Bíawacheeitchish (in English Woman Chief , Female Chef, around 1806 – 1858) was bacheeítche (chief) of the Native American Crow tribe. A warrior without being a warmonger, she was considered "Two-Spirit" and married four wives.
Two Spirits
Bíawacheeitchish was born around 1806 into an Atsina (or Gros Ventres) tribe, an Amerindian tribe living in the plains of the northern United States. When she was about ten years old, a raid of Native American Crows kidnapped her and the child was taken in by a warrior of the tribe. The little girl shows a predisposition for certain traditionally masculine activities, such as horseback riding, shooting and hunting. Like many Native American tribes, the Crow consider there to be more than two genders and at least four in particular:male masculine, female female, male female, female male. Unlike other Two-Spirit, or Two-Spirit, Bíawacheeitchish participates in traditionally male activities but wears female clothing.
The warrior leader
Bíawacheeitchish begins to gain a reputation as a warrior during a raid by members of the Blackfoot Confederacy , including three Native American tribes known to be great fighters :the Siksikas, the Pikunis and the Blood People. As they attack a fort housing several families, Bíawacheeitchish fights them off and is instrumental in repelling them. In retaliation, she raises her own troop of men and attacks Blackfoot camps. His father having died, his brilliant actions earned him the right to represent his tribe within the Council of Chiefs, as bacheeítche (chief). It was there that she earned the nickname Bíawacheeitchish, or "Woman-Chief".
A warrior, Bíawacheeitchish fights the enemies of her tribe, without being belligerent. She begins diplomatic negotiations with neighboring tribes and notably obtains peace with the Atsinas, her native tribe. She marries four wives, thus increasing the fortune and prestige of her tribe. Of the 160 represented on the Council of Chiefs, Femme-Cheffe ranks third.
In 1858, despite the peace agreement negotiated a few years earlier, Femme-Cheffe was assassinated by Atsinas.
Several Western visitors, fascinated by this characterful warrior-leader, have reported details of her existence that are now considered biased or exaggerated. American trapper and explorer James Beckwourth wrote about a Crow warrior named Bar-chee-am-pe (in English Pine Leaf , pine leaf) who could be the same person as Bíawacheeitchish; biography elements indeed correspond.