On Sunday, people gathered from far and wide to honor Yellowstone's buffalo on the Horse Butte peninsula in Montana on the west side of Yellowstone National Park.  The traditional ceremony was led by Chief Arvol Looking Horse, 19th Generation Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe.  The ceremony was excellently organized by the Seventh Generation Fund's Tatanka Oyate Project, Horse Butte Neighbors of Buffalo, and Buffalo Field Campaign. 

Yellowstone's buffalo migrate to the Horse Butte peninsula in the spring to eat fresh grass and give birth.  And while the politics surrounding buffalo on Horse Butte are a hot issue (see here, here, here, here, and here), the impetus for Sunday's traditional ceremony was simply honoring America's only remaining continuously wild, free-roaming buffalo population. 

Chief Arvol Looking Horse and his family led a beautiful ceremony, which included powerful remarks from the Chief, prayer, sage smudging, and traditional songs.  Vintage spring Montana weather accompanied the ceremony:  hot sunshine quickly followed by thunder, lightning, cold rain, and strong winds. 

The turnout was incredible.  Well over a hundred people of all ages (and plenty of friendly dogs) came to listen to the Chief and pay homage to Yellowstone's iconic buffalo.  And even though few people were dressed for the inclement weather, hardly anyone left early. 

People were certainly cold and uncomfortable, but I think people stayed because they felt they owed it to the buffalo.  Yellowstone's buffalo have endured everything we've thrown at them (disease, development, massive commercial slaughter, and so much more), and yet they're still here.  All they want is a chance to be . . . wild buffalo. 

They want to amble out to Horse Butte when the snow is deep in Yellowstone to munch on some fresh grass.  They want to do the same north of the Park along the mighty Yellowstone River.  They merely desire a wee bit of space and a wee bit of tolerance, both of which Montana and the federal agencies in charge won't give them.

So folks stood in the rain, cold, thunder, lightning, and wind.  They shivered, got wet, and inched a little closer together to stay warm.  They endured the elements to honor an animal that has withstood so much more.  The weather could not have been more fitting.