03/05/2025
🦬 Buffalo Treaty in Action 🦬
On January 31, Fort Peck Indian Reservation in Montana, one of the original signatories of the Buffalo Treaty, gifted Mosquito-Grizzly Bear’s Head-Lean Man First Nation (MGBHLM) in Saskatchewan, 11 Buffalo from the Yellowstone National Park herd.
The 11 Buffalo were transferred from Yellowstone to Fort Peck last year, where they spent over a year in quarantine due to the American and Canadian government’s requirements.
Fort Peck gifting these 11 Buffalo to MGBHLM First Nation is historic since this is the first time Buffalo from the Yellowstone herd have crossed the border into ‘Canada.’ It remains a beautiful example of the Buffalo Treaty in action, demonstrating nation-nation solidarity and collaboration for the purpose of Buffalo rematriation.
Jonny Bearcub-Stiffarm, part of the Pte Group in Fort Peck, stated that with the sharing of Buffalo “communities can revitalize ceremonies, bring back old stories and songs, and importantly, they can create new stories and songs”
Mosquito-Grizzly Bear’s Head-Lean Man First Nation Chief Tanya Stone also stated that, “from the planning to seeing them on the road and crossing the border was a dream come true for many people, it was a vision and it became a reality.”
Read more: “Nation to Nation collaboration sees Yellowstone bison come to Canada for the 1st time” CBC Article by Louise BigEagle
Photo Taken by: Shahean Moosomin
