MtMan-List: women on war parties

[Linda Holley <tipis@mediaone.net>]

Blue Rider wrote:

> Tribes had a niche in them for gay  people.  I know that some Indian men
> dressed and lived as women and often were shamans.

Most of these men were not shamans but were respected crafts"persons".   They are known as the Berdash. (sp?)  Other
names by other tribes.  They were accepted as women and were even allowed to dwell in mens' tipis to take care of the
men.

> I understand that
> some women dressed and lived as men, becoming warriors,etc.

Women did take on some roles as men....but did not wear the clothing of men.  They were just as fierce a warrarior
and thier scapls were just as coveted as a man.   There are many accounts of women in battle.  But they wore womens'
clothing.  One story does tell about a woman who did ware her bothers or some relatives clothing to honour him after
a battle.   Some women were also hunters and shared in the honors of a hunter.

> I don't
> know where to start in researching this.

There is some great research by a Benson Langford on the Berdash and several pictures or pictographs of women in
war.  And I have some passages where the men describe women roles in the war party.

Linda Holley