Cheyenne military societies

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.

[2] The prophet Sweet Medicine (Motsé'eóeve) was said to designate the four original Cheyenne warrior societies (pl.

Nótȧxévestȯtse), which had their own society songs (nótȧxénootȯtse) and were governed by a head man (nótȧxévėhoneve).

This was the society of the famous warrior Roman Nose, and also of the mixed-race Cheyenne George Bent.

Today it is only among the Southern Cheyenne[8] under the alternate name Wolf Warriors Society (Ho'néhenótâxeo'o) [3] for the Bowstring Men.

The Crazy Dog Society developed out of the Bowstring Men in the 19th century through a vision given to Owl Friend.

[8] Among the Northern Cheyenne, the Wolf Warriors gradually adopted the name Crazy Dogs (Hotamémâsêhao'o).

In the Northern Cheyenne tribe, both the Crazy Dogs and the Bowstrings or Wolf Warriors exist independently.

The Dog Warrior Society was established by a directive given in a visionary dream after the prophet Sweet Medicine's departure.

This society is similar to the Bowstring Men in function, but is found only among the Northern Cheyenne.

It is primarily composed of Cheyenne elders and may be a mature variation of the Contrary Warriors Society.

Ehyophsta, who fought in the Battle of Beecher Island, was a member of a society of "women who had gone to war with their husbands" (Grinnell).