As in many cultures, owls are associated with spirits and ghosts. The Screech Owl in particular, due perhaps to its eery call, is seen in this way. One story tells of a man who would always camp away from the main camp circle. Another man became curious about him. He went out once to follow him and see what he was up to. He could not find the man, but saw an owl. He shot the owl, then went over to where it had fallen, and found the man lying dead beneath the tree. This is why Arapahos are warned not to bother owl - they may be spirits. Kroeber suggests that the connection between owls and spirits was the reason for the use of owl feathers on Ghost Dance objects (The Arapaho, p. 321). Screech owl feathers were also attached to rattles so that, by a common principle of Arapaho traditional thought, the feathers of the ghost would drive away ghosts (Kroeber, The Arapaho, p. 447).
Owls were also associated with the Arapaho age-grade ceremony called the Crazy Lodge. The Crazy Lodge men, during the ceremony, were expected to do the opposite of all normal social rules, and engaged in walking on fire as well as “talking backward” (saying yes for no and vice versa). They used owl feathers in their regalia, and wore a headband with owl feathers attached. As long as they wore this, they were “crazy,” but when they went into someone else’s tepee during the ceremony time, they removed the headband, and could then act normally.