I know this is an old thread but I just wanted to share this somewhere that I've figured out that feathers in Native American spirituality must represent energy channels (called nadis in Sanskrit). So a white headdress must represent the crown chakra with pure energy streaming out of it. A chief wears a headdress to signify the great power they express. I'm sure there would be other meanings as well, but this makes sense to me on a spiritual level.
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