As part of their culture, the Kiowa have numerous legends that illustrate their powerful connection with the natural environment. One such legend is that of the seven sisters and their brother. According to the story, seven sisters and their brother were playing together when all of a sudden, the little boy started turning into a bear, complete with very sharp and powerful claws.

As one can imagine, the boy's sisters were absolutely petrified to see their brother transform into such a fearsome creature. Frightened for their lives, they made a run for it, only for the bear to come after them. After a short while, they came to the stump of a tree, which immediately began to speak to the girls, telling them to climb on top. They duly did so, and began rising further and further up into the air.

In the meantime, the bear descended upon the tree stump, angrily scratching his claws against it while the seven sisters rose into the sky, where they became part of the constellation colloquially known as the Big Dipper. The tree stump scratched by the bear was eventually transformed into the Devil's Tower, a rock formation that has great cultural significance for the Kiowa.