Hawk Ghost of Cheyenne
Among the Cheyenne people of the Great Plains, the Hawk Ghost is a revered spiritual entity associated with protection in battle, visionary guidance, and the sacred Buffalo Hunt origin story. In Cheyenne tradition, hawks (known as aenohes and hoestom) are considered powerful war talismans. Warriors would carry stuffed hawk skins into battle, believing the bird's spirit would impart swift-killing attributes and protect them from enemy weapons. The legendary Cheyenne warrior Crazy Horse was known to wear hawk feathers in his hair rather than eagle feathers as a sign of modesty and spiritual conn