Romantic images from the Old West feature majestic bison, or buffalo, grazing on prairie grass, or thundering across the Great Plains in the company of powerful Indians on horseback. In the battle for control of the Plains, the buffalo was in fact almost wiped out. But today, work is being done by Indian and non-Indian ranchers to restore the herds. Native American traditional culture is being revived, and the ties are being renewed between tribal people and the sacred animal, which they view as a relative. The challenge is to find common ground for cultural and commercial interests. Meat from tribal herds could be sold to reservation schools and hospitals, as well as being kept for ceremonial use. We hear from Native ranchers, caretakers and educators from the Buffalo Nation.
Produced and presented by Martha Hawley
Released in Euroquest Feb 14 , 2005