But she was part of a Crow tradition of female military participation that had its own history and its own logic.

The Diplomatic Dimension

One aspect of Woman Chief’s life that tends to be overshadowed by the dramatic facts of her military career is her participation in the diplomatic life of the Crow nation.

Denig’s account notes that her leadership was not exclusively military.

As a member of the Council of Chiefs, she would have participated in the deliberative processes through which the band made collective decisions — including decisions about whether and when to seek peace with other nations.

The Fort Laramie Treaty period, with its temporary opening for intertribal diplomacy, gave her the opportunity to attempt something she apparently cared about: making peace with the Gros Ventre.