Counting Coup - Again!

BOOKTRYST: The Art of War, Lakota Style

The Lakota have long been a favorite tribe in my writing, and as you can imagine, we don't always speak the same language. 

 In one of my chapters, I mentioned 'counting coup' and confused the heck out of everyone. I forget that not everyone reads about Indian history as much as I do, and  I consider this might be an interesting topic to share here since no one has blogged since Monday.  With so much bad weather hitting areas, I can only surmise that and bad memories have something to do with it.  :)

The Plains Indians, about which I write, were a proud people, and even in warfare, there were honors and recognition to be earned.  In fact, the more risks one took, the more honor he brought to himself and his tribe.  

'Coup', I learned comes from a french word meaning, 'blow.'  Coup was counted when a warrior was able to touch an enemy...often with a long stick aptly named a 'coup stick', or even their lance or bow.  The warrior received more honor when an opponent was not killed.  Coup was counted on women and children as well, or touching the tepee of an enemy or his horse.  'Touching' in some form was required, as killing an enemy from a distance with an arrow or bullet did nothing to garner favor.

A warrior who claimed to have counted coup was expected to describe his deed in great detail before the tribal council, and MUST have someone who witnessed the act.  If the story was found to be truthful, then the warrior was awarded a tail feather from a golden eagle...a bird admired for it's own courage and swiftness.

An array of feathers was not a uncommon sight as young men vied to add to their reputation and the ability to recount their brave deeds at various ceremonies.

To give you an idea of the great lengths the Sioux went to to recognize accomplished 'coups,' consider these examples as shown above:

1. First coup - A feather to be worn upright with a horsehair tuft at the top.
2. Wearer wounded - Upright feather dyed red.
3.  Wearer wounded but killed foes - upright feather with quilled bands (one per foe.)
4.  Wearer killed foe - Red spot on feather.
5.  Wearer cut foe's throat and took scalp - notch in feather.
6.  Wearer wounded many times - Split feather.
7.  Wearer cut foe's throat - Top of feather clipped on diagonal.
8.  Wearer counted coup four times - Serrated ages on feather.
9.  Wearer counted coup five times - Side of feather partially removed.

So, you can see, there was a lot to remember in recognizing counting coup and equally as much work put into preparing the proper feather for each claim.  

I don't know about you, but I find this sort of information so interesting.  I value the day I discovered America's Fascinating Indian Heritage as a research resource, published by Reader's Digest.  It's from this book, I've gleaned so much history about the Lakota and their rites and rituals.  Love it, but hate that I've used it so much the binding is coming apart.  *picture me frowning.*

Counting Coup

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I'm currently writing another historical western novel, and belong to a critique group comprised of mostly 'historical regency' authors.  You can imagine we don't speak the same language. 

 In one of my chapters, I mentioned 'counting coup' and confused the heck out of everyone.  I consider it might be an interesting topic to share here since this is the fifth week and no one else is scheduled to blog.

The Plains Indians, about which I write, were a proud people, and even in warfare, there were honors and recognition to be earned.  In fact, the more risks one took, the more honor he brought to himself and his tribe.  

'Coup', I learned comes from a french word meaning, 'blow.'  Coup was counted when a warrior was able to touch an enemy...often with a long stick aptly named a 'coup stick', or even their lance or bow.  The warrior received more honor when an opponent was not killed.  Coup was counted on women and children as well, or touching the tepee of an enemy or his horse.  'Touching' in some form was required, as killing an enemy from a distance with an arrow or bullet did nothing to garner favor.

A warrior who claimed to have counted coup was expected to describe his deed in great detail before the tribal council, and MUST have someone who witnessed the act.  If the story was found to be truthful, then the warrior was awarded a tail feather from a golden eagle...a bird admired for it's own courage and swiftness.

An array of feathers was not a uncommon sight as young men vied to add to their reputation and the ability to recount their brave deeds at various ceremonies.

To give you an idea of the great lengths the Sioux went to to recognize accomplished 'coups,' consider these examples as shown above:

1. First coup - A feather to be worn upright with a horsehair tuft at the top.
2. Wearer wounded - Upright feather dyed red.
3.  Wearer wounded but killed foes - upright feather with quilled bands (one per foe.)
4.  Wearer killed foe - Red spot on feather.
5.  Wearer cut foe's throat and took scalp - notch in feather.
6.  Wearer wounded many times - Split feather.
7.  Wearer cut foe's throat - Top of feather clipped on diagonal.
8.  Wearer counted coup four times - Serrated ages on feather.
9.  Wearer counted coup five times - Side of feather partially removed.

So, you can see, there was a lot to remember in recognizing counting coup and equally as much work put into preparing the proper feather for each claim.  

I don't know about you, but I find this sort of information so interesting.  I value the day I discovered America's Fascinating Indian Heritage as a research resource, published by Reader's Digest.  It's from this book, I've gleaned so much history about the Lakota and their rites and rituals.  Love it, but hate that I've used it so much the binding is coming apart.  *picture me frowning.*

Counting Coup?

I'm sure many of you have heard the term 'coup' (pronounced coo or ku) used in western movies.  Coup points were awarded to distinguish the bravery and daring of an Lakota Sioux warrior.  Originally, coup was awarded when one touched an enemy with hand or coup stick, but later, other acts were deemed worth of coup.  At the same time, symbols played an important part in recognition of said deeds.  The first warrior to make contact earned the right to wear a golden eagle feather in an upright position at the rear of his head.  The second brave to touch the same enemy garnered entitlement to wear an eagle feather, but tilted to the left.  The third could wear the feather horizonitally, while the fourth and last wore a buzzard feather which hung vertically.

It's important to note that coup was earned for touching, rather than killing the enemy, and men, women and children counted in that category.  Also, the coup must have been witnessed and sworn to by another member of the tribe, and any warrior who had coup counted upon himself bore great dishonor.

Not all coup was achieved by touch.  A warrior who killed a combatant hand-to-hand, earned the right to display a painted red hand upon his clothing or horse.  Anyone rescuing a friend from battle earned a painted cross on his clothing, and to have ridden the friend upon one's mount may have earned dual crosses to display.  Stripes on leggings also indicated coup status, such as red vertical signified someone who had been wounded.  Notched feathers had significance as did the number of horse hooves painted on someone's clothing.  Stolen mounts were not only a way to garner status, but horses were considered valuable assets in bartering as well as determining one's status in the tribe.

The number four plays an important role in the rituals and beliefs of the Lakota people: Four classes of Gods (superior, associate subordinate, spirits), four elements (sun, moon, sky, stars,) four direction, West, North, East and South,) four times (day, night, month and year,) four parts to all plants (root, stem, leaves,  fruit,) four classes of animals (crawling, flying, four-legged, two-legged,) and four phases of life (infancy, childhood, maturity, and old age.)

As important as the four, also the "round" symbolized the earth, the sun, the moon, and the sky.  Likewise, the winds circled the earth,  the round bodies of animals and plant stems.  The tepee was built in a circular pattern, and the contents arranged likewise.  As with warrior status, the walls inside and out bore the achievements of the lodge dweller.  The historical legacy of a family was often displayed in drawings for all to witness.

From the quilled, beaded, and painted garments they wore, to their decorated horses, lodges and bodies, our brothers and sisters of the Lakota Sioux are a very spiritual group.  They have been for documented centuries and much of the history I've shared today has been garnered from a wonderful book called "The Sioux," by Royal B. Hassrick.  I look forward to sharing more about these fascinating folks in the weeks to come.  I invite you to join me with legends, rituals, and tales of your favorite tribes.  Have a book to promote?  A story to tell?  Email me, and let's share.