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How did Plains Indian sign language help different Indigenous nations communicate?

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Plains style — Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains Dancers at the Totah Festival Powwow performing the Northern Tradition dance, a dance inspired by Plains traditions, on September 1, 2007, in Farmington, New Mexico.

Plains Indian sign language (PISL) served as a vital lingua franca that enabled communication between diverse Indigenous nations whose spoken languages were not mutually intelligible.12

Because these groups shared a similar environment and mode of life, they were able to develop a system of fixed hand and finger positions that symbolized common objects, actions, and ideas. For example, a gesture depicting the rump of a bounding deer was universally understood, as were signs for the moon, horseback riding, or treachery.13

This sign language facilitated a wide range of interactions, including:
* Trade: It bridged the gap between groups during commercial exchanges.1
* Hunting and Secrecy: It allowed for effective communication during activities where silence was necessary.1
* Narrative: It was sophisticated enough that users could convey long, complex narratives in both monologue and dialogue.3

PISL was used at all levels of society and spread extensively across the Great Plains, reaching as far north as Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. While it was primarily a tool for intertribal communication, it was also used for interactions between Indigenous peoples and Euro-Americans.12