Tatanka (Buffalo): A Way of Life for Native Peoples in the Past and Present

Tribes have an inherent right to reintroduce and manage buffalo on their reservations to preserve their way of life. This media gallery explores how the reintroduction of buffalo to Native peoples helps them reclaim their identity, culture, and traditions.

Students will explore the sacred connection between Native peoples and the buffalo. First, students will learn about the legend of the White Buffalo Calf Woman and how she presented Native peoples with the sacred pipe, the Seven Values, and the Seven Sacred Ceremonies. Then, they will learn how the decline of the buffalo population to the brink of extinction devastated Native peoples and how reintroducing buffalo into Native communities revitalizes culture, tradition, and customs.

The time allocated for this gallery will depend on the resources used. The gallery is divided into three sections:

• The White Buffalo Calf Woman story
• Living in harmony with the buffalo, which includes the traditional use of buffalo parts
• A new generation of Native peoples and the buffalo

If you want to explore the topic more extensively, you could use all the resources or select one or two as time allows.