Home » » Native-American Tribes » Tatonka--Spirit Animal

Tatonka--Spirit Animal

© Lisa Perkins

Around 25,000 years ago, bison came across the land bridge that used to connect Siberia to Alaska. They were monstrous, weighing up to 5,000 lbs., with horns that could span up to six feet across. They lived from the Mississippi all the way to the Rocky Mountains. By the 1700's, they were estimated to number from 30 million to 200 million.

The bison was of great use to the Otoe. They fashioned garments and tools from the hides and bones and used the meat for food. But the bison's usefulness didn't end there. No part of the great animal was wasted. For a comprehensive listing of uses of the bison see the links listed in the bulletin.

The bison, although very large in stature, are very agile. They can run for long periods of time, at speeds up to 35 miles per hour, and if given a small lead, they can outrun and out-distance a horse! They are also very temperamental and unpredictable, which compelled the Native American to find different ways of hunting them.

Buffalo hunts started when corn was knee high and the bison were rutting, blackening the plains with their multitude, and lasted until it was harvesting time. All able-bodies went on these well-organized hunts. The leader of the hunt, who was chosen from a family "well-versed in tradition," had unquestioned authority and made sure all of the strict rules were followed. Anyone not following the rules, or causing the hunt to have a bad outcome, was dealt with severely.

The lance and the bow and arrow were weapons of choice until the introduction of the repeating rifle in the early 19th century. The introduction of the horse in the 1600's made the hunt less demanding.

There were different techniques to bison hunting, but among the Plains tribes, there were two that were the most common. One technique was to "pack the herd." The hunting party would circle around the herd of bison and force them together, effectively packing them. Selected hunters would then shoot arrows into the hers, killing several.

The technique that is most well-known is the "Buffalo Jump," which was to simply stampede the bison over a cliff. The "Buffalo Jump" was usually done during the yearly communal hunts.

Communal hunts were very important to warfare. During this type of hunt, mounted tribes came together in late spring or early fall to band together and hunt. At this time, important tribal rituals and ceremonies were performed and many recreational activities were enjoyed by all members of the tribes. Successful communal hunts boded well for all the tribes involved and made for good alliances. After the hunt was over, the different tribes went their separate ways, either to raid for horses or attack their enemies.

The copyright of the article Tatonka--Spirit Animal in Native-American Tribes is owned by . Permission to republish Tatonka--Spirit Animal in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.