Native American Enemy Mutilation Rituals

By Crusader1307

Most Native American Tribes had some form of stylized ritual to mark their experiences in Combat and War. While touching an Enemy in battle was the most common form (as was the taking of Trophies – or physical reminders of a battle), a particular form of grisly practice among The Plains Nations, was Ritual Mutilation. It’s origins are obscured, but the practice of mutilating Enemy dead was seen with The Cheyenne, Sioux, Crow, Apache and Kiowa Tribes. Actually, the practice had a grounded basis in Native American Culture (both religiously and as a form of “communication”). Although used against other Tribes in War, Ritual Mutilation was the first form of the “horrors” of War The 19th Century US Army experienced. Two classic examples were The Fetterman Massacre of 1866 and The Massacre at The Little Big Horn (Montana), in 1876. Citing The Oglala Sioux by watching of example during The Fetterman Fight, Native American Warriors completely annihilated the 80-Man Army detachment. The bodies were striped of all cloths and equipment (more for War Trophies, with any weapons taken for later use). The dead were then cut. Eyes were gouged out, noses, ears and lips removed. Hands and feet were cut off as were the dead Soldiers heads broken open, with their brains removed and left out on the frozen Plains (the Fight happened in December of 1866). In Tribal “Spirituality”, it was thought that when a Warrior wad killed in battle, his Spirit in totality, went to The Afterlife, pretty much “intact” as he was in “life”. Any injuries sustained in earthly “battle”, were manifested in The Afterlife. 

Hence if a Warrior gad more Hands, he could not use his weapons. No feet meant he would not be able to mount his Pony. Without ears, eyes or his other “senses”, he would be equally “worthless” for all “Eternity”. The mutilations also served to convey “messages”. Finding a mutilated Enemy without eyes or ears, conveyed one who “lied”. Thus was a common belief with Native Americans regarding The “White Man’s” habit of making (and breaking) “Truce and Treaty”. As was seen with Custer at The Little Big Horn, most of the mutilations were relayed via oral History, by The Native Americans themselves. Although Custer and his slaughtered remains were recovered soon after the battle, they were in a state of advanced decomposition. Native Americans tell that Custer had his ears “Awled”. Awls were long wooden or bone sticks used for sewing and mending. Sioux women (who often accompanied Warriors into battle, but remained well out of range of a fight), most often performed The Rituals. Custer was reputedly stabbed in the ears over and over again, so that in The Afterlife, he might “hear and listen” to The Sioux – who only wished to be left alone. The practice was somewhat copied with similar gory results by vengeful Soldiers against Native Americans as well (Scalping, as we have mentioned before – being the most common).