Montana Stockgrowers Consider Meat Processing Feasibility

Most of the people in North Dakota were nomadic or semi-nomadic until about 1100 A.D.

Archaeological evidence tells us that by then, some lived in permanent homes in fortified villages and became sedentary.

The people we know today as the Mandans moved into ND around the year 1000 A.D. By 1100, they had settled in several villages along the Missouri, Heart and Knife rivers. They were still living there in the 19^th century.

They gathered in villages and built permanent houses and are known as sedentary tribes. Along their journey to this location, they learned about corn and how to grow it.

Other People continued to move around, usually following bison herds.

Because these people migrated to find game and plant foods, they lived in housing that could be easily packed up and taken with them, or they built shelters whenever they settled down for a little while. They might have moved 12 to 20 times a year.

They probably traveled more during summer and fall when it was important to find game and plants to preserve for winter. Likely they moved less often in winter.

As the People made changes in their lives, they continued to remember their past and told the stories to their children. Every group of people has a story about where they came from and how they were created. The Bible and Koran tell of the Creation.

These stories came to be known as origin stories. They help us to reach back into the past to learn more about the earliest residents.

Many of the Dakota stories include buffalo because of their importance in the Native culture.. Some groups have more than one origin story.

We can learn a lot about the culture of the People and what qualities they thought were important by reading or listening to their origin stories.

The earliest People to come to ND had creation, or origin, stories. Some of these stories have been preserved through oral tradition. Oral tradition means telling stories about the creation to others, especially the children.

Most of the origin stories are very complicated and very long. There are many characters and many events. The stories are important today because they tell us about the spiritual beliefs and cultural traditions of the People.

Origin stories give us one view of how people came to live here. The stories were handed down from parents to children for centuries. We don’t know what people called themselves when they began telling these stories, but over hundreds of years, they came to call themselves Hidatsa, or Lakota, or Chippewa or another name.

Origin stories tell of some of the great struggles the people went through to emerge on the earth and become fully human.

They had to learn many things and organize into well-ordered communities. They had to learn to understand supernatural powers as well as the natural powers of the plants, animals, rocks and climate.

It is important to remember that some of these stories should be told only at a certain time of the year or under certain conditions.

Since we cannot always meet those conditions when we read the stories, we need to remember to be thankful that the stories have been recorded for us to read and be respectful of the spirit of the people who told these stories over the generations.

The Hidatsa

The Hidatsa have three different origin stories because they believe long ago, there were three different groups of people who eventually came together to become the Hidatsa.

The people established 13 villages along the Missouri that eventually became the 13 clans of the Hidatsa.

The Awatixa (ah wah TEE ha) believed that they were created on the shores of the Missouri River by the great hunter Charred Body, who brought the Awatixa (“People of the Village of the Scattered Lodges”) to Earth.

The Awaxawi (ah wah HAH wi) climbed to the surface of the earth by climbing up a vine.

These “People of the Village on the Hill” lived east of the Missouri River and raised crops until they migrated to the Missouri River and joined the Awatixa and Hidatsa-proper.

The Hidatsa-proper—“People of the Willows”—emerged from the earth near a large lake (often identified as Devils Lake).

They climbed up a vine and emerged through a hole onto the surface.

Tragically, a pregnant woman got stuck in the hole and prevented more people from climbing up the vine. The pregnant woman stopped the migration so there are still Hidatsa ancestors under the earth.

The Hidatsa-proper migrated around the Great Plains until they came to the Missouri River. Here they met the Mandans who helped them cross the river to the west bank.

The Mandans gave the name “Minitaree” or “Cross the Water” to the Hidatsas. Once they arrived at the Missouri River, the Hidatsa-proper learned how to grow corn from other people.

The Mandans

The Mandans were created in two events.

First Creator created the land, animals, plants, rivers and hills west and south of the Missouri River.

A spirit being called Lone Man created the flat land, ponds and grasslands east and north of the Missouri River. Lone Man also created cattle, sheep, birds and white People.

First Creator and Lone Man disagreed about some details of creation, but eventually, Lone Man came to live among the Mandans.

The second event took place at the mouth of the Missouri River. There the people lived in a cave.

A young man left the cave and went to the surface. He returned to his people and told them about the land, so the Mandans left the cave, bringing corn and squash with them.

They lived in different places along the Mississippi River, but then returned to the Missouri River where they met the other Mandans.

Lone Man continued to live with the Mandans a long time, but then decided to return to his home, the south wind.

He promised the Mandans that he would return someday and in the meantime, they would always have his help.

Lone Man returns every spring as the warm wind.

The Arikaras

The Arikara origin story tells us that long ago the people lived in Mother Earth.

Then, Mother Corn brought all the people out to the world.

At first, the people did not know how to live properly, so they wandered. As they wandered, some of them were made into fish, others into birds, moose, bears and other “animal people.” 

Eventually, the Arikaras found a land (in modern Nebraska) that had everything they needed to live. Here, Mother Corn came to them and taught them how to live on earth and how to pray to Man Above.

Mother Corn died, but she left the corn plant to remind the Arikaras of her love for them.

Many years later, the Arikaras moved north to live along the Upper Missouri River.

The Dakotas

The Dakotas tell of coming from across the ocean where they had lived in the land of cold winter and much ice.

They crossed the ocean in boats. When they landed, they found a place where there was plenty of game and other things they needed.

They migrated westward and met the Chippewas in a place where there were three large lakes. While they lived there, white people came, bringing metal tools.

These tools caused trouble for the Dakotas with the Chippewas, but the Dakotas drove the Chippewas away.

 The Dakotas continued to move west until they reached the Mississippi River Valley where they settled in permanent villages.

The Lakotas

The Lakotas believe that long ago, there were only four people on earth.

One of them was the Trickster, Iktomi. Iktomi tricked Anog-Ite into telling him how to get other people from under the earth.

The people under the earth were six men and their wives and a young man named Tokahe, The First One.

Iktomi invited them to the surface. He told them that the world was full of food, clothing and everything they needed. But Iktomi had tricked them; the people found nothing that they needed.

Anog-Ite’s parents, Waziya and Wakanka helped the people by bringing them food and water. Waziya and Wakanka led the people to the forest and showed them how to hunt and live on the earth.

The people learned well how to live and had children. The children of these people are the Lakotas (Sioux).

The Chippewas

The earth, the sun, and the moon were created by the Great Creator, Kitchie Manitou.

Kitchie Manitou also created the plants, rocks, trees, animals, wind and birds. He sent the birds in the four directions (north, south, east and west) to carry life to every place.

Then, when all of the plants and animals had been created, Kitchie Manitou took four parts of Mother Earth and blew into them creating Man.

 Kitchie Manitou then lowered Man, the last creation, to the earth. Man considered all of creation his elders because they came before him.

The Chippewa people who descended from Man first lived by a great salt water, a long way east of where they live now in Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota.

For many years, the Chippewas migrated west, always trying to live closer to the place where their Me-da-we religion could be practiced in its purest form. They finally reached the proper place which was La Pointe Island in Lake Superior (the Apostle Islands).

From here, the Chippewas spread in many directions. Some of them migrated into North Dakota, where they lived and hunted between the Red River and the Turtle Mountains

For the earlier 8^th grade ND Studies see the following:

https://www.ndstudies.gov/gr8/content/unit-i-paleocene

NEXT: Blog 73-Part 1-North Dakota 8^th Grade studies: Raising Corn

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Francie M Berg

Author of the Buffalo Tales &Trails blog

A special event took place at the Vore Buffalo Jump site in 2014 when the Foundation Board decided they wanted a tipi. Not just any tipi, but a fully authentic one. And the buffalo hides had to be tanned in just the way women tanned them and sewed them together long before they had horses.

They hold high standards. Vore Buffalo Jump leaders have tried to adopt and use ancient Native American methods and authentic Native tools in their work when possible.

 That meant the tipi had to be small enough and light enough to be hauled by one or two dogs. So why not find Native women to do it?

They soon discovered that the well-known expert in the art was closer than they imagined. The ancient technique was being taught at Chief Dull Knife College in Lame Deer, Montana—not so  far away. And a class of Northern Cheyenne women in the college was studying just that.

Seven Cheyenne women agreed to come and make the tipi in the old way on the Wyoming site.

The last tipi made by the Northern Cheyenne was around 1877—when herds of buffalo were on the verge of extinction and reservations were being established. 

They said they’d be delighted to come, tan the hides and make the proper kind of tipi needed..

 In fact, for these women it would be “A dream fulfilled!”

The women who came were Larie Clown, Victoria Haugen, Lori Killsontop, Tee Jay Littlewolf, Maria Russell, Rebekah Threefingers and Jodi Waters.

The hide was laced onto a frame so the women could use buffalo leg bone fleshers to remove fat and meat from the skin. After the hide had dried and become stiffer rawhide, the hair (wool) was scraped off using an elk horn scraper.

 In an article he wrote for the Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation Gene Gade, then president, wrote that few tasks were more labor intensive—or necessary—than processing the skins of buffalo and other animals into tanned leather and then using it to produce all kinds of essential products including clothing, tipi covers, moccasins, storage bags and many other items.

 It was a time‐consuming job, performed almost entirely by women.

 All tribes in the region were using some form of “brain tanning” by the time the Vore Site was used. It’s a technique that early people throughout the world discovered, in one variation or another. He explains that without this treatment the hides would have quickly become rancid and start to decompose.

 The brain contains oil called lecithin that becomes a natural tanning agent to lubricate the skin. If you intend to make the hide into a blanket or warm winter coat, only one side of the hide needs to be scraped, because the hair doesn’t have to be removed. The hair was left on and the hide left to dry, stretched and taut.

But if you plan to make a tipi cover or use it as leather, all the hair must be removed. Soaking it in water up to three days, loosens the hair and raises and softens the grain layer of the hide..

Because brains “mix oil and water,” they form a stabilized emulsion on the hide. Nearly all buffalo skulls at the Vore site, Gage said, have been bashed open to remove the brain for hide tanning purposes.

The first priority after a buffalo jump that killed many buffalo was to process the tons of meat that would otherwise spoil quickly. Hides were usually tied in bundles and set aside or soaked in water while the meat was being dried and preserved.

 Then the arduous process of “Soak and Scrape, Soak and Scrape!” began, says Gage. After first soaking and cleaning, the next critical step was to thoroughly scrape away any flesh, fat, muscle or connective tissue from the hide—a job the women usually did on their knees.

After working the skin for hours on the frame, the hide was unlaced and another technique stretched the hide: the hide was used to toss youngsters into the air. Such a sport was enjoyed a century earlier.

As a child sat in the center of the robe, those holding the edges of the hide pulled in unison to send the child up into the air. After a dozen tosses, another child got a turn. This unique method stretched the hide and thrilled the children!

The students then used sinew to stitch five hides together to construct the tipi. Their one concession to modern times was the use of metal needles. Sewing the hides together took three days.

On the morning of the dedication, the tipi was traditionally honored by having military veterans walk barefoot across the tipi cover while an honoring song was sung. Cheyenne elders spoke about the importance of this tipi.

The women next set up the pole framework, wrapped the hide cover around the poles, pinned the right and left sides together and inserted smoke flap poles. 

 Alan Blackwolf, Keeper of the Northern Cheyenne Sacred Buffalo Hat, then smudged the tipi.

 Accompanied by drumming and singing by two Cheyenne elders, the group danced in a circle to a Friendship Dance.

For the Northern Cheyenne women, they had accomplished their mission. They were happy and proud of what they had done— ‘A Dream fulfilled!”

Buffalo hides, travel and refreshments had been rather costly. But the Vore Foundation Directors had been able to get grant funds and donations together to do it right.

 So the tipi was constructed on site by students as planned, accompanied by an instructor from Chief Dull Knife College under the guidance of Larry Belitz, one of the few experts in the art.

“To bring this long-sought dream into reality required the effort of the Cheyenne workers, Larry Belitz who directed the tipi-making, and behind-the-scene work of Vore Buffalo Jump Board of Directors,” said Jackie Wyatt of the VBJF, who lives in Sundance WY.

This kind of tipi—made with five buffalo hides—was used by Plains tribes before they had horses. Once the Plains hunters obtained horses, their tipis could become much larger. This one weighs about 90 pounds so it likely would have taken two dogs to pull the travois.

 When finished, the new tipi found a home in the large research building down in the Vore sinkhole, where it now provides inspiration to researchers and volunteers as they work to excavate new layers of bones and develop new educational panels.

 Funding for the project came from the Wyoming Cultural Trust Fund, the Wyoming Humanities Council, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and donations.  Photos credit Vore Buffalo Jump Foundation. See also “The Ancient and Arduous Art of Brain Tanning Buffalo Hides” by Gene Gade.

NEXT: STUDIES FOR SCHOOLS
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Francie M Berg

Author of the Buffalo Tales &Trails blog

First, we have a buffalo story that you can tell your children and friends to celebrate National Bison Day!

Traditional storytellers believe that old stories are best told in the Native language and to listeners who understand their culture.

They say an amusing story is “not as funny” in English. Much of the spirit, humor and excitement gets lost in translation.

Often the venerable grandmother with a twinkle in her eye entertained with hilarious tales about coyote tricksters and other mischief.

This story may have been told just for fun with its twists, turns and surprises, by a grandmother to a giggling circle of attentive children seated around her.

Race Between Buffalo and the People

Many years ago all the animals lived in peace. No one ate anyone else. All the animals were the same color, because they had not yet painted their faces.

Buffalo was the biggest of the animals and he was getting hungry.

He wanted to be chief of all the animals and to draw strength from all the other animals by eating their flesh. Buffalo wanted to become the grandest of all the animals.

He said he deserved this as the largest and strongest of all.

But the Native People disagreed. They wanted to pull strength from the other animals and become the most important.

So buffalo challenged the Human People to a race. The winner would become chief of all the animals.

The People said they would accept this challenge, but since buffaloes have four legs and People have only two, the Native People claimed the right to have another animal run the race in their place.

The buffaloes consented.

The People chose Bird People to represent them in the race. They selected Hummingbird, Meadowlark, Hawk and Magpie.

All the other animals and birds wanted to join the race, too, each of them thinking that just maybe they too had a chance to become chief of all the animals.

All the animals took paint and painted their faces for the race, each according to his or her spiritual vision.

Skunk painted a white stripe on himself as his symbol for the race.

Antelope painted himself the color of the earth. Raccoon painted black circles around his eyes and around his tail. Robin painted herself brown with a red breastplate for the race.

The race was to be held at the edge of the Black Hills at the place known as Buffalo Gap.

The competitors would race from the starting line sticks to the turn-around stick and then back to the starting line.

All the animals, painted according to their vision, lined up between the sticks.

Among the animals were the Bird People—Hummingbird, Meadowlark, Hawk and Magpie—who would run the race with their wings for the Human People, and Runs Slender Buffalo, the fastest runner of all the buffalo.

The cry was given to begin and all the animals and birds burst from the starter stick.

Hummingbird took the lead, ahead of Runs Slender Buffalo, but his wings were so small that he soon fell behind.

As the animals neared the turn-around stick, Runs Slender Buffalo took the lead. Then Meadowlark came up beside Runs Slender Buffalo, and the two went along side by side right into the turn.

Runs Slender Buffalo wheeled around the stick, his hooves thundering, and he pulled away from Meadowlark, who flew wide to make the turn.

The animals in the lead passed the late runners who were still headed for the stick.

Meadowlark fell behind and cheered on Hawk as he passed her.

Hawk gained on Run Slender Buffalo, and it looked like she might pass him. His heart was pounding and his legs were tiring. But Hawk’s wings were tiring also, and she soon fell behind.

Runs Slender Buffalo was nearing the finish line as the winner.

It looked like the Buffalo would become eaters of all the other animals!

Then, behind the Buffalo, wings beating steadily, came Magpie. She was not a quick starter, but her wingbeats were hard and true. Her heart was strong. Her eyes did not wander from the finish line.

She never looked back. Her wings were wide and she drove herself forward with beat after beat after beat.

All the other animals had fallen behind. Runs Slender Buffalo looked over at the magpie, but Magpie never looked away from the starting sticks.

With each beat of her wings she moved past Runs Slender Buffalo by no more than the length of her bill.

At the starting sticks, many animals began to line up to watch the finish.

Raccoon, who had fallen out of the race early, had returned to the starting sticks.

Now he stood up between the sticks and put out his little hands for the runners to touch as they passed. He would feel the touch of whoever was in the lead, and turn toward the winner.

Closer and closer came Runs Slender Buffalo and some of the animals feared Raccoon would be trampled.

Magpie gradually flew nearer to the ground so she could brush Raccoon’s little hands as she flew past. Raccoon did not move, but stared straight at the onrushing pair.

Magpie seemed to be pulling ahead. Runs Slender Buffalo leaned forward as he ran to touch Raccoon’s hand with his great nose.

But Magpie’s wingtip touched Raccoon’s little hand and he turned toward her an instant before Runs Slender Buffalo thundered past, surrounded by a great cloud of dust. All the animals waited breathlessly for the dust to settle.

At last, there stood Raccoon with his little hand raised toward the path of Magpie.

The Human People had won the race!

Thus, the Native People became great hunters and chief of all animals. They feasted on buffalo meat while the Buffalo wandered the great plains eating grass and chewing their cud.

But the Native People never ate the Hummingbird, Meadowlark, Hawk or Magpie, who had befriended them and won the race for them!
(http://www.ilhawaii.net/~stony/lore122.html )

The Magnificent Buffalo

You see them everywhere—on coins, on sports team logos, on T-shirts and a couple of state flags.

No, we’re not talking about the bald eagle. This honor is reserved for North American bison.

On National Bison Day, November 5, an annual event that falls on the first Saturday in November, all Americans should reflect on the impact bison have as a part of our environmental and cultural heritage.

Bison are especially revered by Native People—for thousands of years central to their survival as both food and spiritual inspiration.

Today many Native Americans say, “They took care of us when we needed them; now it’s our turn to take care of them!”

The American Bison was officially named the national mammal of the United States on May 9, 2016, after a unanimous bipartisan vote in the US Congress. This majestic animal joins the ranks of the Bald Eagle as the official symbol of our country—and much like the eagle, it’s one of the greatest conservation success stories of all time.

In prehistoric times, millions of bison roamed North America—from the forests of Alaska and the grasslands of Mexico to Nevada’s Great Basin and the eastern Appalachian Mountains.

But by the late 1800s, there were only a few hundred bison left in the United States after European settlers pushed west, reducing the animal’s habitat and hunting the bison to near extinction.

Had it not been for a few private individuals working with tribes, states and the Interior Department, the bison would be extinct today.

What to do on National Bison Day!

Celebrated on the first Saturday in November. This day is observed to honor the majestic beasts of the United States.

1.Tell buffalo stories to your family, your friends, at the Senior Center, your office or on the Radio or TV. Everyone enjoys a buffalo story.

2.Visit a national park, or a nearby buffalo herd. You may not be able to get to a large national park like Yellowstone, but every state and Canadian province has a buffalo herd or two—or more. There are a vast number of parks from which to choose, and many have buffalo. So get acquainted and ENJOY watching live buffalo.

Give your children a chance to experience the wonder of our latest national icon—the Bison or Buffalo. Imagine what it must have been like to see thousands of them freely roaming the plains!

3. Wear a buffalo T-shirt. It won’t be hard to find a T-shirt that shows your love of bison. Wear it proudly because we only have one national mammal. It’s a majestic symbol to wear—or maybe a cute bison cartoon.

4. Many groups use this day to raise funds in support of bison. You can help.

5 Reasons We Love Our Bison

1. Watch that tail
​If a bison’s tail is hanging down and moves naturally from side to side, the animal is relaxed. But when the tail stands straight up, it’s a signal the buffalo is getting ready to charge. Too late to run!

2. They’ve got skills
​Given their size as the largest mammals in North America, bison are surprisingly agile with an ability to swim well, jump up to six feet, spin on a dime (pivoting from their front legs, not the rear as do most animals) and run between 35 and 40 mph.

3. They’re oldies but goodies
Bison have always roamed in Yellowstone National Park as evidenced by prehistoric fossils found in modern times. But they were once cut down to about 24 head and replenished by buffalo from various sources.

4. Throw a stone—hit a bison
Herds of bison can be found in all 50 states.

5. Bison as symbols
The American bison is not only the country’s official mammal. It is also the state mammal of Wyoming, Oklahoma and Kansas. And yes, buffalo are found on coins, belt buckles, flags and jewelry!

Why National Bison Day is Important

Bison are our national mammal. Here are a few interesting facts about the Bison:

• Bison is North America’s largest land mammal
• Bison have a lifespan of 20 or more years
• The male Bison can grow up to 6 feet tall and weigh nearly 2000 pounds
• The female Bison grows up to 5 feet tall and weighs 1000 pounds
• Calves have a reddish coat at birth and are nicknamed “red dogs”z

Calves are cinnamon colored for the first three months, then nubbins of horns and a hump begins to grow and gradually they turn dark like their moms. Mothers are very attentive and keep their calves close by. Photo CH SDGFP.

• Fully-grown Bison will have shaggy coats that are dark brown to black
• Bison have a strong sense of hearing and smell but poor eyesight; However because they have an eye on each side of their head and can’t focus sharply, they have good peripheral vision to keep track of what’s behind
• The Bison’s hump is a composition of long vertebrae that support the muscle allowing it to plow through snow
• Fossil accounts reveal that Bison has been a native continuously to Yellowstone since the prehistoric period
• Bison can run up to 35 to 40 mph i.e., as fast as a horse. They can ‘spin on a dime,’ pivot quickly and jump high fences
• The Bison tail displays its mood. If it’s hanging down and swinging naturally, the bison is calm. If its tail is straight up, run for your lives

History of National Bison Day

National Bison Day was initiated in 2012 by conservationists and Native Americans with their concern for the American Bison. The resolution was headed by Sen. Michael Enzi and Sen. Joe Donnelly and co-sponsored by a mix of other senators.

It took 4 years, but Congress passed the National Bison Legacy Act in April 2016 with unanimous support. They set the first Saturday in November as National Bison Day. 

This brought together the Vote Bison Coalition consisting of more than 50 Indian tribes, businesses, and organizations led by the Wildlife Conservation Society, National Bison Association, the InterTribal Buffalo Council, Both Native and Non-native bison producers, conservationists, sportsmen and educators to celebrate the significance of Bison.

The American Bison, also commonly known as the American buffalo, once roamed the grasslands of North America in massive herds, and became nearly extinct.

The bison are considered a historical symbol of the United States and were integrally linked with the economic and spiritual lives of many Native American tribes through their culture, trade and sacred ceremonies.

Bison are also known to play an important role in improving soil and creating beneficial habitat while holding significant economic value for private producers and rural communities. 

Who really Saved the Buffalo?

Amazingly, saving the buffalo was in the hands of a very few individuals. All were western ranchers who also hunted buffalo. Five family groups in the US and Canada get our praise and international credit for saving the buffalo from extinction.

Three of the families had Native American roots. If they hadn’t acted in the way they did—to save individual buffalo calves, mother them up with domestic cows and grow their own herds—we’d have no buffalo today!

It is true that many groups stepped in to make permanent homes for the buffalo in parks, refuges and tribal herds, after local herds began thriving. We also honor them for their important follow-up work.

But let us never forget that it was the people who knew buffalo best—those Westerners with moccasins and boots on the ground—who rescued and fed fragile orphan calves, nourished them and grew them into viable herds and cared for them—who did the critical rescue work that saved the species!

The Native American families were Pete Dupree in South Dakota, whose mother was Lakota Sioux, who grew his herd to 83 head until his death—and his herd purchasers Scotty Philip who also had a Native American wife. James McKay, a Metis from near Winnipeg. And the Native hunter who travelled from the Flathead reservation east across the Continental Divide in Montana to hunt buffalo with Blackfoot friends and brought back 4 live buffalo calves which grew into a herd of 13. (Some say this young hunter was Sam Walking Coyote; but others say Walking Coyote was the sneaky stepfather who sold the herd without the young hunter’s permission for $2,000.)

Charles Goodnight, cattle rancher from Texas and CJ “Buffalo” Jones of Kansas were the other two who first hunted buffalo, and then turned to their rescue.

• Amazingly, saving the buffalo was in the hands of a very few individuals. All were western ranchers who also hunted buffalo. Five family groups in the US and Canada get our praise and international credit for saving the buffalo from extinction.
• Three of the families had Native American roots. If they hadn’t acted in the way they did—to save individual buffalo calves, mother them up with domestic cows and grow their own herds—we’d have no buffalo today!
• It is true that many groups stepped in to make permanent homes for the buffalo in parks, refuges and tribal herds, after local herds began thriving. We also honor those people for their important follow-up work.
• The Native American families were Pete Dupree in South Dakota, whose mother was Lakota Sioux, who grew his herd to 83 head until his death—and his herd purchaser Scotty Philip who also had a Native American wife. Jaimes McKay, a Metis from near Winnipeg, and Walking Coyote or a young hunter from the Flathead reservation west of the Continental Divide in Montana.
• Charles Goodnight, cattle rancher from Texas and CJ “Buffalo” Jones of Kansas were the other two who first hunted buffalo, and then worked to save them.

What should we call them—‘Bison or Buffalo?’

 Bison, Bison, Bison!” admonish our European friends.

But just a minute! Yes, scientifically speaking our buffalo are named Bison. We know that. Of course.

Scientific names also apply to Equine, Bovine and Canine—that’s fine between scientists and veterinarians. But in conversation, we don’t call them that, do we? So let’s not get hung up on this technicality.

In the US we use the terms Bison and Buffalo interchangeably—and it’s OK.

Use whichever you like. But note it’s National Geographic usage; American dictionaries, most Westerners and certainly Native Americans prefer to use the term Buffalo, unless they’re saying it in their Native language.

Here in the west—and certainly all across America—we have towns and creeks and hills named after the buffalo.

In the county next to us we have two towns, ‘Bison’ and ‘Buffalo.’ Which is the more correct and more important? It’s a toss-up. The people there don’t seem to care. I think they are happy to share the honor.

‘Buffalo’ was a term first used in America in 1625. ‘Bison’ was documented here after 150 years later—in 1774.

The word ‘Buffalo’ actually came from early French fur traders and trappers who called the animals ‘les boeufs,’ a Greek word for ‘the beeves’ meaning oxen or bullocks. In that context both names, ‘bison’ and ‘buffalo’ have a similar meaning.

‘Buffalo’ even has a verb form—‘to buffalo,’ meaning to overawe or bewilder.

British friends say we are confused. I don’t think so.

Confusion is not really the issue. Neither is science—we understand and accept the science.

The thing is, we just like our buffalo. And we like to call them that. It fits.

William T. Hornaday, that great historian of the species, was good-humored about it. He called the animals ‘Bison’ in his own writings. Nevertheless, he wrote in 1889:

“The fact that more than 60 million people in this country unite in calling him a buffalo, and know him by no other name, renders it quite unnecessary to apologize for following a harmless custom which has now become so universal—that all the naturalists in the world could not change it if they would!”

Even more important to us: the word ‘Buffalo” rolls off the tongue in a friendlier, more comfortable way. ‘Buffalo’ fits these majestic, stoic and powerful beasts.

 ‘Bison’ doesn’t do that—it’s kind of a sissy word (unless you give it a ‘Z’ sound as do NDSU Bison football fans).

‘Bison’ sets barriers and keeps a cool distance between us and these beloved animals.

I think Professor Dale F Lott, University of California, said it best. He’s a scientist who grew up in the shadow of buffalo. He’s not confused about anything–most especially his beloved buffalo!

Born on Montana’s National Bison Range, where his grandfather was the Superintendent, Lott grew up watching buffalo on the hills every day. His father, from a nearby ranch, worked on the Bison Range. He had married the boss’s daughter.

Professor Lott, who in my opinion surely loved and understood the buffalo as much, if not more, than any other scientist who wrote of them, explains why he uses both terms interchangeably.

“I’ve given a lot of thought to whether I should call my protagonist ‘bison’ or ‘buffalo,’” he explains in the preface to his book: ‘American Bison: A Natural History.’

 “I decided to use both names. My scientist side is drawn to ‘bison.’ It is scientifically correct and places the animal precisely among the world’s mammals.

“Yet the side of me that grew up American is drawn to ‘buffalo’—the name by which most Americans have long known it.

“’Buffalo’ honors its long, intense and dramatic relationship with the peoples of North America.”

Lott drops the discussion there. Enough said.

So, when it all shakes out, what should we call them? These majestic, magnificent creatures of the Plains and Prairies?

My answer is this: Call them whatever you like, the term with which you are most comfortable—or use both interchangeably, as does Professor Lott.

Maybe ‘Buffalo’ when you’re with friends; ‘Bison’ when you’re with scientists.

Or just ‘Buffalo.’ Whichever feels right to you. But as Hornaday suggests, don’t apologize.

It’s a mistake for Americans to think we ‘should’ call our own Greatest Mammal whatever others tell us we ‘should.’

We can say, cheerfully, with a smile, no trace of rancor, “No, I don’t think so!”

To many of us, they are simply ‘buffalo.’

It fits. We know them well!

This is the name that honors the majestic animal itself.

Because it’s true: ‘Buffalo’ celebrates that “long, intense and dramatic relationship” they have with the Native people and settlers of North America.

And that’s the issue.

Francie M Berg

Author of the Buffalo Tales &Trails blog

The buffalo is celebrated as sacred by the Plains Indians in stories, songs, dances, artwork and religious symbols and ceremonials.

For thousands of years buffalo were intimately connected with the Indian culture, both physically and spiritually.

They were considered as relatives who protect the people and deserve protection and gratitude in return. As brothers and sisters, they lived together in harmony.

In traditional Plains belief, buffalo gave themselves up willingly as food for Native people, and furnished many other gifts as well.

Daily the people thanked the buffalo and prayed for them to continue helping them survive.

Storytelling an Art

Storytelling was an art. The people recognized certain restrictions and taboos. Some stories were passed down by a certain medicine man—and he alone was allowed to tell them.

Telling stories was an art and an important way of passing down religious beliefs, history and tribal culture. The same traditions in several variations might be told by storytellers from different tribes, especially if they shared kinship or traded with each other.

Restrictions and taboos applied. Certain stories were passed down to a specific medicine man, and he alone was allowed to tell them. Traditional beliefs were taught at a grandmother’s knee—or by grandfathers.

 There were stories of the origin of buffalo—and people—the flood that covered the earth, the close connections of the people with the spirit world of their relatives—buffalo and other wildlife and birds.

 Other stories modeled good behavior such as kindness to the less fortunate and the generosity of every good hunter in sharing his game.

 Stories and traditions of Native people are told for different reasons—to teach, to entertain, to ridicule, to cause fear or laughter. All bring the knowledge of elders to younger generations.

 Traditional storytellers believe the old stories are best told in the native language and to listeners who understand their culture.

 They say an amusing story is “not as funny” in English. Much of the spirit, humor and excitement get lost in translation.

Not always did the traditional stories provide religious or cultural significance or even teach a lesson. Often the venerable grandmother, with a twinkle in her eye, entertained children with hilarious tales about coyote tricksters and other mischief.

Petroglyphs carved into rocks in Nebraska mark a notable place of religious ceremony. Photo Smithsonian.

Cave of Origin

The creation of humans and buffalo as emerging from a cave or hole in the ground is a traditional belief held by many Plains tribes.

For many Lakota that cave is Wind Cave in the southern Black Hills, one of the world’s longest caves. The pine-covered hills there are coursed throughout with large caves, interconnected through a network of tight honeycombed passages.

A Pawnee traditional belief tells of the beginning of the world from such a cave or hole.

Long ago all living things waited far underground. Great herds of buffalo lay there, all the people, antelope, wolves, deer, rabbits, and even the little bird that sang ‘tear-tear.’  They waited as if asleep.

One day Buffalo Woman awoke, stretched and began to walk slowly among the others touching them lightly. As she did they began to stir and stretch.

She headed toward an opening where she saw a great shining light and felt warmth streaming into the cave.

A young cow rose and followed her. Then came another buffalo and another and soon a great line was moving out of the opening into the bright, warm, grassy place that was the earth.

Next the people woke up and streamed out one by one, followed by all the other animals and even the small tear-tear bird flying toward the warming sun.

They spread out in all four directions toward the circling horizon. And the people knew they were in the right place, the place where they would live well, together with their relatives, the buffalo.

Stories and traditions of Native people are told for different reasons—to teach, to entertain, to bring the knowledge of elders to younger generations. Painting credit Howard Terpning.

Grandmother gives Magic Bowls of Meat

Long ago, a tribe of Cheyenne hunters camped near a spring at the head of a small rushing stream. Farther downstream the creek disappeared into a deep hole.

The people were starving and could find no food, not even a rabbit or a grouse.

One day the Chief called a council meeting. “We must explore the hole,” he said. “It may be dangerous, but we have brave hunters. Who will go?”

No one responded. Finally, one young brave painted himself for hunting and stepped up. “I will go and sacrifice myself for our people.”

He arrived at the hole, and to his surprise, he found two other Cheyenne hunters near the opening, where the stream rushed underground.

“Are you here to taunt me,” the young hunter asked. “Will you only pretend to jump when I do?”

“No, you are mistaken about us. We really do want to come into the hole with you,” they said.

They then joined hands and together jumped down into the opening. They fell into deep darkness. Finally their eyes began to adjust, and they discovered a door.

The first hunter knocked, but there was no response. He knocked again, louder.

“Who are you and what do you want, my brave ones?” asked an old Indian grandmother as she opened her door.

“Grandmother, we are searching for food for our hungry people,” the young man replied. “Our tribe never seems to have enough to eat.”

“Are you hungry now?” she asked.

“Oh, yes, kind Grandmother, we are very hungry,” all three braves answered.

She opened her door wide, inviting them in.

“Look out there!” she pointed out her window.

beautiful wide prairie stretched before their eyes. The young hunters could hardly believe what they saw! To their surprise, great herds of buffalo grazed there contentedly.

Then she seated the hunters and brought each of them a stone bowl full of buffalo stew. It was delicious. They ate their fill and still more meat remained in their bowls!

“Take these special bowls of buffalo meat back to your hungry people,” the grandmother said. “Tell them that soon I will send buffalo.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you, kind Grandmother,” said the three young Cheyenne braves.

They helped each other climb back up the hole without spilling any of the buffalo meat out of the bowls.

As they climbed out of the hole, their people were delighted to see them safe.

And even happier that they brought delicious food. Everyone in the camp ate heartily and rejoiced over the tasty new food. And though all ate their fill, still more meat remained in the old grandmother’s three magic bowls.

When the Cheyenne waked at dawn the next day, they looked out of their tepees and could scarcely believe the vast herds of buffalo that had mysteriously appeared, surrounding their village and covering the hills and prairies far into the distance.

They knew this would be a good supply of food, shelter and clothing for their people.

Gratefully they gave thanks to the spirit grandmother and to the buffalo for their generosity.
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/OriginoftheBuffalo-Cheyenne.html)

Teams of young men drag the sagebrush as a first step in building a Medicine Lodge. Historic photo from Smithsonian files.

White Buffalo Woman Brings Pipe

White Buffalo Woman is a holy being who figures powerfully into Plains lore. Although she first appeared in human form, she is also a buffalo, one of the brothers and sisters who gave their flesh so the people could live.

One summer long ago the Sans Arc band of Teton Sioux had nothing to eat and people were starving.

Two young men went out hunting but could find nothing all morning.

Then toward them came a beautiful young maiden in beautiful fringed white buckskin that shone in the sun. She said she brought a message from the buffalo nation.

One of the hunters reached out to touch her with disrespect. As he did so a cloud dropped over him and when it lifted, only his skeleton lay there, scorched and burned.

The other young man treated her with awe and respect. She told him to go back to camp without looking back and tell the people to prepare a medicine lodge for her visit at sunrise.

At daybreak the White Buffalo Woman came toward their camp, holding the sacred buffalo calf pipe.

She told them the pipe was a peacemaker, and that their tribe was especially selected for good qualities and reverence toward sacred things.

She talked to the women, “You have a hard life, yet without you this life would not be what it is. The Great Spirit is with you in your sorrows. He has given you the great gift of kindness. He knows you love your children dearly.”

To the children she said, “Your parents love you and have made many sacrifices for your sake.

“Learn to respect and reverence this pipe and, above all, lead pure lives.

And to the men she said, “My dear brothers, in giving you this pipe you are expected to use it for nothing but good purposes.

“When you are in need of buffalo meat, smoke this pipe and ask for what you need and it shall be granted you.

“On you it depends to be a strong help to the women in raising of children. Share the women’s sorrow. The Great Spirit smiles on the man who has kind feelings for a woman. Be good and kind to the little children.”

She showed them how to use the pipe. Then as White Buffalo Woman walked away toward the setting sun, she rolled over four times.  

The first time she changed into a black buffalo calf, the next time a brown calf, then a red calf. The fourth time she rolled, she changed into a white female buffalo calf.

As the white calf disappeared from sight over a nearby hill, great numbers of buffalo came down the hill, allowing themselves to be killed. This was so that their relatives, the people, might survive.

From that day the buffalo furnished the people with all the food they needed, skins for their tipis, warm clothing, bones for tools and sacred items for religious ceremonies.

The tribe named the sacred pipe the White Buffalo Calf pipe. It is said that their Chief Buffalo Stands Upward received it from the White Buffalo Maiden herself.

Elk Head, the keeper of the pipe when Frances Densmore recorded this story in 1918, was said to be 98 years of age. He died soon after. Each previous keeper of the pipe lived to be more than a hundred years old, Densmore was told. Two very old tribal pipes were said to be kept by the Looking Horse family at Eagle Butte in South Dakota (Densmore).

How the Buffalo Escaped from Humpback

An Apache/ Comanche tradition tells of the release of buffalo before they ran freely over the earth.

A powerful being named Humpback owned all the buffalo. He kept them locked in a stone corral in the southern mountains where he lived with his young son.

He shared them with no one else and refused to give any meat to his neighbors, even though they were starving.

The people sought help from the wily Coyote.

Coyote called them into Council. “Let’s go over to Humpback’s corral and make a plan to release the buffalo.”

After dark Coyote and the hunters inspected the corral. The thick stone walls rose too high to climb and there was no gate—only an entrance that led through the back door of Humpback’s house.

For four days they watched the father, his son and the buffalo from behind a brushy hideout.

The next morning when the boy went to the spring for water he found a small dog there drinking.

He picked up the dog, laughed, snuggled and played with it and carried it back home.

“See my nice puppy!” he said. “I want to keep him for a pet.”

“Take him back! A dog is good for nothing,” his father scolded.

“Besides he’s probably not a real dog—some schemer has done this to get our buffalo.

“Look—we’ll test him.”

He held a hot coal from the fire close to the puppy’s eyes. It barked three times.

“All right. It probably is a real dog,” decided Humpback. “You can keep it. But only if it stays away from the buffalo.”

That night when father and son went to sleep, Coyote opened the back door and ran to the buffalo, barking and nipping at their heels.

The terrified buffalo had never been chased by a dog before. They stampeded through the house, smashing down the front door.

Humpback awoke and tried to stop them, but could not hold them back.

Every buffalo escaped and ran up and over the green hills, scattering across the earth.

Coyote ran after them and the people danced with joy.

After the last one had galloped away, Humpback’s son looked for his small dog. “Where is my puppy?” he cried. “I want my pet puppy dog.”

“That was not a dog!” Humpback shouted angrily. “It was Coyote the Trickster. He fooled us. See him out there dancing with the people.

“He turned loose all our buffalo and we can never get them back again.”
 (http://darkwell.com/lor297.htm )

The Buffalo was part of us, his flesh and blood being absorbed by us until it became our own flesh and blood.

Our clothing, our tipis, everything we needed for life came from the buffalo’s body. It was hard to say where the animals ended and the human began.

– John (Fire) Lame Deer, Oglala-Lame Deer Seeker of Visions
(with Richard Erdoes, 1972)

Francie M Berg

Author of the Buffalo Tales &Trails blog