feather ornament

unrecorded Lakota artist, artist

feather ornament, 1861–1889

Where object was made: Fort Yates, Dakota Territory (present-day North Dakota), United States

Material/technique: buckskin; feathers

Dimensions:
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 24.5 x 13 cm
Object Length/Width (Length x Width): 5 1/8 x 9 5/8 in

Credit line: Gift of H. Greissinger

Accession number: 2007.0750

Not on display

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For many Great Plains tribes, the act of touching or striking one’s opponent in battle with a hand or weapon and escaping unharmed, or to “count coup,” was considered the highest feat of bravery. Taken from the French word for “blow,” a “coup” reflected precise ingenuity during the frenzy of war. To wound or kill was conventional, but to directly engage the enemy and live to tell the tale was nothing short of bold, demonstrating both power and mercy. Once earned, “coup” feathers were worn in the hair or attached to cane-like “coup sticks,” which served as prestigious tokens that encouraged the honoree to recount daring wartime exploits and spur others to similar action. The serrated edges of this feather suggest the wearer may have “counted coup” four times.