TWO YEARS AGO: Wolakota Welcomes First 100 Buffalo
On Friday, October 30th, 2020 the first 100 wild bison were released to graze the pastures of the Wolakota Buffalo Range. The buffalo were provided by the National Parks Service as part of their Bison Conservation Initiative. Photo by Brendan Moynahan, NPS.
Today marks two years since the first 100 buffalo were returned to the site of the Wolakota Buffalo Range. In that time, the herd has surpassed 1,000 animals and is now the largest Native-managed bison herd in the world, beating even our own optimistic projections! In addition to growing the herd, we have also worked to build out our community engagement program, having hosted several traditional buffalo harvests and numerous visits to the ranch — but we are just getting started!
Here’s a look back at the post from the October 30, 2020 release:
A small group of project stakeholders gathered on Friday to commemorate the release of the first 100 bison to the pastures of the Wolakota Buffalo Range. The event marked a historic milestone for the project and for the larger bison restoration movement, as representatives from Sicangu Lakota Oyate (Rosebud Sioux Nation), National Parks Service, and World Wildlife Fund celebrated the diversity of partners that have come together to support the project, in hopes of paving the way for future efforts.
The day began with a ceremony and prayer to welcome the buffalo and pray for their continued health and safety. Wayne Frederick, a Rosebud Sioux Tribal Council Member and Tribal Land Enterprise Board Member facilitated the ceremony. Frederick's father was part of a successful effort to establish a buffalo herd nearly 40 years ago and offered praise for the project's collaborative spirit and goals.
Additional speakers included Cleve Her Many Horses (Rosebud Tribal Land Enterprise), Monica Terkildsen (World Wildlife Fund), Bert Frost (National Park Service), and Wizipan Little Elk (Wolakota/REDCO). A common thread weaved through each of the offerings was the importance of fostering a renewed and strengthened relationship between the Lakota people and buffalo, and the important role of buffalo in exercising sovereignty by re-establishing a self-sufficient society that was taken away through intentional extermination of the buffalo in the 1800s.
The relationship between Wolakota and the local community was demonstrated by Sage Fast Dog (the Director of the Wakanyeja Tokeyachi) and some of the students from the Lakota immersion school and their families who were present for the release. Attendees circled up with children at the center, just as buffalo do when their herd is threatened. This is just one example of the knowledge that the Tatanka Oyate has shared with the Lakota Oyate.
The children held and prayed with an ear of corn while Sage Fast Dog offered a trio of songs to celebrate the return of the buffalo to help the people. Following the songs, the children placed the ears of corn on a buffalo rope as a ceremonial offering to the new herd.
Following the ceremony, the gates were opened to the larger pastures. The powerful moment that followed was captured from several angles and shared widely on social media. Check out a couple of the videos our team captured below:
While this is a monumental achievement, our work is just getting started. We are looking to grow from 100 to 1,500 buffalo over the next four years and can't do it alone. Your support will help accelerate our impact. You can donate here.
