Cheyenne military societies
Encyclopedia
Cheyenne military societies are one of the two central institutions of traditional Cheyenne
Indian tribal governance, the other being the Council of Forty-four
. While council chiefs are responsible for overall governance of individual bands and the tribe as a whole, the headmen of military societies are in charge of maintaining discipline within the tribe, overseeing tribal hunts and ceremonies, and providing military leadership. Historically, council chiefs selected which of the six military societies would assume these duties; after a period of time on-duty, the chiefs would select a different society to take up the duties.
Sweet Medicine was said to designate the four original Cheyenne warrior societies. Over the ages, some have developed branches or have transformed.
, and also of the mixed-race Cheyenne George Bent
.
by the whites. The Dog Warrior Society was established by a directive given in a visionary dream after the prophet Sweet Medicine's departure. This society was originally found in both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne. Today it exists only among the Southern Cheyenne.
Crazy Dogs (Hotamémâsêhao'o), also known as Foolish Dogs. This society is similar to the Bowstring Men in function, but is found only among the Northern Cheyenne. Among the Northern Cheyenne, Dog Warrior Society and Wolf Warriors merged. This resulted in the development of new Dog Warriors, now called the Crazy Dogs. The Crazy Dogs are considered by many to be a sixth society instead of a branch of the fifth society.
Contrary Society , also known as Clown Society. This society draws upon the same spiritual powers as the Contrary Warriors Society. It is primarily composed of Cheyenne elders and may be a mature variation of the Contrary Warriors Society. They were charged with teaching the Cheyenne ceremonial ways of the cultural "dos" and "don'ts" through humour, sarcasm and satire, in a fashion contrary to the traditional Cheyenne culture.
Cheyenne
Cheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
Indian tribal governance, the other being the Council of Forty-four
Council of Forty-four
The Council of Forty-four was one of the two central institutions of traditional Cheyenne Indian tribal governance, the other being the military societies such as the Dog Soldiers...
. While council chiefs are responsible for overall governance of individual bands and the tribe as a whole, the headmen of military societies are in charge of maintaining discipline within the tribe, overseeing tribal hunts and ceremonies, and providing military leadership. Historically, council chiefs selected which of the six military societies would assume these duties; after a period of time on-duty, the chiefs would select a different society to take up the duties.
Four original societies
The prophetProphet
In religion, a prophet, from the Greek word προφήτης profitis meaning "foreteller", is an individual who is claimed to have been contacted by the supernatural or the divine, and serves as an intermediary with humanity, delivering this newfound knowledge from the supernatural entity to other people...
Sweet Medicine was said to designate the four original Cheyenne warrior societies. Over the ages, some have developed branches or have transformed.
Fox
Fox Warriors Society (Vóhkêséhetaneo'o or Monêsóonetaneo'o), also known as Swift Fox or Kitfox. This society is found among both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne. The Coyote Warriors Society (O'ôhoménotâxeo'o) and Flintmen Society (Motsêsóonetaneo'o) are branches of the Fox Warriors Society.Elk
Elk Warriors Society also known as Elk Horn Scrapers (Hémo'eoxeso), Bone Scraper Society, Hoof Rattle, Crooked Lance, Headed Lance, Blue Soldiers or Medicine Lance. This society is found among both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne. This was the society of the famous warrior Roman NoseRoman Nose
Roman Nose, a.k.a. Hook Nose , was a Native American of the Northern Cheyenne, and possibly the greatest and most influential warrior during the Plains Indian War of the 1860s...
, and also of the mixed-race Cheyenne George Bent
George Bent
George Bent was the mixed-race son of the fur trader William Bent, the founder of the trading post named Bent's Fort; and Owl Woman, a Cheyenne. Born near present-day La Junta, Colorado, Bent served as a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War and a Cheyenne warrior...
.
Shield
Shield Warriors Society (Ma'êhoohevaso), also known as Red Shield. This society was originally found in both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne. Today it exists only among the Northern Cheyenne. Buffalo Warriors (Hotóanótâxeo'o), also known as Buffalo Bull or Bull, is a branch of the Shield Warriors Society.Bowstring
Bowstring Men (Héma'tanóohese), also known as the Owl Man's Bowstring. This society was originally found in both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne. Today it is only among the Southern Cheyenne. Wolf Warriors Society (Ho'néhenótâxeo'o) is the alternate name for the Bowstring Men among the Southern Cheyenne. This society developed out of the Bowstring Men in the 19th century through a vision given to Owl Friend.Fifth society
Dog Warrior Society (Hotamétaneo'o), also known as Dog Men. This society was also called Dog SoldiersDog Soldiers
Dog Soldiers is a 2002 British horror film written and directed by Neil Marshall, and starring Kevin McKidd, Sean Pertwee and Liam Cunningham. It was a British production, set in the highlands of Scotland, and filmed almost entirely in Luxembourg....
by the whites. The Dog Warrior Society was established by a directive given in a visionary dream after the prophet Sweet Medicine's departure. This society was originally found in both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne. Today it exists only among the Southern Cheyenne.
Crazy Dogs (Hotamémâsêhao'o), also known as Foolish Dogs. This society is similar to the Bowstring Men in function, but is found only among the Northern Cheyenne. Among the Northern Cheyenne, Dog Warrior Society and Wolf Warriors merged. This resulted in the development of new Dog Warriors, now called the Crazy Dogs. The Crazy Dogs are considered by many to be a sixth society instead of a branch of the fifth society.
Sixth society
Contrary Warriors Society (Hohnóhkao'o), also known as the Inverted Bow-string Society. Its members, the Contrary Warriors, have proved their bravery by riding backward into battle.Contrary Society , also known as Clown Society. This society draws upon the same spiritual powers as the Contrary Warriors Society. It is primarily composed of Cheyenne elders and may be a mature variation of the Contrary Warriors Society. They were charged with teaching the Cheyenne ceremonial ways of the cultural "dos" and "don'ts" through humour, sarcasm and satire, in a fashion contrary to the traditional Cheyenne culture.