'Absolutely epic,' and a first of its kind, the Blackfeet Nation releases wild buffalo to roam freely on tribal lands

(Photo by Thom Bridge, The Independent Record, Helena, Montana)

Once lost to Montana's Blackfeet Nation, the buffalo have returned. "The tribe said, to their knowledge, they are the first tribe in America to return free-roaming buffalo to their native habitat," reports Nora Mabbie of the Missoulian. "The Blackfeet Nation transferred 30 wild buffalo (iinnii in the Blackfoot language) to tribal lands near Chief Mountain, an area steeped in Blackfeet cultural significance in the northwest corner of the reservation bordering Glacier National Park."

"The exploratory herd was loaded into trailers and hauled to a temporary paddock within sight of Chief Mountain. There, they grazed quietly until wranglers opened the gate. . . . Then every buffalo rushed through, formed a single-file line and rumbled toward a distant tree line. Blackfeet Councilman Lauren Monroe Jr. called the moment 'absolutely epic.' . . . [Watching the release] he said he thought of his ancestors." He told Mabbie: "I thought of the demise they went through. If they were to understand that our language, our culture, our buffalo would come back one day … it was absolutely momentous as a Blackfeet to be on our land within our sovereignty and do this. We're the leaders. We're choosing our future as we see it."

Blackfeet Nation lands (Wikipedia map)

Rosalyn LaPier, a Blackfeet and Métis tribal member, who is also a historian, "said to her knowledge, there is no other place in North America that allows free-roaming buffalo. . . . She said the tribe has created a conservation district in the area to allow for grazing. The release, LaPier said, is not just momentous for the tribe but also presents scientists with a new opportunity." LaPier explained: "Our land isn't fenced. So bison, like bears and elk and deer and moose and antelope, can walk freely across the land. Bison are almost always behind a fence, even when in a large area. . . . One thing scientists don't know is where bison want to go. . . when they roam. Even in Yellowstone, the bison are killed or relocated when they leave the border of the park. So this will be really interesting to see what happens."

The relationship Native Americans have with buffalo is profound. "[They] have used buffalo for food, shelter, tools, clothing, jewelry and ceremony. Buffalo and Native people were so connected that biologists say the two mammals co-evolved," Mabbie writes. "But in the 19th century, settlers and U.S. soldiers killed millions of bison to devastate the tribal communities that relied on them. . . . . Today, through partnerships with national parks and organizations, buffalo have returned to tribal lands. . . but until now, none had released wild buffalo on their land."

"Monroe said he expects the free-roaming herd will also bring tourism dollars to the reservation, especially in the summer as millions travel to the nearby Glacier park. He said some tourists showed up at the release by coincidence and were 'absolutely floored' by the event," Mabbie reports. "Monroe said the release of the wild herd symbolizes an important shift." He told her: "We are not fearful anymore to be Blackfeet. We don't need to ask permission to be Blackfeet. This means a lot. It means we are going to do what we need to do to survive."