“Traditional use of Tatanka (buffalo)” is a PowerPoint series developed by Badlands National Park and South Dakota Public Broadcasting. The PowerPoint series includes a brief history of buffalo in South Dakota. Also, there are photos of buffalo parts, like a buffalo hide and tail. Your students are encouraged to guess the traditional use of the buffalo part and its location on the buffalo. Click the mouse to advance through the PowerPoint. "Click" will appear in the lower right-hand corner when it is time to advance.

Traditional use of Tatanka “Parts” Gallery Answer the following questions about the buffalo part above: 1.What is the buffalo part called? 2.What is a traditional use of the buffalo part? 3.Where is the buffalo part located on a buffalo?

The buffalo part is a buffalo beard. The buffalo beard shown is very soft (tanned) and wooly. The beard has a long piece of tanned hide which can be used to attach the beard to clothing, a tipi, etc. for ornamental use. The buffalo beard was traditionally used for ornamentation, to make toys (dolls) and mittens. The buffalo beard was removed from the area below the mouth of the buffalo.

Answer the following questions about the buffalo part above: 1.What is the buffalo part called? 2.What is a traditional use of the buffalo part? 3.Where is the buffalo part located on a buffalo?

The buffalo part is a flattened bladder pouch. The bladder portion of the pouch (middle section) is hard and rough to the touch. The ends are secured with softened (tanned) hide. A flattened buffalo pouch was used to carry items like food, medicine and porcupine quills (quills are shown in the photo). The bladder was used by the buffalo to store urine before it was excreted by the animal. The bladder had an added advantage over other buffalo parts; it was waterproof.

Answer the following questions about the buffalo part above: 1.What is the buffalo part called? 2.What is a traditional use of the buffalo part? 3.Where is the buffalo part located on a buffalo?

The buffalo part shown is a dew claw. The dew claws are hard; they resemble a very, very thick fingernail. Dew claws were traditionally used by Native Americans to make glue, rattles, wind-chimes and for ornamentation. The dew claws were found on the back of the buffalo’s feet near the hoof.

Answer the following questions about the buffalo part above: 1.What is the buffalo part called? 2.What is a traditional use of the buffalo part? 3.Where is the buffalo part located on a buffalo?

The buffalo part is a buffalo rib arrow wrench. The hole was used for straightening crooked arrows. The notch was used for cutting shallow grooves lengthwise down the arrow (called lightning marks). Arrows were polished smooth by rubbing them against the bone (wrench). The buffalo rib arrow wrench was removed from the ribcage of buffalo. The buffalo ribcage (shown in the photo) protects vital organs like the heart and lungs. Photo courtesy Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Copyright 2009

Answer the following questions about the buffalo part above: 1.What is the buffalo part called? 2.What is a traditional use of the buffalo part? 3.Where is the buffalo part located on a buffalo?

Buffalo horns were also used to make arrow points, cups, toys, headdresses, powder-horns, fire carriers, ladles, signals and medication. The buffalo part is called a spoon. The spoon shown in the photos is very hard (durable) and smooth. A buffalo horn (like the one shown in the photo - below) was used to make the spoon. The buffalo horn shown is rough and bumpy. The spoon was a utensil used to eat food like pemmican, a traditional food prepared by mixing smashed buffalo jerky, fruit and fat.