Lakota women and buffalo

[chicheman]

Some explanations and statements of Lakota women about the importance of buffaloes in Lakota culture :



hi from Germany,

chicheman

[dT]

Interesting video from YouTube. It was uploaded in 2010 - but not sure when it was originally done. I wonder why they cannot have buffalo meat - at least some of the time? There must be some places where legal hunting of the animals is allowed (with limits). Or the tribe could make a combined purchase of several slughtered buffaloes from local farmers. Is this too expensive for them??

dT

[ladonna]

On My reservation we raise our own buffalo in fact yesterday that did another buffalo kill. All our buffalo kills are done traditional we do not commericize our buffalo. The buffalo meat is given our to the people for feeds and ceremonies

[chicheman]

Thank you Ladonna, for sharing the pracitce of your people of living with the buffaloes today,with us. Great that the buffaloes came back to the tribes for the reasons you told.

Here info´s on tribes who brought back the bisons to their territories:
(that may give dt some additional info´s I think)

itbcbison.com/membertribes.php (Intertribal bison council).

Recently a friend on the Fort Peck Res. told me that the tribe owns a herd as well, recently brought to Tribal lands.

As for legal hunting, I could read some three years or so ago, that tribes like Nez Perce or Shoshone - Bannock (if I recall right) do have rights to hunt a limited number of bisons in certain areas. Based on old treaty rights. Would have to look up that information again.

chicheman

[ladonna]

The InterTribal Bison cooperative was formed in 1990 to reestablish buffalo among our people,
We have the Intertribal Buffalo Council
here is the website
itbcbuffalo.com
check it out Buffalo is still apart of our lives

Each of our nation have buffalo herds

[continue]

It was hard for Grandpa, as he had 2 families, Red Cloud and the Clarks, so his stories are from both sides, His maillot equipe de france white Father, Lt. Clark and, His Mother Nancy Red Cloud. He doesn’t have many from Jack Red Cloud, but what he knew from Chief Red Cloud maillot de foot his Grandfather. There are several pictures of a young boy, they say he is unknown, sometimes I wonder if he isn’t my Grandfather John Red Cloud.

[dT]

"The InterTribal Bison cooperative was formed in 1990 to reestablish buffalo among our people"

Thank you for sharing. That is a really great idea.

thanks,
dT

[ladonna]

we all have buffalo meat you know what we say
As long as the buffalo live so shall we as a people

[dT]

By the way - here is an interesting question.

When the buffalo has been killed, and the body is still lying on the grass. Are there any parts of the carcass that are eaten raw by the warriors or the people? Some indigenous peoples around the world have special traditions where they will eat certain internal organs, or drink the fresh blood. It's not easy to eat raw animal parts like this - it takes practice and a strong stomach. But I am just wondering if Lakota tradition has a place for eating some parts of the buffalo immediately after it is killed.

thanks,
dT

[ladonna]

Too funny! of course we still eat the fresh liver right after the life of our relative is taken when the liver is still steaming, It given us strength. The buffalo kills are done traditionally with prayer and we bring all the children. When our brother the buffalo gives his life, they offer him tobacco and start the butchering we use everything of the buffalo, remember the guts is our favorite part for soup, but the fresh liver is given to everyone who is at the kill.
I took a few picture of the children getting their first bit of buffalo liver, so cute, the young ones have no problem it was the teen age boys who kind had a problem getting the liver down. We can not live as a people without the buffalo

[dT]

Yes .. perhaps it seems funny :-) You know, I tell you this Ladonna. I have been lucky and I have travelled in many parts of the world. And quite often I help the indigenous people wherever I go. So I have found myself eating many strange foods over the years. But so far I have never eaten meat out of the carcass of a fresh kill. In Africa the people will eat a special part of the goat, immediately after it has been slaughtered. It is still steaming from the body heat and looks slightly green in color - I don't know what it is. Maybe the gall bladder. To them it is a delicacy. Arhhhhh! But to me it looks pretty disgusting - I don't think I have the discipline to do this.

Now for your special tradition - it is the fresh liver. Arhhh - maybe the same thing. You would be laughing your head off if I was present at the kill. I'm not sure my stomach is that strong, brother. HAHAHA!

But thanks for explaining this. It's good to know :-)

And I should add this ... I have a lot of respect for how the animal is cut up and butchered. There is a great deal of tribal wisdom and knowledge in how this is done. People who grow up outside of indigenous cultures don't realize how detailed the knowledge is - for how all the parts of the animal will be used. So I respect this process ... it's very good to see you keeping all this wisdom alive !!

dT

[ladonna]

we do eat the gall because it has the salt we need for our bodies too and the raw kidney which is what the elders like still today the elders eat raw kidney

[dT]

ladonna ... well perhaps I will be very lucky and i will get a chance to visit your people when you do a kill in the traditional way. I have walked on foot with the titonka before - and I enjoy being with them. And besides - you should not miss the laughter of seeing my face if you offer me raw liver my friend. HAHAHA! Let me know when you do these events - if this is allowed :-)

[ladonna]

we just did a buffalo kill last week but now it wont be until the spring time

[dT]

OK I will stay in touch. I will need to travel a long way - but it would be a great opportunity to see such a ceremony.

dT