Anne’s September Update and Musings – Do Not Pet the Fluffy Cows!

Once again, we spent a wonderful couple of weeks at the 85^th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Over a half million riders enjoying what they love most, riding the wind and curves. It is truly a most amazing place. And even though the rides and people watching is off the charts good, I am always most fascinated by the buffalo. So majestic, so powerful and so many! It was a great year for buffalo encounters.

And this year I also learned a lot about buffalo that I didn’t know previously. So, I thought I would share some of that new knowledge with you! (You’re welcome).

First, is it buffalo or bison? Well, it’s both – or either. The word “buffalo” actually came from the French who called them “boeufs” which means oxen or beef. As we always do, we corrupted the English translation into “buffalo.” The scientific name for these animals (named by the French) is “bison bison.” There are two subspecies of bison in North America: The plains bison and the wood bison. And Europe’s version of the bison is the Wisent Bison.

At one time and many decades ago, there were estimated to be 30 to 60 million buffalo roaming the North America continent. Settlers describe the buffalo herd as being so massive, even after several days on horseback, they had still not reached the end of the herd. Can you imagine what that looked like!

But as settlements grew, the demand for buffalo hides and tongues would become so great that the number of buffalo that would be killed reached into the millions. So, in the early 1900’s, the US Government began to re-establish herds across the US, some starting with as few as 2 males and 4 females.

To the Native Americans, the buffalo was a gift. A gift of life. Red Cloud (Oglala Lakota leader) describes how they told the US government “that the supernatural powers, Wakan Tanka, had given to the Lakota the buffalo for food and clothing.”  And the Native Americans truly saw their relationship with the buffalo as sacred. They were considered a relative and held a sacred place in their spirituality, with songs, dance and prayer dedicated to these animals. And because the relationship was sacred, every part of the buffalo was used. The meat was used for food, the hides for tipis and clothing, the horns and bones for tools and even the stomach for water containers and cooking pots.

The Lakota also had an ingenious way to kill the buffalo before the introduction of the horse. They would lure a herd of buffalo toward a high cliff and drive them over the edge, where they would fall to their death. Then, the women would prepare the buffalo by skinning and tanning the hides as well as preparing the meat. There is a sculpture of the buffalo jump at the Tatanka Story of Bison Museum in Deadwood, SD, created by Kevin Costner. It is a Must See if you are in the area.

Buffalo also has an animal spirit meaning. According to my dear friend, Dr. Steven Farmer, the author of the “must have”  Animals Spirits Guide,( https://drstevenfarmer.com/product/animal-spirit-guides-book/ ) the buffalo have several spirit meanings. Buffalo spirit means abundance, trusting that you will always have whatever you need. To focus on being appreciative and grateful for all that you have. To stop feeling sorry for yourself and instead be aware of the extraordinary number of resources you have available.

Thankfully, there are now buffalo across South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Utah that we can experience. Custer State Park in South Dakota has one of the largest herds. And it is almost time for the annual Buffalo Round Up! You can watch it online. It happens on Friday, September 26. Check out the site and tune in to be amazed at the running of these magnificent creatures. Or even better, be there in person! Either way, it’s worth seeing.  https://www.travelsouthdakota.com/into-the-roundup?utm_source=salesforce&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=BuffaloRoundupVideo     

But for now, just remember, these are majestic giants. So, embrace everything they bring to the world – just don’t forget…. DO NOT PET THE FLUFFY COWS.