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Plenty-coups: Chief of the Crows
"An exciting account by one of the last great chiefs." ― Los Angeles Times In his old age, Plenty-coups (1848–1932), the last hereditary chief of the Crow Indians, told the moving story of his life to Frank B. Linderman, the well-known western writer who had befriended him. Plenty-coups is a classic account of the nomadic, spiritual, and warring life of Plains Indians before they were forced onto reservations. Plenty-coups tells of the great triumphs and struggles of his own his powerful medicine dreams, marriage, raiding and counting coups against the Lakotas, fighting alongside the U.S. Army, and the death of General Custer. This new edition allows readers to appreciate more fully the accomplishments and rich legacy of Plenty-coups. A previously unpublished essay by Linderman tells of his meeting and working with the chief. An introduction by Phenocia Bauerle and Barney Old Coyote Jr., both members of the Crow Nation, speaks to the enduring importance of Plenty-coups for the Crow people in the twenty-first century; an afterword by Timothy P. McCleary, also of the Crow Nation, highlights the pivotal role Plenty-coups played during the early reservation years after the buffalo had gone; an essay by Celeste River examines the special relationship between the old chief and Linderman; a map of Plenty-coups's world highlights places named in the story; a glossary of Crow words and concepts found in the story draws upon the latest orthographic standards and contemporary translation; and a photo gallery showcases both Plenty-coups at different stages of his life and unforgettable scenes of his world.
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1962
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 23 reviews
October 14, 2022
Oct 14, 915am ~~ Review asap.
1130am ~~ This book was written by the same man who gave us the story of Pretty-shield, which I read recently. The author did not speak the Crow language, but did understand sign language well enough to follow most of the stories Plenty-coups related, and there were two of the Chief's friends available to ask and answer any questions that might come up.
I was impressed with the author's attitude except for later in the book when Plenty-coups and his friends were remembering a funny story, laughing together about it. The author asked the friends what they were all saying, but Plenty-coups did not want to share until the author asked him directly. He then said it was a story about a joke one of their chiefs had played on a friend, a white Cavalry officer in command at a certain fort. Plenty-coups finally agreed to tell the story, but he asked the author not to write it down, because Plenty-coups felt the joke had been mean and in bad taste.
Of course the author wrote it down. Sigh.
At first I was also a little annoyed with the way the author kept interrupting the narrative to explain things about the Crow culture. It felt like having commercials show up right at the most interesting parts of a tv show. But he got that out of his system fairly quickly.
I was impressed with the memories Plenty-coups shared, even while being a bit surprised at how much fighting went on between the Crow and the other Plains Indian tribes. This idea had appeared in the book about Pretty-shield, but this book gave the masculine side of life on the Great Plains. I was particularly impressed by the description of the scouts who not only protected the camping grounds while on patrol, but also acted as advance scouts during war parties. In the other book the term Wolves had been used, but here I learned that each scout not only wore the skin of a wolf, but painted himself with mud that dried to the color of a wolf, and even gave himself wolf ears of the same mud. The idea was that if anyone saw them they would appear to be nothing more than a wolf going about his business, rather than a guardian or a warrior. Plenty-coups himself was often the leader of groups of Wolves, and lived through much while wearing his mud ears.
Many such books were produced with the idea of recording the tribal lifestyle before the Indians all died out completely, which everyone expected (perhaps hoped) would happen. The author had a bit of this attitude and justified it by saying he wanted to record the lives of the elders, since they were the only people who had actually lived the pure life before the white men arrived and ruined everything. And Plenty-coups would not say anything about his life after the buffalo disappeared, he stayed with stories of his younger days.
He would have been an interesting person to talk with, and I hope the author understood the privilege he was given, even though he did not totally respect the wishes of this great warrior.
1130am ~~ This book was written by the same man who gave us the story of Pretty-shield, which I read recently. The author did not speak the Crow language, but did understand sign language well enough to follow most of the stories Plenty-coups related, and there were two of the Chief's friends available to ask and answer any questions that might come up.
I was impressed with the author's attitude except for later in the book when Plenty-coups and his friends were remembering a funny story, laughing together about it. The author asked the friends what they were all saying, but Plenty-coups did not want to share until the author asked him directly. He then said it was a story about a joke one of their chiefs had played on a friend, a white Cavalry officer in command at a certain fort. Plenty-coups finally agreed to tell the story, but he asked the author not to write it down, because Plenty-coups felt the joke had been mean and in bad taste.
Of course the author wrote it down. Sigh.
At first I was also a little annoyed with the way the author kept interrupting the narrative to explain things about the Crow culture. It felt like having commercials show up right at the most interesting parts of a tv show. But he got that out of his system fairly quickly.
I was impressed with the memories Plenty-coups shared, even while being a bit surprised at how much fighting went on between the Crow and the other Plains Indian tribes. This idea had appeared in the book about Pretty-shield, but this book gave the masculine side of life on the Great Plains. I was particularly impressed by the description of the scouts who not only protected the camping grounds while on patrol, but also acted as advance scouts during war parties. In the other book the term Wolves had been used, but here I learned that each scout not only wore the skin of a wolf, but painted himself with mud that dried to the color of a wolf, and even gave himself wolf ears of the same mud. The idea was that if anyone saw them they would appear to be nothing more than a wolf going about his business, rather than a guardian or a warrior. Plenty-coups himself was often the leader of groups of Wolves, and lived through much while wearing his mud ears.
Many such books were produced with the idea of recording the tribal lifestyle before the Indians all died out completely, which everyone expected (perhaps hoped) would happen. The author had a bit of this attitude and justified it by saying he wanted to record the lives of the elders, since they were the only people who had actually lived the pure life before the white men arrived and ruined everything. And Plenty-coups would not say anything about his life after the buffalo disappeared, he stayed with stories of his younger days.
He would have been an interesting person to talk with, and I hope the author understood the privilege he was given, even though he did not totally respect the wishes of this great warrior.
December 28, 2014
Unbelievable! I had to keep reminding myself that this was a biography and not a work of fiction! If ever you want to know what it was like to be a wild and free Indian warrior - unmarred by the ways of the white man - read Plenty Coups. I recommend it for all boys/men who love adventure and women who love reading about living a life of true freedom and honor.
This book doesn't stop there, it also takes you through the changes and sorrow brought about by the coming of the white man. I had no idea a Crow Indian warrior had such deep emotions about life, other people and passion for his tribe's survival.
This is a must-read!
This book doesn't stop there, it also takes you through the changes and sorrow brought about by the coming of the white man. I had no idea a Crow Indian warrior had such deep emotions about life, other people and passion for his tribe's survival.
This is a must-read!
June 29, 2019
Loved the more anthropological aspects but struggled through all the battles.
January 8, 2019
A fascinating and illuminating first-person narrative of an Absarokee (Crow) warrior and renowned Chief, Plenty-Coups, compiled and cross-verified with other historical narratives by Frank B Linderman.
Plenty-Coups says in his narrative that he has known the heart of the author; a diligent reader also comes to know the Chief's heart in this detailed narrative. Descriptions of his childhood, and his rapid growth into a warrior who has "counted many coups," lend intimate views of Native American (Absarokee) culture. Discussions of his loves, marriage, and bereavements, including morbid narrations of retribution for filial disloyalty, provide great insight into a warrior culture that is devoted to family and children. A reader thus learns much about the Absarokees, and even more about how they chose to be friendly to the invading immigrant race thus adapting to the sea-change forced upon their ways of life.
One cannot help notice a rather one-dimensional aspect to the Crow warrior's life as lived by Plenty-coups: his pursuit from his early childhood has been self-discovery through counting "coups" as well as the spiritual pursuits of his people. While counting coups has been equated with accomplishments by Plenty-Coups, it is rather clear that this pursuit most often involved violence upon others - their traditional enemies, the other groups of Native Americans who inhabited lands near them. While Plenty-Coups lays claim to various spiritual pursuits, including visions, little helpers, and healing practices, his principal focus appears to have been to "count coup upon enemies." This involved killing and often scalping (the tearing of a part of the dead enemy's scalp) with such souvenir carried on his person with pride. Without judgment, this singular pursuit appears to narrow a Crow warrior's pursuit solely to the elimination of enemies and to the enjoyment of such brave acts.
Plenty-Coups's narrative is gripping, unembellished, and provides clear insight into the Absarokee way of life, one that is evidently different from that of the Lakota, the Cherokee, the Cheyenne, the Shoshones, and others who resisted the cultural invasion of European immigrants. The book clarifies that the Native American culture is not homogeneous, that the various groups, therefore, remained geographically and socially distinct, and that there is much to learn from all these cultures.
Highly recommended.
Plenty-Coups says in his narrative that he has known the heart of the author; a diligent reader also comes to know the Chief's heart in this detailed narrative. Descriptions of his childhood, and his rapid growth into a warrior who has "counted many coups," lend intimate views of Native American (Absarokee) culture. Discussions of his loves, marriage, and bereavements, including morbid narrations of retribution for filial disloyalty, provide great insight into a warrior culture that is devoted to family and children. A reader thus learns much about the Absarokees, and even more about how they chose to be friendly to the invading immigrant race thus adapting to the sea-change forced upon their ways of life.
One cannot help notice a rather one-dimensional aspect to the Crow warrior's life as lived by Plenty-coups: his pursuit from his early childhood has been self-discovery through counting "coups" as well as the spiritual pursuits of his people. While counting coups has been equated with accomplishments by Plenty-Coups, it is rather clear that this pursuit most often involved violence upon others - their traditional enemies, the other groups of Native Americans who inhabited lands near them. While Plenty-Coups lays claim to various spiritual pursuits, including visions, little helpers, and healing practices, his principal focus appears to have been to "count coup upon enemies." This involved killing and often scalping (the tearing of a part of the dead enemy's scalp) with such souvenir carried on his person with pride. Without judgment, this singular pursuit appears to narrow a Crow warrior's pursuit solely to the elimination of enemies and to the enjoyment of such brave acts.
Plenty-Coups's narrative is gripping, unembellished, and provides clear insight into the Absarokee way of life, one that is evidently different from that of the Lakota, the Cherokee, the Cheyenne, the Shoshones, and others who resisted the cultural invasion of European immigrants. The book clarifies that the Native American culture is not homogeneous, that the various groups, therefore, remained geographically and socially distinct, and that there is much to learn from all these cultures.
Highly recommended.
December 14, 2015
I visited Plenty-Coup's home while in Montana over the summer. I wanted to learn more about this great Chief of the Crows and the book was very interesting. His life was amazing and he was a friend to the white man. Plenty-Coup was educated, a very brave Chief and very smart in dealing with people. After visiting Mount Vernon, he wanted to donate 190 acres of his land in Montana as a memorial park to honor the Crow people. I recommend the book and a visit to the Park when in Montana. But watch out for rattlesnakes!
September 29, 2008
One of the most interesting firsthand accounts of native life i have ever read.
February 3, 2021
Един прекрасен разказ от
Франк Линдърман...
Това е втората книга, която прочитам на същия автор и съм очарован за пореден път. Първото ми запознанство с Линдърман беше с "Червената майка", която беше толкова лична и интимна история, че няма как да не те докосне. Не бях чел нещо от гледната точка на жената в племето. Във "Вождът Много подвизи" пък ще се запознаете с живота на воюващия мъж. Историите разказани в книгата са лично преживени от вожда. Спомени от детството, юношеските години, бойните походи, сполуките и несгодите на племето... Те са тъжни, смешни, чудати, изпълнени с приключения. Ще научите много за бита, вярванията и как са водили битки мъже��е от племето Кроу. Силно препоръчвам на всеки почитател на такъв тип литература!
Франк Линдърман...
Това е втората книга, която прочитам на същия автор и съм очарован за пореден път. Първото ми запознанство с Линдърман беше с "Червената майка", която беше толкова лична и интимна история, че няма как да не те докосне. Не бях чел нещо от гледната точка на жената в племето. Във "Вождът Много подвизи" пък ще се запознаете с живота на воюващия мъж. Историите разказани в книгата са лично преживени от вожда. Спомени от детството, юношеските години, бойните походи, сполуките и несгодите на племето... Те са тъжни, смешни, чудати, изпълнени с приключения. Ще научите много за бита, вярванията и как са водили битки мъже��е от племето Кроу. Силно препоръчвам на всеки почитател на такъв тип литература!
September 25, 2022
Add author Frank Bird Linderman to any American history book list. He was known as the "Sign Talker" among Plains Indians and between 1885 - 1938, interviewed elderly tribal members who trusted him to write their stories. Chief Plenty-coups oral history was originally entitled, "American, The Life Story of a Great Indian" copyright 1930. It is the closest you will get to understanding the philosophy of how to raise a warrior.
My favorite book of Lindermans is "Pretty Shield" as it was rare to find a woman who would share her memories of life before reservations. Pretty Shield was a healer from the Crow Nation. Her daughter and granddaughter followed her lead.
Frank B. Linderman wrote more than 20 books including the better known Indian Why Stories.
My favorite book of Lindermans is "Pretty Shield" as it was rare to find a woman who would share her memories of life before reservations. Pretty Shield was a healer from the Crow Nation. Her daughter and granddaughter followed her lead.
Frank B. Linderman wrote more than 20 books including the better known Indian Why Stories.
May 12, 2022
This book sat on my shelves for at least 30 years before I finally read it. What a mistake to ignore it for so long! It's an incredible story, and it's full of cultural information about the Absaroka people. I rarely read a book twice, but I can see reading this one again.
November 16, 2019
What a period of transition in a life and foresight.
July 30, 2022
Interessante vita di un capo indiano che non voleva combattete per proteggere il suo popolo
April 14, 2008
This biographical information about Plenty-coups, the last principal chief recognized by the Crow, was originally compiled and published in the 1930's by Linderman. This book is the third reprint of the original story and contains a new introduction by Barney Old Coyote jr. and Phenocia Bauerle. An afterward by Timothy P. McCleary describes Plenty-coups' numerous contributions to both Native and national communities after the decline of the bison herds.
Linderman first met Plenty-coups in 1892, after leaving the Flathead Reservation where the author had spent time trapping and cow herding. During this chance meeting, Linderman impressed Plenty-coups with his ability to sign-talk and was given the name Sign-talker. Over forty years later, Linderman was given the opportunity to interview the Crow Chief and write his biography.
In these interviews, Plenty-coups was very open and candid about every aspect of his life and the traditional life of the Crow people. He discussed in detail his vision quest journey and the visions that he received during this event. He also spoke in great detail about raids that he had been on and how his spiritual guides aided and protected him in a number of difficult situations. The only topic Plenty-coups refused to discuss was the events that occurred after the decline of the bison herds. This fact is quite unfortunate as Plenty-coups was highly vocal in both Native and national issues until his death.
As the focus of early Native American research was on creating culture histories, personal stories of traditional lifeways such as the one described in this biography are uncommon. Showing a balanced, realistic view of a Native chief as both a strong warrior and a spiritual man is a situation that rarely occurs, even now. However, the portions of this book that most impressed me were the detailed recollections of Plenty-coups's vision quest and his open conversations about his visions and his spiritual helpers. I have never read a better first hand account of these events. I also was thrilled with Plenty-coups' clear explanations of the somewhat complicated Crow kinship system and marriage rules.
Plenty-coups is an amazing biography that will be enjoyed as a recreational read. Nonetheless, this book also contains important rare incites into the lives of traditional Crow men. Thus, it is suitable for those interested in learning a little about traditional Native life as well as those researchers looking for detailed information about the changing lifeways, traditions, and belief systems of the Crow during this transitional period. This book contains unprecedented candid information from a viewpoint rarely recorded presented in an entertaining, easy to read, yet meaningful way. That the author also wrote a book on the female perspective from the same Native group (see review of Pretty-shield) simply adds to the potential importance of this resource.
Linderman first met Plenty-coups in 1892, after leaving the Flathead Reservation where the author had spent time trapping and cow herding. During this chance meeting, Linderman impressed Plenty-coups with his ability to sign-talk and was given the name Sign-talker. Over forty years later, Linderman was given the opportunity to interview the Crow Chief and write his biography.
In these interviews, Plenty-coups was very open and candid about every aspect of his life and the traditional life of the Crow people. He discussed in detail his vision quest journey and the visions that he received during this event. He also spoke in great detail about raids that he had been on and how his spiritual guides aided and protected him in a number of difficult situations. The only topic Plenty-coups refused to discuss was the events that occurred after the decline of the bison herds. This fact is quite unfortunate as Plenty-coups was highly vocal in both Native and national issues until his death.
As the focus of early Native American research was on creating culture histories, personal stories of traditional lifeways such as the one described in this biography are uncommon. Showing a balanced, realistic view of a Native chief as both a strong warrior and a spiritual man is a situation that rarely occurs, even now. However, the portions of this book that most impressed me were the detailed recollections of Plenty-coups's vision quest and his open conversations about his visions and his spiritual helpers. I have never read a better first hand account of these events. I also was thrilled with Plenty-coups' clear explanations of the somewhat complicated Crow kinship system and marriage rules.
Plenty-coups is an amazing biography that will be enjoyed as a recreational read. Nonetheless, this book also contains important rare incites into the lives of traditional Crow men. Thus, it is suitable for those interested in learning a little about traditional Native life as well as those researchers looking for detailed information about the changing lifeways, traditions, and belief systems of the Crow during this transitional period. This book contains unprecedented candid information from a viewpoint rarely recorded presented in an entertaining, easy to read, yet meaningful way. That the author also wrote a book on the female perspective from the same Native group (see review of Pretty-shield) simply adds to the potential importance of this resource.
February 24, 2023
I probably would have liked this book more if my history teacher hadn't given me only a week to read this book, so my opinion may have been soured a little bit. I'll try to be fair and judge the book as if I'd read it as a leisurely pace. I'm not a fan of the book's structure (with non-chronological disjointed stories being told one after another), but that's just my personal reading preference, and it is pretty understandable why the book was written that way. I did learn a lot about Native American culture, which was very interesting. I think I would have found this information more enjoyable to learn if I hadn't had so short a time to read it, but again, that isn't the book's fault, so I'll still give it four stars.
July 19, 2012
What an amazing account of life on the plains at the moment of great change when the Native peoples of North America were forced to make the transition from a natural species to a domesticated one, forced onto reservation life. This book provides a window into a time gone by. The most profound insight about this book to me is the stark contrast that it provides between the native life exemplified by the natural human species, and the life of the so-called civilized world today, and on top of that contrast, to consider that this massive, civilization-altering transition occurred less than 100 years ago, within the span of a single human life.
August 5, 2012
Frank Linderman gets credit in my book for having the insight to chronicle this great leader. However, he inserts himself way to much in Plenty Coups story. He is definitely an outsider and it shows in the details, but I am grateful that he wrote the book, otherwise I would not be able to have access to Plenty Coups story.
January 24, 2014
I certainly learned much about the Absarokees (Crows) through the stories told by their last chief.
Worth reflecting upon:
p. 131 "When people think deeply they are helped."
p. 179 He is credited with saying, “Education is your most powerful weapon. With education you are the white man’s queal; without education you are his victim.”
Worth reflecting upon:
p. 131 "When people think deeply they are helped."
p. 179 He is credited with saying, “Education is your most powerful weapon. With education you are the white man’s queal; without education you are his victim.”
April 4, 2014
This is a biography of Plenty Coups (1848-1932), the last hereditary chief of the Crow Indians. Plenty Coups lived in the time of the buffalo. He saw visions and foresaw the end of a way of life for his people, but he also saw the path that would be the transition for his people: Education.
I really enjoyed this book.
I really enjoyed this book.
August 14, 2014
Funny Sad Nostalgic... This book is a glorious recollection of a time gone past ana a people nearly made extinct. As the chief recounts his many epic battles learning experiences trial triumphs and failures you cannot help but be ensnared by his words.
July 14, 2008
complex ideas of time and history and death
August 4, 2012
Plenty-Coups was an extremely intelligent man. He realized that the old way of life was gone and encouraged his people to get educated in the white man's ways.
January 27, 2013
Please see my short review of Radical Hope by Jonathan Lear.
September 21, 2013
Invaluable resource for anyone who loves the American Indian culture.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 23 reviews