Honoring traditionthrough Buffalo harvests
Honoring tradition through Buffalo harvests
Tanka Fund was recently invited to participate in cultural harvests with two of our Texas rancher partners — one with Texas Tribal Buffalo Project during the Southern Plains Buffalo Harvest in Floresville, and another at GP Ranch in Sulphur Springs.
Both events offered a powerful glimpse into the care, tradition, and purpose that guide Buffalo harvesting. From shared community meals to intergenerational knowledge-sharing and land stewardship, each experience highlighted the ongoing work of honoring tradition, supporting Buffalo restoration efforts, and deepening community connection.
TTBP: STORY AND PHOTOS
GP Ranch: STORY AND VIDEOS
Our Rancher Partners: Ed Iron Cloud III
Edward Iron Cloud III (Oglala Lakota) of Knife Chief Buffalo Society Ranch is one of our rancher partners on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. For generations, Buffalo provided food, clothing, and shelter. Today, even in smaller numbers, their presence continues to offer strength — both physical and spiritual.
Harvesting is done with prayer and deep respect, and the meat, once blessed, becomes more than nourishment — it carries spiritual power.
“The Buffalo is going to give its life, and we are going to eat the animal, gain strength, and continue to live because we have food. With everything, there is spirit to it… the land, air, water, and the animals. We acknowledge that and honor it. I don’t consider myself a rancher; I consider myself a caretaker. We aren’t taking care of them, they are taking care of us.” — Ed Iron Cloud III
New funding to boost Tanka Fund’s cultural harvest + food sovereignty efforts
Tanka Fund has been awarded three new grants focused on cultural harvest education and food sovereignty:
USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)
Supports youth access to traditional Buffalo harvests and cultural education through K–12 storytelling, harvest experiences, and career exposure.EPA Mountains and Plains Thriving Communities (MAP)
Focuses on community-based Buffalo harvests to improve food access and create a "train the trainer" model for harvest education across Native communities.Makoce Wellness Grant from Makoce Agriculture Development
Supports four local events promoting Lakota food sovereignty on Pine Ridge Reservation, SD.
Beyond Boundaries: Tanka Team at RES 2025
Tanka Fund joined tribal leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers at RES 2025 in Las Vegas — the leading summit for Native business and economic development, hosted by the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development (NCAIED). The experience energized our ongoing mission to strengthen Native economies and build partnerships.
Reminder: Regional Buffalo to Schools Conference (June 21–24)
Join us in Rapid City, SD for the Regional Buffalo to Schools Conference. Focused on school food service professionals, educators, herd managers, processors, and more, the event will offer training and dialogue around bringing Buffalo meat into school systems.
For more info or to submit topic ideas: kayann@mtpech.org
Funder Spotlight: Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Silicon Valley Community Foundation partners with donors through donor-advised funds (DAFs), which act as charitable investment accounts to support nonprofits like Tanka Fund. We’re honored to be among the organizations supported through this giving structure.
