Among the Plains Indians of North America, countingcoup (/ kuː /) (coup is French for 'blow' or 'shock') is the warrior tradition of winning prestige against an enemy in battle. Apr 27, 2025 · Uncover the thrilling history of NativeAmericancountingcoup! Explore the honor system & battlefield bravery behind this unique warfare tradition. Learn the stories of courage & legacy. Systems for countingcoup were tribally specific: Numak'aki warriors, for instance, wore carved wooden coup sticks bound into their hair and a distinct tally system of parallel lines and schematic figures to mark deeds. Countingcoup, or striking an enemy, was the highest honor earned by warriors participating in the intertribal wars of the Great Plains. Native peoples recognized precise systems of graduated war honors, and usually the greatest exploit was countingcoup. Apr 24, 2006 · This pictograph shows a group of AmericanIndian warriors. The man at the front of the group is carrying a coup stick. Systems for countingcoup were tribally specific: Numak'aki warriors, for instance, wore carved wooden coup sticks bound into their hair and a distinct tally system of parallel lines and schematic figures to mark deeds. Systems for countingcoup were tribally specific: Numak'aki warriors, for instance, wore carved wooden coup sticks bound into their hair and a distinct tally system of parallel lines and schematic figures to mark deeds.