: The buffalo represents self-sacrifice, strength, and abundance. In Lakota tradition, the White Buffalo Calf Woman is a primary cultural prophet who brought sacred rites and the peace pipe to the people.
For Plains tribes like the , the buffalo was not just an animal but a "relative" and a sacred gift from the Creator. buffalo indian
: Between 1820 and 1880, the buffalo population plummeted from an estimated 30–60 million to fewer than 1,000. : The buffalo represents self-sacrifice
: The destruction of the buffalo was used as a military strategy to force Native Americans onto reservations by removing their primary food and cultural source. 3. Modern Restoration Efforts People and Bison - Bison (U.S. National Park Service) and abundance. In Lakota tradition