November 1 was US National Bison day, and I always think about native foods at Thanksgiving time.
So lets celebrate another Bison return to tribal lands [2].
In fact, this return is a gift from the Kalispel Tribe to their long time neighbors, Colville Confederated Tribes. As Steve Jackson reported these tribes have exchanged gifts for many years. But this year, the Kalispel upped the gift of Bison meat to 30 Buffalo from their herd [2].
Credit: Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation
While Ken Burns has made reestablishing Bison herds a little trendy [1], North American tribes have been working for a long time to reestablish free running Bison herds on tribal lands. For many indigenous people, Bison are not just a source of food, they are a cultural symbol, a link to heritage, and a powerful symbol.
As more than one elder has said, "They tried to wipe out the Buffalos and us with them. The Buffalo are still here, and so are we."
- Jodi Heckel, History professor featured in a new Ken Burns documentary, in University of Illinois College of LIberal Arts & Sciences - News, September 27, 2023. https://las.illinois.edu/news/2023-09-27/history-professor-featured-new-ken-burns-documentary
- Steve Jackson, The Colville Confederated Tribes have received a unique gift from the Kalispel Tribe., in National Native News, November 22, 2023. https://www.nativenews.net/wednesday-november-22-2023/
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