In a historic gesture of reconciliation and cultural revitalization, 10 bison were recently transferred from Colorado to the Kiowa Nation in Oklahoma, marking the tribe’s first herd in over 150 years. The bison leaped into a grass-lined trailer, and as the truck pulled away, tribal leaders sang a sacred song, wishing for a safe journey.
Rick Williams, a representative of the Oglala Lakota and Northern Cheyenne tribes and the founder of People of the Sacred Land, attended the bison transfer in March. “It was a very moving event. People were crying,” he said, reflecting on the emotional significance of the occasion.
This donation is part of a broader initiative to return bison to Indigenous lands, a reflection of historical injustices suffered by Native tribes. Once numbering between 30 and 60 million across the continent, bison populations were driven to near extinction during the late 19th century due to widespread hunting and violence against Indigenous people.
Williams emphasized the deep cultural connections that tribes have with bison. “The buffalo were a sacred animal to us,” he explained. “They provided all of our economy and our lifestyle and everything that we needed to survive in our lives.”
The city and county of Denver currently manage two bison herds descended from the last wild bison in North America, originally found in Yellowstone National Park. These bison were relocated from a city park to two mountain parks in the foothills in 1914 and 1938. Over the years, Denver maintained its bison population by auctioning off “surplus” animals, attracting cowboys who were eager to buy bison for personal collections.
Scott Gilmore, deputy executive director for Denver Parks and Recreation, recalled the annual auctions where “cowboys would show up in their 10-gallon hats and their boots and their big belt buckles with their checkbook.” However, the approach to managing the bison herds shifted significantly in recent years.
In 2018, Denver took a crucial step by donating one bison to the Tall Bull Memorial Council, which consists of members from several Native tribes. By 2020, the city held its final bison auction and transitioned to donating all surplus animals to tribes for the purpose of establishing conservation herds.
Since then, Denver has provided a total of 140 bison to 10 tribes across the United States, including the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe in Montana. This year alone, the city transferred 23 bison to various tribes.
“For me, this is probably one of the most spectacular, just amazing projects that we could ever work on,” Gilmore stated, highlighting the importance of taking meaningful action beyond mere land acknowledgments.
The city is collaborating with the InterTribal Buffalo Council to facilitate the transfers and identify tribal recipients for the bison. Established over 30 years ago, the council aims to return bison to tribal lands for both cultural and environmental benefits.
Ervin Carlson, president of the InterTribal Buffalo Council and a member of the Blackfeet Nation, noted that the movement to restore bison populations on tribal lands has gained traction, with about three to four new tribes joining each year. Currently, 86 member tribes are managing an impressive total of 25,000 bison, with the organization successfully transferring 1,100 bison to tribal lands in the past year.
Despite the progress, challenges persist. Carlson highlighted that transferred bison require thorough veterinary checks and must meet specific state requirements. Additionally, not all tribes possess the land necessary to sustain the bison they seek to reintroduce.
While there is federal support for bison restoration under President Biden’s administration, the future role of the Trump Administration in these efforts remains uncertain. Carlson remains hopeful and affirming of recent partnerships, including those with the city of Denver, national parks, and the Nature Conservancy.
“It’s of great importance for us to help the tribes reconnect and get buffalo back on their lands,” he emphasized. “It’s a big part of our culture for so many years that has been gone, and for us to return them is a very historic thing.”
image source from：https://www.kunc.org/regional-news/2025-04-17/denver-donates-23-bison-to-tribes-for-their-own-herds
