Buffalo
In many North American Tribes, buffalo are considered sacred relatives, providing significant spiritual and cultural meaning as well as physical sustenance and environmental management. While destruction of the buffalo was a military strategy to disempower and destabilize Tribes, many tribal communities have worked on efforts to increase the population and to steward the land.
Health Benefits:
Diet/Nutrition
Health Condition:
Cardiovascular Disease
Type 2 Diabetes
Method of Use:
Cook/culinary
Cultural Narrative
Several community members described the buffalo or bison as having significant spiritual and cultural meaning in their Tribal communities. From creation stories to teaching lessons about facing adversity to providing important elements necessary for survival, buffalo are prominent in many community member stories.
One community member describes how he uses the hunting and processing of buffalo as a cultural teaching practice to demonstrate to youth how we respectfully hunt, process, and share the gift of food with community.