A wonderful event called “Unity Concert/Ceremony in the Blackhills, SD the “Buffalo Field Campaign” (BFC) were there educating people about the Bison Crisis. After feeling the call several times since then I decided to listen and go NOV 2018. Since the theme of my blogs is to shine light on the “Organizations moving to Organisms.” I became interested in sharing the message of the spirit of the Buffalo and why they are asking for attention, when I arrived it only took a few days to find out why the buffalo had seemingly called me there.
The ‘Buffalo Field Campaign’ is a 501 (c) (3) Non Profit organization, and their operations are West Yellowstone. The beautiful property has about 6 cabins and a community cabin tucked right at the base of a butte over looking a stunning lake. The volunteer program has attracted people from all over the world that all have deep interest in the conservation of animals and nature.
Mike, the leader of the volunteer program has been doing this work for almost 20 years, he is very dedicated in Buffalo sovereignty, and has been representing the buffalo at many state meetings to speak for the buffalo, he’s had many relations and support from indigenous people in the area. But as mike advicately mentions, there is no other animal being treated this way. The legal implications are so complex that now it is law to be allowed to slaughter and keep the Buffalo at a certain amount in number
•BFC Goals•
The main mission of BFC is to create a permanent year-round protection for bison and the ecosystem they depend on—including respect for the migratory needs of this long-exploited and clearly endangered species
Some of the accomplishments of the program has succeeded in the removal of Ranger ATV use for moving of Buffalo herds, Ranger are now only allowed horse back to move the herds. As well many bills over turned in the surround states of Yellowstone. The program monitors the buffalos movement and acts as eyes so that park rangers have to work with integrity
•A Casual day at Buffalo Field Campaign•
A casual day starts out with of course coffee/ teas and communal breakfast; to each their own when it comes to finding the right pair of skiis and poles for the AM rover crew. The ‘AM rover crew’ is first priority out the door, while 2 other volunteers take monitor over the radios talkies to communicate to the AM rover team. The others not on AM rover have time for cutting wood, plowing snow, or you’re on arts and crafts. After a cabin made lunch, the PM rover crew gets ready to go on the second survey after relaxing conversation around the cozy fire.
Each night there is a meeting to go over how the rover missions went and where the buffalo have migrated to, and is the time where people sign up for cooking and cleaning duties, as well as a fun little share of anything you want to share with the group whether it’s a poem, music, or story.
I had no idea how to cross country ski when I arrived, but the helpful people there had me moving in no time. The crisp air of snow and mountains is enough to attract anyone to this rewarding volunteer program. Playing detective looking across valleys With high Strength binoculars is a job most would be interested in. Relaying and entering this data into computers is a dedicated service to the buffalo that is absolutely necessary right now.
•Why is it legal to slaughter Buffalo and why is this an issue?•
Scientifically there is a difference between Bison and Buffalo, but are used interchangeably now.
“Most of the buffalo that people see today live on ranches and are raised as livestock. We refer to these as "domestic buffalo” because they are managed with animal husbandry techniques and carry cattle genes from a time when cattle were bred with buffalo in an attempt to make a heartier cow. This resulted in the contamination of previously pure buffalo bloodlines, meaning most buffalo today — except for a very few publicly-managed herds — are not genetically pure; they are hybrids from a genetic perspective. These new animals often referred to as “beefalo,” are also distinctly different from buffalo because they are not allowed to exhibit any of their original wild behavior; they are kept on private ranches, primarily raised for sale as “wild buffalo meat.”
Yellowstone, however, is home to the only genetically intact, truly wild buffalo
Cattle farmers are paid ‘subsidiary incentive’ to keep only cattle on their ranch land and not buffalo, this incentive is strengthened by a false story that says the buffalo will get the cattle sick with ‘brucellosis’ if they share land together.
The true story you only find out after research is that cattle gave buffalo brucellosis when the first arrived, and since cattle can be domesticated, meaning profited from, they switched the story to contain the buffalo since they can not be domesticated. Even if that story were true, the only way brucellosis is transmitted is through the reproductive fluids. If you know anything about Buffalo mating, you know that the mothers clean up all of their reproductive fluids even the placenta after giving birth. So in actuality there is very little probability that buffalo would re-transmit a dis-ease that cattle gave them in the first place.
Many may be unaware that US tax dollars are being used to fund buffalo slaughter stations ‘outside’ the park, but managed by the park. The average tourist has no idea of the harrassing the buffalo endure each year, rangers either push them towards these slaughter houses or push them to territory that their ‘allowed’. In many instances the buffalo are disturbed and even harmed.
There must be more to the story of why buffalo are the only animals being treated this way on this continent.
•History of Buffalo and Native American/ Turtle Islanders•
Tatanka is the Lakota name for buffalo, and still have many dances, songs and ceremonies for their relationship together.
John Lame deer says;
The buffalo gave us everything we needed. Without it we were nothing. Our tipis were made of his skin. His hide was our bed, our blanket, our winter coat. It was our drum, throbbing through the night, alive, holy. Out of his skin we made our water bags. His flesh strengthened us, became flesh of our flesh. Not the smallest part of it was wasted. His stomach, a red-hot stone dropped in to it, became our soup kettle. His horns were our spoons, the bones our knives, our women's awls and needles. Out of his sinews we made our bowstrings and thread. His ribs were fashioned into sleds for our children, his hoofs became rattles. His mighty skull, with the pipe leaning against it, was our sacred altar. The name of the greatest of all Sioux was Tatanka Iyotake—Sitting Bull. When you killed off the buffalo you also killed the Indian—the real, natural, "wild" Indian.”
It is common knowledge that millions of Buffalo roamed N. America, it is also common knowledge that settlers were shooting down buffalo by the millions from moving trains in the 1800s which was the start of industrialization because the buffalo hides provided a strong yet elastic material from which to make belts to drive machinery. With insatiable appetite for beef—and the postwar economic boom; Texas alone could not meet the demand, so ranchers turned to the western plains for cattle grazing.
Taking the Buffalo away from the indigenous of this land was a strategic move to cripple them into city life and ‘boarding schools’
•Why are buffalo important for ecosystems?•
Bison were the first animals to roam developing grasslands and/or fire healed valleys because as they forage, they aerate and massage the soil with their hooves, which create micro water pockets that aids in plant growth, and the dispersal native seeds. This is considered the beginning of a developing ecosystem, which means other animals, and birds came after the preparation work of Buffalo.
•The spirit of the Buffalo/Bison•
It’s an incredible service to actually track and monitor the movement of these sacred animals, it seems they have a method to all of their movements. But at some point the inevitable question arose in my journey to the campaign. “Why are the buffalo the only animals being treated this way?”
My personal journey to the Buffalo Field Campaign felt as if the buffalo where calling me there through many different signs and omens. “Why“ they wanted me there was a question that felt to be answered rather quickly.
It was a simple lesson of ‘presence,’ and the most easily translate-able symbology is through the actual up close felt presence of the buffalo in person. It is an overwhelming feeling of power and strength looking directly at a buffalo. For instance their necks plow hundreds of pounds of snow for each other each winter.
The other aspect of ‘presence’ was simply ‘showing up,’ not just for family and friends, but the earth, and most importantly for yourself. Putting your physical body in the place you’re being asked to be, and the rest will take care of itself, is the lesson I took from my experience with the buffalo, the ‘why’ isn’t necessary in the moment.
“Faith and strength is the foundation that trust is built from.”
•How you can help•
Supporting the road show, Each year there is a music tour covering the West Coast, talking about the buffalo crisis, as well as wonderful musicians sharing their medicine.