Portrait of a Cheyenne woman

The Cheyenne are a proud people who originally lived south of the great lakes during the 1600's but were forced to migrate west to the plains of South Dakota because of conflicts with the Mohawk and Iroquis tribes, where they eventually became buffalo hunters. Although most Cheyenne woman did not participate in fighting, there are several examples where the women of the tribes took up arms against their enemies alongside the males. According to Cheyenne history, Buffalo Calf Road Woman (1844-1879) knocked General George Custer from his horse June 25-26 1876) resulting in his famous last stand at the Battle of Little Bighorn.