The following is a post by me and three other authors and appreciators of Native American history who would like to honor the rich heritage of those who inhabited America long before the authors’ ancestors arrived.
__
The American Buffalo, PBS documentary by Ken Burns, does a fabulous job of incorporating Native American artists and historians able to convey the reverence for, and importance of, bison for Plains Indians like the Apache, Kiowa and Cheyenne. The bovine can weigh between 880 - 2,200 pounds and withstand extreme temperatures of -40 and over 100 degrees F.
Despite a sordid history of wanton hunting that almost decimated America’s bison population by 1883, herds have made a drastic comeback. In October, the US Department of Agriculture announced a pilot program to make the purchase of bison from local tribes easier. Those participating include the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, their herd managers, and local producer Dakota Pure Bison.
In 2020, the Rosebud Sioux tribe committed to using 28,000 acres of native grassland for the creation of a 1,500-animal herd, increasing the overall number of Native American owned bison by 7% nationally.
Have you ever eaten bison meat? Have you ever seen one up close? They are impressive!
___
Martha Engber, author of THE FALCON, THE WOLF AND THE HUMMINGBIRD
Leslie K. Simmons, author of RED CLAY, RUNNING WATERS
Michael Ross, author of ACROSS THE GREAT DIVIDE
J. Stanion, author of MY PLACE AMONG THEM
Comments