Buffalo were very important to many Indigenous peoples of the Plains. They provided food and supplies for daily living. People used many parts of the animal, so very little went to waste.
Buffalo meat could be eaten fresh or dried to save for later. People also made pemmican from dried buffalo meat and fat. Sometimes berries were added. Pemmican lasted a long time and was easy to carry while traveling.
Buffalo hides had many uses. People made tipi covers, clothing, blankets, bags, ropes, and shields from hides. Bones could be shaped into tools, knives, and scrapers. Horns could become spoons and cups. Tendons could be used as thread and bowstrings. Even dried buffalo dung could be burned as fuel.
Buffalo also had cultural and spiritual importance for many Indigenous peoples. Some groups honored buffalo through ceremonies, dances, prayers, and stories. Buffalo could represent important connections between people and the natural world. Beliefs and traditions differed among Indigenous groups.
Hunting buffalo became easier after horses spread to the Great Plains. Before horses, people hunted buffalo on foot. They sometimes worked together to guide herds into areas where the animals could be hunted. With horses, hunters could travel farther. This meant they could follow the moving buffalo herds more easily.
During the 1800s, millions of buffalo were killed. Commercial hunters killed many for their hides and other products. Railroads made it easier for hunters to reach the herds and ship buffalo products east. The U.S. government also supported the destruction of buffalo as a way to force Indigenous peoples onto reservations. By the late 1800s, very few wild buffalo remained. The loss of the herds greatly harmed Indigenous peoples who depended on them for food, materials, and important cultural traditions.
