Ceremonies conducted in the period after a person’s death are intended to help the nagi on its journey.

The Ghost Keeping ceremony — the itanhan wakan, performed for significant members of the community — was conducted in the period following death, keeping a lock of the deceased’s hair in a special bundle and performing ceremonies for the nagi’s benefit.

Whether this ceremony was conducted for Crazy Horse, given the circumstances of his death and the immediate need to move quickly, is not established.

The relationship between the nagi and the physical remains is not the same as in the Christian framework, where the body is expected to be preserved and buried in a specific way for the resurrection.