A wigwam is a dome-shaped house traditionally built by certain Native American peoples, particularly the Algonquian tribes of the northeastern woodlands.

To build a wigwam, people would bend young tree saplings into arches and secure them in the ground in a circular pattern, creating a sturdy frame. Then they'd cover this frame with bark (often birch bark), woven mats made from cattails or rushes, or animal hides. The result looked somewhat like a large upside-down bowl. A hole at the top let smoke escape from the fire inside.

Wigwams were engineered to be practical: warm in winter, cool in summer, and resistant to heavy snow and rain. The curved shape helped them withstand strong winds. Families could take down and rebuild wigwams when moving to follow food sources through the seasons, though many communities lived in permanent villages. Some wigwams housed a single family, while larger ones could shelter several families.

People sometimes confuse wigwams with tipis, but they're different. Tipis are cone-shaped tents made of hide stretched over poles, used by Plains peoples who needed to move frequently while following buffalo herds. Wigwams are rounded and dome-like, built by woodland peoples.