Tribal Relations

From our inception in 1997, Buffalo Field Campaign (BFC) has fostered relationships with indigenous people. The late Rosalie Little Thunder, Sicangu Sioux, was our Co-founder and guide. Rosalie’s wisdom guided us with a vision, and her knowledge gave us a mission to protect Brother Buffalo. The Campaign honors the historic and vibrant connection buffalo and indigenous peoples share. We respect tribes and appreciate the commonalities we share regarding sacred Buffalo. The Campaign continues to engage with tribes as we strive for positive change in the lives of the only continuously-wild herd of buffalo in the contiguous United States.

Today, our relationships with tribes and indigenous people are diverse and take place in many different arenas. Most significantly, we support tribal sovereignty by advocating for tribes to assume leadership within the Interagency Bison Management Plan arena. The voices of too many tribal nations are being silenced by the overwhelming roar of existing mismanagement. It is time to strive for a holistic approach. There are tangible, common sense solutions to the problems Yellowstone buffalo face. Huge swathes of the Yellowstone Ecosystem lie vacant, kept from the buffalo. Those buffalo that choose to walk it are harassed and/or killed.

During these times of severe climate change impacts to the landscape, global wildlife extinctions, and the mass repealing of federal environmental protections, Yellowstone buffalo must be centered. It is time to call for the opening of the suitable habitat outside Yellowstone National Park boundaries, and the significant increase of bison populations across the region. Tribes, on the landscape since time immemorial, have the most to lose with their sacred relationship with buffalo. The Campaign believes tribes must have a central role in remedying Yellowstone buffalo mismanagement. We’ll continue to honor our late co-founder, and embrace our historic ties to indigenous people in this way.