The eagle has got so much symbolism associated with it in Native American culture that we would never get to the end of this. But we can say a few words on it.

The eagle is associated with courage, with leadership, with truth, with honesty, with communication with Great Spirit, and with the North. We say that he is one of the closest beings to Great Spirit, and a messenger of Great Spirit, because he can look at the sun without blinking, and he lives very high up in the sky, on cliffs and on the tallest trees. So, whenever an eagle is seen, it means something to Native American people, it means that Spirit is visiting them, there is a message being communicated, most often that they are doing the right thing, that they are on the right path, or that they need to find something or do something at that specific time that is related to Spirit.

The relationship with Great Spirit is what gives the spirit of truth to the eagle; that is why often people who are speaking the truth will hold an eagle feather when they speak, as a symbol that they are saying something that is true. You can never lie to Great Spirit, because He is in your own heart, thus there is no way of lying, and by holding something as sacred and as close to Great Spirit as an eagle feather, you are obliged to say the truth, or the medicine will really get back at you in a nasty way.

People who speak the truth, like in many medicine or healing circles, will pass around an eagle feather, and sometimes it will be tied on a talking stike, and it is symbol that you are speaking from the heart, that you are speaking the truth.

The eagle is also very swift and a very skilled hunter. He sees very far and very clearly, he can be very high up in the sky and see exactly a small mouse lying down on the ground way below him. That is another indication of truth and of vision: eagle represents the gift of vision; his eyesight, his ability to look at the sun, his ability to see things that are far away with great precision, are an indication of the ability that one can manifest by seeing the truth and being the truth, and having the intention of living “the good life”, as one would say, walking on the Red road, doing things which are in harmony with Great Spirit's original instructions.

His capability to be a good hunter is what is associated with leadership; leaders, especially the war chiefs, had to be very good hunters, that is the way they could prove to the people that they were able to guide them well on the path, by making sure they were well fed, and they defended the nation and helped the nation be secure and safe. By their acts of valour and merit they would be gifted with eagle feathers.

When an eagle feather was given to somebody, it was never a small affair; he had to really deserve it.

One story says how important it was: this used to be the way the Innu people of the North would gather the eagle feathers. A young man who wanted to prove his valour, courage, stamina, patience and swiftness, would capture a small rabbit or a grouse, and tie it to the end of a string, and then he would dig a pit, and he would put a covering over it, and he would hide in the pit, and do this close to where the eagle would nest; then, every time the eagle would go by, he would pull on the string, so that the prey would move, and the eagle would dive to catch it. And he would have to very rapidly come out of the hole, grab the eagle by the legs, and then take out the two end tail feathers, which would not impair his ability to fly in any way, but would give two feathers to this brave young man. Of course, the eagle was not just letting himself be on the man's hands without resisting, he would bite him, and he has very sharp talons, so the young man would come out of that experience with a few scars. Then he would bring back those feathers to the village, and give them to the elders, who would be very happy and thank him, but that still was not enough to merit an eagle feather. That was just to prove his valour, etc., but it took more than that to deserve an eagle feather. So the elders would keep the feathers for appropriate circumstances where somebody would really show exceptional courage and valour in protecting and helping the people.

So, receiving an eagle feather was always something very important and symbolic.