Buffalo Facts Not really “buffalo” - they are actually “bison” Range: –Canadian border to Gulf of Mexico –As far east as Ohio Sizes –Bull (boy): 6 feet high, 10 feet long, 2,000 pounds –Cow (girl): usually smaller –Calf (baby): pounds, yellow hair

Buffalo Facts A buffalo could live to the age of 25 years Hunted almost year-round –Summer: good for hides –Late Fall: good for meat –Winter: good for robes Uses of Buffalo –Food –Clothing –Weapons –Shelter –Warmth

Hunting Buffalo “Buffalo Fall” (“Buffalo Jump”) –Hunter leads or drives herd over cliff, onto rocks and branches below –Other hunters then kill wounded buffalo Deep-blood Kettle (Piskin) –Large corral of logs and rocks, built against side of cliff –Herd driven into corral, gate closed –Hunters kill buffalo with spears and arrows from top of walls

Hunting Buffalo Buffalo Surround –Hunters on horses form giant circle around buffalo Men killed buffalo Women skinned and “dressed” buffalo Women were “experts” on working of buffalo hides

Uses of the Buffalo Hide (Skin and Hair) –Robes –Bedding –Tipi and lodge coverings –Swaddling for babies –Shields –Moccasin soles –Drumheads –Bags and pouches Hair –Ropes –Ornaments

Uses of the Buffalo Meat –Cooked and eaten –Cut into strips, dried and saved Pemmican –Dried meat, ground into powder –Mixed with melted fat –Sometimes berries added –Good for long trips Organs –Eaten raw, usually at site of kill –Liver, brain, kidneys

Uses of the Buffalo Stomach –Cleaned and used as container for cooking Intestines –Cleaned, used for cooking ground meats, stews –Roasted until crisp, for a “snack” Bones –Roasted, cracked, marrow (insides) eaten –Tools –Sleds –Dice

Uses of the Buffalo Sinew –Thread –Bowstrings Head used in ceremonies Horns –Ceremonies –Made into spoons, ladles, cups –Toys Hooves –Rattles –Glue Bladder used for medicine bag

Uses of the Buffalo Tail –Fly switch –Duster Blood made into a pudding Dung –Dried, ground into baby powder –Fuel for fires –Ceremonies

Sources Ballantine, B. & Ballantine, I. (Eds.). (1993). The Native Americans: An illustrated history. Atlanta: Turner Publishing. Grant, B. (1994). Concise encyclopedia of the American Indian. Avenel, NJ: Wings Books. Time-Life (Eds.). (1993). The buffalo hunters. In H. Woodhead (Series Ed.), The American Indians. Alexandria, VA: Time- Life.