Native American Warriors and Feathers
The Golden Eagle feather was a prized mark of a honored warrior in many Native American cultures. It was earned through hardship, loyalty and strength.
To the Native Americans, the eagle was a messenger from God, and was often called the "thunderbird". The ultimate aim for most Indian boys was to prove himself brave enough and worthy enough to earn the right to wear an Eagle feather in his hair. This prized badge of honor was treasured and the feather would be cared for with as much attention as a a prized family heirloom.
In some tribes, earning a feather was a necessary act before the man could then take part in tribal councils or marry and have children.
Even if a man participated in a heroic act to save his tribesmates, the feather was not just handed to him. If the act was determined to be significant enough, he first had to prepare himself for the honor of receiving the feather. This could involve several days of fasting and meditation before the actual feather acquisition.
Native Americans were extremely in tune with nature and would never waste any aspect of it. The warrior would explore his lands until he found a suitable nest with an adult eagle in it. He would then trap the eagle without harming it, and remove a single feather. He would then release the eagle back into the wild, thanking it for the gift.
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