War bonnets (Native American culture)
War bonnets are significant headdresses within Native American culture, particularly among Plains societies where hunting and warfare were central to daily life. These ornate bonnets served as symbols of a warrior's achievements in battle and were crafted in two primary styles: the golden eagle-feathered bonnet and the split-horned headdress. The golden eagle-feathered bonnet, made from buffalo hide and adorned with eagle tail feathers, reflected the owner’s tribal identity and accomplishments. Each feather and its arrangement carried deep meaning, often symbolizing enlightenment and the universe.
The split-horned headdress was reserved for the most esteemed leaders, constructed with buffalo hide and featuring hollowed bison horns. This headdress included various decorative items that marked significant life events. While war bonnets were not typically worn during active combat, they played an essential role in religious and ceremonial gatherings, emphasizing their cultural importance. These exquisite bonnets held great value, sometimes equivalent to several horses, and were often blessed in ceremonial dances. Through their craftsmanship and symbolism, war bonnets represent the rich cultural heritage and traditions of Native American warriors.
Subject Terms
War bonnets (Native American culture)
Tribes affected: Apache of Oklahoma, Arapaho, Arikara, Assiniboine, Atsina, Blackfoot, Cheyenne, Comanche, Cree, Crow, Flathead, Fox, Hidatsa, Iowa, Jicarilla Apache, Kansa (Kaw), Kiowa, Lipan Apache, Mandan, Missouri, Nez Perce, Omaha, Osage, Oto, Pawnee, Ponca, Sarsi, Sauk, Shoshone, Sioux, Ute, Wichita
Significance: In Plains culture, a war bonnet was one of the most valued articles that a warrior could own
Plains societies centered on the hunt and Native American warfare, making conflict an integral part of western Indian society. The war bonnet was one way warriors recorded their achievements in battle. Two types of bonnets characterized those headdresses designed for battle: the golden eagle-feathered headdress and the split-horned bonnet.
The golden eagle-feathered bonnet was fashioned by placing twenty-eight to thirty-six eagle tail feathers into a circular skullcap base made of buffalo hide. The different cone shape formed by the arrangement of the feathers was often an indication of the tribe to which the owner belonged. The tail of the bonnet, also made from buffalo hide, hung from the cap to the ground and was decorated with approximately thirty eagle tail feathers. The feathers were attached by their quills with rawhide and flannel cloth. Fixed to these feathers with glue and white clay were horse hair and eagle feathers. The size of these war bonnets was considerable; however, they could be rolled and folded into a diameter of eight inches, then reopened to achieve their perfect shape.
Every part of the eagle-feathered headdress had special meaning that was understood by the tribe members, including the tubular form of the war bonnets among the Cheyenne and Blackfoot. The feathers standing straight up from the skullcap were radiating shafts of light that symbolized the universe and brought enlightenment to the wearer from the One Above. Red, the sacred color, was the most commonly used dye on feathers, used to indicate the owner’s accomplishments in battle.
The second type of war bonnet, the split-horned headdress, held the highest position in the warrior society. Only a few of the highest-ranking leaders in each band were given the right to wear the split-horned bonnet. This headdress was constructed with a buffalo hide and a tail cut into two lengths. The short tail still had the buffalo fur on it and hung to the middle back of the warrior, while the long tail was decorated with eagle wing, hawk, or owl feathers placed at right angles. The bison horns, after being hollowed out to reduce their weight, were attached to the skullcap. Items placed on the skullcap often marked significant moments in the warrior’s life. These items might include sea shells, clusters of split or whole feathers, braided and dyed horse tails, beaded headbands, white ermine skins, and felt fringe. All split-horned war bonnets also possessed a long plume, the plume of the Sun Dance, which extended twenty-four inches from the peak of the bonnet.
A man might make four to five bonnets in his lifetime, each one a little different from the others. The war bonnets, though not worn into battle until the outcome was assured, were always worn in religious gatherings. Periodically, the headdresses were blessed in ceremonial dances performed by honored women selected to wear the bonnet during the dance. A war bonnet, which might bring three horses if bartered, was one of the most valued articles that a warrior could own.