Native American Women Warriors
Thanks to Hollywood we only see In movies the male Native American warriors ride off to battle against their enemies. The women are shown in their camps cooking, sewing, or caring for children in the teepees. These typecast images do not give us a clear picture of the many occupations of women in Native American tribes. As we have been demonstrating in our recent posts, many women were warriors who either led or fought alongside the men. They are still honored today for their courage and wisdom.
It’s time to stop the stereotyping. Among the Indigenous women warriors to honor are:
Lozen and Dahteste (Apache)
Buffalo Calf Woman (Lakota Sioux)
Pi’tamaka (Running Eagle) – Blackfeet
Molly Brant (Mohawk) – War for Independence
Pretty Nose (Arapaho) – Battle of Little Bighorn
Pine Leaf (Woman Chief) Crow – led war parties
Moving Robe (Tashenamani) Sioux
Colestah – Yakama
So far we have related the stories of Lozen and Dahteste (Apache) and Buffalo Calf Woman (Lakota Sioux). This week we turn to a story of a woman whose memory has been much honored by having a lake and a Falls named after her – Running Eagle.
Pi’tamaka (Running Eagle) – (Piegan Blackfeet, b. circa 1807, died before 1878)
Pi’tamaka was originally known as Brown Weasel Woman. As a girl she would have learned the typical chores of taking care of a household, cooking, sewing, caring for children, gathering food, and participating in the village culture. Before she was very old however, she decided she wanted to be with the boys, riding and hunting. Her father indulged her. He taught her to hunt and fight. He was proud of her and did not mind that she was a tomboy.
She was wholeheartedly devoted to her family and tribe. As she got older she joined the braves on buffalo hunts. One time she saved her father’s life when an enemy war party attacked them. Assiniboine horsemen rode down on her hunting party. As they tried to flee her father fell from his horse. Brown Weasel turned her horse around and rode right into the flying arrows and bullets. As she approached him she dismounted, lifted him onto her horse and remounted and rode away as fast as she could.
When they got back to the village, some questioned what she did. They felt she was a bad example to the other women. But most celebrated her achievement with singing and dancing. She was a hero and no one tried to keep her from joining the hunting parties again.
Later her father would be killed by another enemy, the Crow Tribe. Her mother died soon after of a broken heart. Now, Brown Weasel had to care for the family. She did her best but could not help sneaking out and joining the warriors from her tribe when they raided the Crow in an effort to get back some of their stolen horses. The leader of the raiding party told her to go back home, but she went along anyway and rescued 11 horses by herself.
On the way home Brown Weasel took her turn keeping watch. She spotted and killed two Crow warriors. Again, some thought she was not acting in a seemly way for a woman, but many more congratulated her for her bravery. The tribe would be much hampered without the horses, so she was seen as a hero.
Brown Weasel went on a vision quest. She needed to do this to be accepted as a warrior. She spent many days alone in the wilderness hoping for a vision that would give her passage into adulthood. After 4 days she was given a vision from the sun. Apparently it was revealed to her that she would win many battles as long as she remained chaste. She revealed her vision in the medicine lodge and was given a new name – Pi’tamaka – Running Eagle. This name was reserved for great warriors and had never been given to a woman before.
In a different account of her special naming, Pi’tamaka claimed “’It was at a spring butte out near Elk river. I climbed the butte and discovered two enemy riders coming to drive off our horses. I ran down to protect them, to try to hold them until help came. One of the riders aimed his gun at me, and I aimed at him a fired and killed him. I took his gun!’ Well, when she counted that coup the drummers and the people banged drums and shouted and waved their robes and danced around a long time in excited approval.
At last she finisher her count, and then Lone Walker said to her: ‘You have done well, daughter! So well for us and for yourself that we shall give you something that never before was given a girl or woman of this tribe. We give you a man’s name! And a great name! We name you Running Eagle!’”[1]
Running Eagle went on to be a successful warrior leading in hunting and battles. One day she was captured by the Flathead tribe some probably in the late 1870’s. One story goes that the Flathead had heard that a woman was leading the Blackfeet war party. They deliberately targeted her. When they caught her they clubbed her from behind.
Running Eagle died a brave warrior and a hero doing what she loved.
Running Eagle Falls is named after her. For the Blackfeet people it is a sacred place with rich with historical significance. It is a monument to one of their greatest warriors – a woman who bravely led her people in battle.
The falls is also known as Trick Falls, but the Blackfeet claim that it was always called Running Eagle Falls. It is in Glacier National Park. The reason it may be called “Trick” falls is because there are actually two falls there. During runoff the upper falls obscure the lower falls a bit. In late summer, the upper falls is reduced to a trickle and the lower falls still has plenty of water rushing through it.
Many Blackfeet descendants still live in the Montana area. Pitamakan Lake in Glacier National Park is named after her. She is still the most famous Blackfeet woman.
[1] James, Willard Schultz. Running Eagle: The Warrior Girl. Originally published in 1919. This book has been accepted by the Blackfeet. It has been republished numerous times. My quote is from Kindle, page 142.
