The fight for our Buffalo relatives continues
t’s been over a century since this photo was taken, and we are still fighting for our Buffalo relatives today.
The towering Buffalo skulls capture the aftermath of near eradication in the late 1800s, when tens of millions of Buffalo were killed through commercial hide hunting. This destruction of Buffalo disrupted the food systems, economies, and cultural practices of Plains Nations — a reality reflected in the chilling military objective: “Kill every Buffalo you can! Every Buffalo dead is an Indian gone.”
The eerily iconic, larger-than-life version of this image that Tanka Fund Executive Director Dawn Sherman stands before at the Smithsonian during Bison 250 events this month in Washington, D.C., is a reminder that the story of Buffalo continues through championing their restoration and return.
Our Tanka Fund leadership and partners participated in two weeks of community education and outreach during the Bison 250 proceedings in our nation’s capital, joining a historic, first-of-its-kind coalition that included the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, InterTribal Buffalo Council, Intertribal Agriculture Council, Coalition of Large Tribes, the National Bison Association, and the Smithsonian. We rallied around a single shared purpose: ensuring that the people shaping federal policy understand what the Buffalo means and what its continued restoration requires.
As the leader of an Indigenous, female-led organization, Tanka Fund Executive Director Dawn Sherman shared the impact and urgency of our work for Buffalo restoration, but also expressed that our participation was an education for our organization.
“We were there to support and strengthen the connections between all partners at the table — from grass to plate,” she said. “While we may serve in different roles at separate entities, we are stronger together, united in the work of supporting our communities and our relative, the Buffalo.”
Celebrating the Nation’s Mammal
Buffalo are one of the few animals truly tied to the identity of North America. Their movement once shaped millions of acres of grasslands, creating pathways, nourishing soil, dispersing seeds, and supporting countless other species.
It isn’t any wonder (although long overdue) that the Buffalo was named the nation’s mammal. This year marks the 10th anniversary of that recognition through the National Bison Legacy Act. President Barack Obama signed the bipartisan act into law on May 9, 2016, officially recognizing the American bison as a historic symbol of the United States.
Because of you
Direct donations are the lifeblood of our organization; without them, the individual ranch work we do would not be possible. Although we gratefully receive donations that are upwards of several thousand dollars, we also recognize that even a single dollar makes a real difference.
Just knowing people care about our work and the environment gets us through not only on a financial level, but also an emotional one. One of our recent donors said they gave because they wanted to directly help Native people and support Native nonprofits that are “restoring the damage the US government did.” Another donor said they wanted to donate a Buffalo to his children and support the next generation. Another supporter gave because of our work around grassland management and environmental impact.
You are Tanka Fund. Your support is what makes our mission possible and continues to bring Buffalo to the lands, lives, and economies of Native people.
Our Rancher Partners: Ron Brownotter
Sitting on 20,000 acres of land on the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota, Brownotter Buffalo Ranch is making history as the nation’s largest Native-owned Buffalo herd.
Ron Brownotter (Standing Rock Sioux Tribe), Tanka Fund board member and rancher partner, has stewarded the land for more than 20 years. His work reflects the importance of keeping Indigenous ceremonies and traditional ways of life alive, with Buffalo remaining a vital part of both past and future cultural practices.
Tanka on the Move
Our Technical Services team, Zintkala (Kala) Rivera and Trudy Ecoffey, represented Tanka Fund both on air and in person this month.
Trudy, bringing more than 30 years of Buffalo restoration experience, spoke at the Brave Heart Society’s All Things Pte Oyate event. She highlighted how reconnecting with Buffalo supports healing across generations and emphasized the need to educate legislators on the value of this keystone species and the impact of their return.
Kala (Oglala Lakota) joined the Kindred podcast with Kate Coffin and Jenn Asplundh, sharing her work and the mission of Tanka Fund. With a background in law and ecology, she spoke on everything from history to policy to the deep cultural connection to Buffalo.
Hats Off to Our Grads!
We would like to congratulate all the graduates moving on to the next important chapter in their lives.
Many Native graduates participate in a feathering ceremony, a deeply meaningful milestone tied to honor, resilience, identity, and prayer. It is one of the most recognized traditions surrounding graduation and often involves students receiving or having eagle feathers or plumes tied into their caps or worn during the ceremony.
Across many Tribal Nations, eagles are honored as relatives and spiritual messengers, often believed to carry prayers to the Creator. Receiving an eagle feather is an honor earned and gifted with intention. Graduation is an important life transition, and many Native students are presented with eagle feathers to recognize not only academic achievement, but also the pride and honor they bring to their families, communities, and Tribal Nations.
Nicole Cournoyer, one of our Tanka Fund interns from 2024–2025, recently graduated from Western Dakota Technical College with an Associate Degree in Environmental Engineering Technology. Nicole, a member of the Oglala Lakota Nation, is pictured wearing her beaded cap with pride alongside Tanka Fund Range Ecologist Zintkala Rivera, who attended the ceremony in support of her accomplishment.
We celebrate all graduates who continue to carry their families, communities, and Nations forward through education, leadership, and cultural pride.
Wóphila tȟáŋka and congratulations to the Class of 2026.
Tanka Trivia Last Question
Can Buffalo swim?
Answer: You might be surprised to know that Buffalo are fantastic, strong swimmers. They can swim across rivers and lakes and have historically crossed large bodies of water during migration. Their powerful build and endurance make them surprisingly agile in water.
Winners:
Jeff M. — “Certainly, if it needs too!!”
Sandy T. — “Yes, they can definitely swim.”
Mark B. — “Sure bison can swim, just like cows and horses. Just like all large ungulates can swim. I grew up with bison on our ranch in Central Nebraska.”
This Month’s Question:
What National Park’s herd helped revive Buffalo populations around the country?
Think you know?
Email your answer to marketing@tankafund.org for a chance to win exclusive Tanka Fund merch.
🦬 Good luck, and thank you for supporting Buffalo restoration!
