once the hole was dug and the dirt was packed around the area to build a mound this helped keep the water from standing on what would become the roof of the dwelling. Logs were cut and placed over the opening of the mound they were then tied and chinked with red clay. There are two openings in the roof one is the smoke hole the other is the door. The door is slanted toward the side of the mound some of the quiggly doors had walk down stairs while others were entered by a ladder or rope. After the roof was completed it was covered with the remaining dirt then grass was planted on top to keep the erosion to a minimum.

There were several advantages to the quiggly dwelling a constant temperature could be maintained year around. The quiggly dwelling as stated earlier came in many sizes some were used for storage; some were built for singular individuals, single families and the larger for multiple families. Some quiggly towns had hundreds of these dwelling which would indicate a very large population of Native Americans. Native Americans in this area were hunters and food gatherers so the quiggly towns were built where there was plenty of game, plants for harvest, running water and sun light. The quiggly towns were also hard to spot this was to the advantage of the Native Americans. 

In 1996 in the town of Lilloote British Columbia the Lilloote tribal council began its reconstruction project of the quiggly. They referred to the notes and writings of a man named James Teit who married a woman of the Nlaka’pamux people. Teit also gathered his information from talking to a woman of the St’at’imc who was married to a man from the Spences Bridge tribe. The tribal council took his drawings and notes to complete the underground dwelling of the “Quiggly”


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## Firemajic (Dec 23, 2014)

This is a new one for me, I have never heard of the" Quiggly". This Tribe that used the Quiggly were then Not nomads...Unusual because most tribes were of necessity nomads, following the herds [elk, deer ect.]. Thank you so much for sharing.  Peace always...Julia


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## Awanita (Dec 23, 2014)

Firemajic said:


> This is a new one for me, I have never heard of the" Quiggly". This Tribe that used the Quiggly were then Not nomads...Unusual because most tribes were of necessity nomads, following the herds [elk, deer ect.]. Thank you so much for sharing. Peace always...Julia


That is correct they pretty much stayed in one place and farmed, hunted or raised meat. In my opion, which I did not include in my writing because I have no documentation; I think the quiggly  can be compared to the whiteman's root cellar. I find it interesting how people over time have changed their living shelters. Wado for your comments. Awanita


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## patskywriter (Dec 23, 2014)

Wow, I've never read about this type of dwelling before! Love the idea. I suppose being underground would be great for those times when you have warm days and cold nights—the surrounding soil would hold in the heat and keep folks comfortable at night.


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## SwitchBack (Dec 23, 2014)

Interesting. 

I have lived in Nanaimo, had excellent connections with the local tribe and was on good terms with two elders, and I _*never*_ heard the word "quiggly" in my life. Except of course for that movie. Even in knowing the son of a neighboring aboriginal chief. I *have *heard of kekulis though. Pit houses, earth lodges, etc. 


James Teit was an interesting individual, who did a lot for aboriginals in BC, however he was also white. He had white views and he was doing a job he was paid for. His wife was *Lucy Artko *and he quit living amongst aboriginals not long after marrying her, 1904.

Did you consult with aboriginals about this by any chance? 

I'd like to know where you got the measurements from as those are the size of a pit house. Pit houses are plains Indians.


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## Awanita (Dec 25, 2014)

SwitchBack said:


> Interesting.
> 
> I have lived in Nanaimo, had excellent connections with the local tribe and was on good terms with two elders, and I _*never*_ heard the word "quiggly" in my life. Except of course for that movie. Even in knowing the son of a neighboring aboriginal chief. I *have *heard of kekulis though. Pit houses, earth lodges, etc.
> 
> ...


Yes I did, I have a friend and Native Brother in Canada that I consulted with before writing this and he gave me the information. He is ojibwa.


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