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Buffalo spirits on the wind

April 24, 2008

Posted by Louisa Willcox in Saving Wildlife and Wild Places

Tags:

bison, brucellosis, buffalo, greaterrockies, greateryellowstone, yellowstonenationalpark

April 15th, blizzarding in Yellowstone.  It was almost a whiteout as I drove south along the Yellowstone River toward the Park, until I got to Yankee Jim Canyon when the sky lifted a little.  But wind continued to roar and howl—fitting for the day’s ceremony to release the spirits of more than 1600 buffalo slaughtered needlessly this winter.  Not since the 19th century had so many wild buffalo been killed in one season.  The previous slaughter had been part of a government-sponsored effort to eliminate the native peoples, whose livelihood and culture depended on the buffalo.  But somehow both had survived.  And both were here today: buffalo and a group of Lakota Sioux who had traveled from the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota to pray for them. 

I parked my car, bundled up and joined the others as they walked past a sign: “Authorized Personnel Only, Corral Operation”.  This is forbidden territory, where the public typically not allowed, for fear they could witness the buffalo being captured and shipped off to slaughter by the National Park Service.  We walked about 1 mile to the site of the ceremony, where 100 people stood in a circle. Above us loomed white mountains, including Sepulchre peak, a name befitting recent deadly events.  A flock of bluebirds, maybe 35, total erupted and whipped past me by the wind—a flurry of bright blue against the backdrop of white and bare dirt. 

Near the fence of the buffalo capture facility, I caught a glimpse of one buffalo, head down facing the wind, 1 of about 200 inside the pen.  Already this morning 20 had been hauled off to slaughter. 

At the center of the circle was a white buffalo skull from a Park buffalo that had been killed in March.  “Now we are bringing him home”, said one of the Lakota.  Leading the ceremony, sponsored by Buffalo Field Campaign and the 7th Generation Fund, was Chief Arvol Looking Horse, a tall, imposing man with an eagle feather headdress.  He is the 19th generation Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Skin.  Next to him stood Rosalie Little Thunder, also Lakota, who had been arrested in 1996 when she had prayed near this spot for buffalo as they were gunned down by National Park Service officials.  Translating for Looking Horse, Rosalie said: “in Lakota tradition, when buffalo die, we must honor them with songs so they can come back.”  The ceremony was necessary to help the buffalo move on and return. 

Rosalie’s translation of Arvol’s words broke up in the wind.  But I caught some pieces:

“today I came to the sacred site of Yellowstone National Park to pray.  A place that is known as a wildlife refuge, the first recognized national park in U.S. history.  A place set aside for all wildlife and plant species to be protected in their natural way of life… I would like to send a message to President Bush in Washington D.C.: to humbly ask him to have a heart for the people.  To hear the voices of my nation, that see our way of life connected to the Buffalo Nation: the Dakota/Lakota, Nakota, Oyate (people), the Buffalo People.  Listen to the many other  voices that are standing in disagreement with this senseless massacre…Let the last of this wild buffalo nation, ones that still have a migration pattern, what little that is left intact, live in a place of dignity, honor and respect”. 

Respect.  Dignity.  These words rang through me like a bell.  Because the whole process of capture, slaughter and buffalo management was anything but respectful and dignified.  Not just for the buffalo, but for the National Park Service and state officials, who do the killing.  For the Native people, whose fate is intermingled with that of the buffalo.  For the public who has been effectively shut out of the entire debate.  For the conservation community trying to promote coexistence with buffalo outside Yellowstone Park boundaries. 

This senseless and disrespectful situation is being driven by an outdated plan, which is primarily about killing buffalo under the myth that brucellosis, an infectious disease, will be transmitted to cows—which has never happened in the wild.  Cattle ranchers do not even use most of the area around Yellowstone Park, because of its harsh winter climate. 

In Horse Butte, west of the Park, hundreds of buffalo have been captured and slaughtered this winter, after all of the cows had been removed, and the affected landowners had expressed their support for buffalo on their property.  In partnership with Buffalo Field Campaign and Gallatin Wildlife Association, NRDC has called for a moratorium on the killing in Horse Butte. 

As I stew about how crazy this whole situation is, I’m hit with another blast of wind.  The ceremony continues.  Arvol Looking Horse pulled out a rawhide rattle, tobacco and brightly colored beaded pouch containing the white buffalo calf pipe.  He kneeled, loaded the pipe, and prayed, then stood, turning to the North, West, East, South, skyward, and earthward, with all the people in the circle turning in synchrony with him. 

Then one of the Lakota pulled my friend Mike Mease, founder of the Buffalo Field Campaign, into the center of the circle to honor him.  The honor was as fitting as the gale wind blowing the buffalo spirits away under Sepulchere Mountain.  For more than a decade, Mike has been fighting for the buffalo, supervising volunteer crews in sub-zero weather as they monitor buffalo and document, on film and in words, the magic of these animals, and what is happening to them.  I don’t know how Mike and others at BFC cope, especially in a year like this.  Yet today, Mike greeted me with a hug, saying, “something positive is going to come of this.  This is an opportunity for a change”.  That’s true, if we all get involved.  And turn prayers to action. 

Rosalie ended the ceremony: “go in peace.”  Yes.  For the sake of the buffalo, the buffalo spirits—and our own.

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