The Lakota Red Feather Society has been a part of the Warrior Society since the beginning of time. The Warrior Society comes in three societies:

Toka La Society-modern day society -tribal police officer

Strong Heart Society-modern day society -helping veteran society

Akicita Society- modern day society -soldier in making of a warrior, fighting.

From this, the Lakota Warrior will always be protecting land/county and people.

A warrior must go out of their way to protect, fight and beyond. If a warrior happens to be wounded or three times wounded, a special ceremony takes place for the warrior in which he will receive the Red Feather. This ceremony will not be explained or written in any form and only a veteran with a Red Feather can perform this ceremony. As a result of this ceremony, this veteran has a right to question anyone that wears a red feather.  Not just any veteran can wear this red feather. If you have not earned the right to wear the Red Feather, there are some harsh consequences, only veterans awarded the Purple Heart during the time of war have earned this right.

There is a great responsibility when wearing this feather. With this feather, when called upon to do a task, a red feather veteran must never refuse any task.

There is also another ceremony called, “wase” (pronounced wah-say) or painted [(wase ikiyu (wah-say ee-kee-yuen)] face is only for veterans and this ceremony allows the veteran to paint his face with red paint. This is yet another ceremony and responsibility.

~Richard Charging Eagle, US Marine Veteran and Commander, Cheyenne River Veterans Association