Pine Leaf was a Woman Chief and warrior of the Crow people. And she married four wives

Left photo - Assiniboin Boy, a Gros Ventre man, photo by Edward S. Curtis. Wikipedia/Public Domain, Right photo - Gros Ventre moving camp with travois. Wikipedia/Public Domain

A girl was born in 1806 to the Gros Ventres but in a wave of inter-tribal rage and revenge, she was kidnapped by a raiding party of Crows when she was only 10. A Crow warrior adopted her and raised as one of his people. She seemed quite rebellious toward “girl’s behaviour” and was keen to acquire skills which were traditionally perceived as male ones. Her foster father had already lost his sons in battles or illness and keenly encouraged the pursuits of his daughter – Pine Leaf. She was educated as she was a boy and assisted in gaining her skills in horse riding, marksmanship, and ability to field-dress a buffalo. However, she kept dressing as a girl.

Idealized illustration of “Pine Leaf,” possibly identified with Woman Chief, from James Beckwourth’s autobiography.

After the death of her father, she gained the leadership of his lodge. She got the respect as a warrior after she proved her skills in a riot with the Blackfoots. Pine Leaf was also the most reliable in defending her people whenever there was a need for it. She would answer to any fight in order to protect her people. Also, she formed a group of warriors with whom she reportedly attacked the Blackfoot and stole their horses.

Six Blackfeet chiefs painted by Paul Kane along the South Saskatchewan River in Canada ( c.1851-1856).

It was natural for her to be chosen as bacheeítche (Chief) in the Council of Chiefs and to represent her lodge. She was given the name Bíawacheeitchish, or “Woman Chief.” Later, she would become third among the Council’s 160 lodges. From all data about her, it is hard to say if she married four wives because she was attracted to them or for the benefits of their dowry to increase her wealth.

She made peace with the Gros Ventres party but after a few years, some of their people killed her.


She met with a number of Western explorers including Edwin Denig and Rudolph Kurz, and they were enchanted by her. All stories written about Pine Leaf praise her bravery, cleverness, and skills.

Crow Indians, c. 1878–1883.

Most of the information the world has about her come from James Beckwourth who wrote about Pine Leaf – the Crow warrior. In his writings, he seems fascinated by her, which leaves the reader with the question if he used his fascination lead him to an imagination about the things he wrote. Beckwourth claimed that he met Pine Leaf while living with the Crow in the 1820s.

Left photo – James P. Beckwourth, circa 1860, in Denver, Kansas Territory.  Right photo – Beckwourth as an Indian warrior, 1856.

He also claimed to have had a romantic relationship with Pine Leaf, which is also not a very reliable fact.

There are a few other woman-warriors beside Pine Leaf, all from the Crow Nation. Two such are Akkeekaahuush and Biliíche Héeleelash who was a prominent war leader.

Other articles on the same theme:

• Top 10 Greatest Historical Warriors close to perfection and invincibility.

• Top 15 most powerful Women in history. They established new era

• The most mysterious eight tribes in the world

• According to the Smithsonian, The Korowai tribe of West Papua and also other Tribes Still Practice Cannibalism Today

Story source: 

 

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Thevintagenews . Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Ten bizarre sexual rituals around the world.

In contemporary society, gender is not much a taboo, and virginity is not preserved until marriage. At least that happens in the modern world, but there are isolated communities and tribes bizarre sexual rituals today are hundreds of years old.

Ten of the most bizarre sex rituals around the world discover them below.

1. To prevent sex before marriage, members of several tribes in East Africa, cos young lips and leaves only a small opening for urine and they can remove blood during menstruation.

2. In Ghana, a tribe requires widows to cleanse the spirit by spending a night with a stranger.

3. In South Africa there is a polygamous society considers taboo sexual relations during the day. Its members avoid, however, have sex during storms, or having had a nightmare.

4. Northeastern Siberia there is a community that you can ask daughters to a special type of leather pants to protect their virginity until marriage.

5. A bizarre religious practice appeared in India, Babylon, Arabia, Africa and Greece since the 5th century BC Some women dedicated themselves gods and goddesses of fertility. These sex with priests or those who came to worship these deities. It happens even in temples.

6. In some communities it is customary Nepalese brothers marry the same wife, thus being forced to divide the land. The wife must have but a well thought and spend time with each of the brothers to avoid any outbursts of jealousy.

7. A tribe in Papua New Guinea used to leave their children to start their sexual life from a very early age. The girls started to have sex for 6-8 years, while the boys waited until 10-12 years. Although sex before marriage was not a problem before the tribe, however, was forbidden for young people to share a meal before they become husband and wife.

8. In a community of Mangaia, a small island in the South Pacific, the boys begin their sexual life of 13 years. They have sex with older women that teaches how to last longer during sex and how to please young.

9. A tribe in Cambodia built special shelters for girls when they become adolescents. Different guys spend their nights with them until they find the pair. Divorce is illegal.

10. In a community in Brazil, males compete among themselves to convince women to have sexual relations by giving them gifts and fish

Other articles on the same theme:

• The most mysterious eight tribes in the world

• The King of Africa Mansa Musa: the richest man who ever lived

• The oldest civilization existing today. They were the first explorers who dared to cross the ocean 58,000 years ago

• According to the Smithsonian, The Korowai tribe of West Papua and also other Tribes Still Practice Cannibalism Today