The Nation
Tribal Report of the Northern Cheyenne Nation (August/September 2006 Vol. I No. 9)
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Buffalo, Continued from Page 1 Tribal Report Staff As a part of the long-term strategic plan to protect and preserve the Tribe’s buffalo herd, the Land Authority held a working session with the Natural Resources Department, BIA Range Management, NRCS and the Tribal Historic Preservation Office to develop a practical solution for expanding the current buffalo pasture. Because the Tribe’s buffalo were given as a gift by millionaire T.R. Hughes some years ago, the herd’s genetic makeup remains limited and is starting to “bottleneck” unfavorable traits. ITBC provided the Tribe with a Wildlife Biologist who stated that if the herd is allowed to continue to interbreed within its own isolated population, the Tribe’s buffalo will become a weaker and more prone to health problems related to the increase of “recessive” genes and characteristics in offspring. The Tribe has been unable to introduce any new or stronger stock of buffalo for breeding purposes for many years. The major reason is the current pasture size is only suitable for 75 head, yet the last count was well over 150 head. Expansion of the pasture will allow the Tribe to obtain surplus buffalo from other ITBC Tribes like the Cheyenne River Sioux and the Yakima Tribe, who manage extensive herds and who are willing to give the Northern Cheyenne genetically pure bulls to breed. After carefully analyzing all the facts, evaluating potential outcomes and addressing various concerns, the Land Authority and the Tribe’s departments and programs decided that expanding the buffalo pasture is the responsible, rational and most effective course of action needed to achieve success with the Buffalo Project. In light of future generations and their cultural identity, tribal sovereignty and economic opportunity, Tribe’s efforts to restore and expand the buffalo herd is now a major priority of the Tribal government. The current buffalo pasture is located on top of the reservation’s “divide” near Crazy Heads Springs Recreational Area. The buffalo herd constantly escapes and strays outside the small pasture because of the lack of proper fences, their desire to feed/water and for the simple fact that these animals are considered wildlife and cannot be controlled. In order to better manage these wildlife, to secure additional funding and to promote cultural revitalization, the Tribe has developed a long range goal to increase the herd from 150 head to 400 head. The Tribe further understands that this will require the current pasture to be expanded 10 times its original size which will adequately accommodate the buffalo herd, maintain its genetic purity, supply sufficient meat and create a self-sustaining market for buffalo products and tourism. The Natural Resources Dept., NRCS, BIA Range Management and the Land Authority researched and documented the buffalo herd’s customary migration patterns during the winter and summer seasons. Using this data a tract of land was specifically identified by establishing a boundary line around the perimeter of the proposed buffalo pasture area. This significantly increased the current pasture of 2,000 acres to approximately 20,000 acres stretching southeast towards the Tongue River, again where the buffalo herd was commonly located in the first place. More importantly, for funding purposes, the Tribe will be able to identify approximately $55,000 as an in-kind match for the total cost of the expanded pasture. The Tribe will waive all fees for Tribal lands and will paying the going rate to all Tribal allottees who own land within the expanded pasture. It will be good news to Tribal members to know that buffalo rather than cattle are occupying there land with less damage to the environment, at the same price. In order to successfully complete the expansion, certain tracts of reservation land used for livestock grazing will be taken out of “Range Units.” This will affect only 4 cattle operators who have existing grazing “privileges” for permits within the proposed expansion area. However, because the grazing permits have already been awarded and have been in affect since in January 2006 and will not expire until February 2009, the expansion of the buffalo pasture will not take place until after the expiration date.		Within the next 3 years the Tribe’s Buffalo Project expansion, the Land Authority, Natural Resources Dept. and BIA Range Management will take the appropriate steps making all interested parties aware of and better prepared for the “Buffalo Land Reserve Ordinance” set to be implemented in 2009. Tribal members who are cattle operators with these particular grazing permits and “privileges” will be afforded special preference in the allocation of new grazing permits during the next Grazing Permit Period which begins on February 14th, 2009. In all, this “Buffalo Land Reserve Ordinance” was planned, researched and drafted so that it benefits the majority of Tribal members and future generations. On August 21st, 2006 the “Buffalo Land Reserve Ordinance” was passed, adopted and approved by the Tribal Council and signed into law by the Tribal President amongst strong opposition and special interests. This tribal legislation was presented to Council members as a cultural and social issue that addressed the Tribe’s unique cultural spirituality and distinguished tribal history that is deeply associated with the buffalo. The Ordinance itself contains language that acknowledges the buffalo’s significance to the Northern Cheyenne culture, philosophy and way of life. The Ordinance also makes note of health care issues related to the reservation’s epidemic diabetes and obesity and how the consumption of buffalo meat naturally combats these illnesses instead of beef. The Ordinance is highlighted with positive and important rational that easily out weights all the negative attitudes about expanding the buffalo herd and pasture. Once the Council floor was opened for discussion it became surprisingly apparent that this Ordinance and its purpose were most controversial. This particular ordinance brought about more discussion than other hot topics of the Tribal Council, like the Ad Hoc School Board dilemma or the check signing fiasco involving the removal of the Economic Development Committee. This controversy was for one reason only and that was economics. Money divided the Tribal Council with 5 votes for the buffalo (Council members Joe Fox, Jr., Elrena Whitedirt, Judy Spang, L. Jace Killsback and George Standing Elk) and 5 votes against the buffalo (Allen Fisher, Matthew Two Moons, Sr., Aljo Strange Owl, Jr., Charles Yellow Fox and Vice President Rick Wolfname). The President’s vote broke the tie. There was a division in social-economic interests: those few who obtain a lot money in the form of cattle revenues for a handful of operators, versus the cultural, social and economical benefits of the population of the entire Northern Cheyenne Nation. It is hard to see why certain Council members would not support the expansion of the Tribe’s buffalo herd and pasture. Some Council members call the buffalo a “nuisance” and proudly state that they “don’t eat buffalo meat” and others believe that the Tribe doesn’t have the authority to take action because of the reservation’s “Open Range” conditions. These reasons for these forms of opposition are individualistic and promote personal and economic elitism. Are they representing their Districts or their families, or worse yet, are they representing only themselves? Still, the most common theme behind the opposition against the buffalo was idea that the Tribe is being unfair to cattle operators who have grazing permits and “privileges” in the purposed pasture area. The Tribe is not trying to put any cattle operator out of business. The Ordinance has a specific clause addressing operators affected by the expansion of the buffalo pasture. The buffalo and all Tribal members should not have to suffer at the expense of a few cattle operators who are going be to accommodate for in the end. The Tribe’s origin stories and oral histories tell of a time when the buffalo once took care of the Cheyenne people and gave its life so the people could survive, now its time for today’s Cheyenne people to take care of the buffalo in return. Right now, Tribal members still maintain traditional customs and still practice religious ceremonies that involve the buffalo, buffalo meat, bones, skulls, hides, hooves, tails, sinew, horns, and other items. The Cheyenne have a spiritual and historic bond the buffalo and the land that must never be broken no matter how modern the Tribe becomes and no matter how drastic the culture changes. The buffalo will always remain a part of the life ways of the Northern Cheyenne. Tribal Report of the Northern Cheyenne Nation (August/September 2006 Vol. I No. 9), page 5.
Tribal Report of the Northern Cheyenne Nation (August/September 2006 Vol. I No. 9), page 5.
Tanning hides and drying meat the “old way.” Picture Courtesy of Chief Dull Knife College Cultural Affairs Department. In the 1800s the Plains Buffalo were hunted to near extinction by Hide hunters. After the carcasses were rotted away, with only bones left, white business men went back to retrieve the bones and skulls which were used for fertilizer for farming and ranching. Tribal Report of the Northern Cheyenne Nation (August/September 2006 Vol. I No. 9), page 5.
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