Counting coup refers to the act of a warrior of the Plains Indians of North America and their winning of prestige in battle. Warriors won prestige by acts of bravery in the face of the enemy, and these acts could be recorded in various ways and retold as stories. Any blow struck against the enemy counted as a coup, but the most prestigious acts included touching an enemy warrior with the hand, bow, or with a coup stick then escaping unharmed. Touching the first enemy to die in battle or touching the enemy's defensive works also counted as a coup. Counting coup could also involve stealing an enemy's weapons or horses tied up to his lodge in camp. Any act during wartime that involved the Risk of injury or death was counted as a coup.
Escaping unharmed while counting coup was considered a higher honor than being wounded in the attempt. A warrior who won coup was permitted to wear an eagle feather in his hair and or a feather attached to their Coup Stick. If they had been wounded in the attempt, however, they were required to paint their feather to indicate this.
After a battle or exploit, the people of a tribe would gather together to recount their acts of bravery and "count coup." Coups were recorded by putting notches in a coup stick and attaching their feathers. Indians of the Pacific Northwest would also attach an eagle feather to their coup stick for each coup counted, but many nations did not follow the tradition of placing feathers upon a Coup Stick some only used a spirit stick with attached feathers. There were even some Nations that did not use Coup Sticks, Spirit Sticks or Dance Staffs. Among the Blackfeet and Blackfoot nations, coup would be recorded by the placement of "coup bars" on the sleeves and shoulders of a special shirt that bore paintings of the warrior's exploits in battle. Multiple shirts of this sort have survived to the present, including some in European museums...
Here are two pictures of my coup Stick (Spirit Staff) without the attached feathers. With the attached feathers the Spirit Staff would be barely visible. Yes it only had 13 eagle feathers, but it also had 25 other feathers denoting injures and other acts of recognized bravery. I will not brag about what was accomplished while I was in the military. By custom I keep the staff bare and the sacred feathers placed within their cedar box, until a pow wow or a meeting of elders. Then the staff is blessed, smudged and the feathers then attached.
