Kuilix in the 1846 battle against the Crow tribe, drawn by Father Nicholas Point. His caption read; “A woman warrior’s swift about-face left the enemy stupefied.”

Kuilix, (meaning "Red Shirt" or "Red One") also known as Kuiliy, Mary Quille, and Marie Quilax was a woman of the Pend d'Oreilles in Montana. She was the leader of a team of warriors who rescued another group of warriors while fighting the Blackfeet in 1842. A Jesuit priest named Father Nicholas Point who witnessed the battle wrote: Image File history File links Kuilix. ... The Pend Oreille Indians, also known as the Kalispel, live centered around lake Pend Oreille, as well as the Pend Oreille river, although some of them live spread through Montana and eastern Washington. ... Official language(s) English Capital Helena Largest city Billings Area  Ranked 4th  - Total 147,165 sq mi (381,156 km²)  - Width 255 miles (410 km)  - Length 630 miles (1,015 km)  - % water 1  - Latitude 44°26 N to 49° N  - Longitude 104°2 W to 116°2 W Population  Ranked... Crowfoot, former Head Chief of the Blackfeet Nation The Piegan Blackfeet, (Pikuni in Blackfoot) are a tribe of Blackfoot Native Americans based in Montana. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ...

"The first Pend d’Oreille to dash out at the enemy was a woman named Kuilix, ‘The Red One,’ . . . Her bravery surprised the warriors who were humiliated and indignant because it was a woman who had led the charge, and so they threw themselves into the breach where nature’s shelter had protected the enemy. The Blackfeet immediately shot four shots almost at point-blank range; yet not a single Pend d’Oreille went down. Four of the enemy—some claim it was only two—managed to escape death by hiding in the thickets, but the rest were massacred on the spot."

Kuilix also took part in battle against the Crow tribe in 1846. Father Point also described this incident: The Crow, also called the Absaroka or Apsáalooke, are a tribe of Native Americans who historically lived in the Yellowstone river valley and now live on a reservation south of Billings, Montana. ...

"“The famous Kuilix . . . accompanied by a few braves and armed with an axe, gave chase to a whole squadron of Crows. When they got back to camp, she said to her companions, ‘I thought that those big talkers were men, but I was wrong. Truly, they are not worth pursuing.’”

Women of both the Pend d'Oreilles and the related Flathead tribe took an active role in warfare, frequently entering battle and joining dances while dressed as warriors. The Pend Oreille Indians, also known as the Kalispel, live centered around lake Pend Oreille, as well as the Pend Oreille river, although some of them live spread through Montana and eastern Washington. ... Flathead delegation in Washington, D.C. with interpreter, 1884 Flathead family The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation are the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai and Pend dOreilles Tribes. ...

Source

• "Kuilix, Pend d'Oreille Warrior Woman", URL accessed 08/24/06. Information taken from the book "The Changing Ones", by Will Roscoe