# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
💇‍♀️ My Powerful Hair Read Aloud Kid's Book - Native America Culture

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
We Are Still Here! Native American Truths Everyone Should Know Read Aloud Kid's Book

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's one of the cliches of the West; Native Americans used all the parts of the buffalo. It's something that almost everyone knows, whether you are interested in history or not. However, not very many people actually know what each part was used for. This brief post will help shed some light on the subject, and will offer extension information for people reading History of the West with Jemmey Fletcher; Ride to Rendezvous. Before beginning with how it was used, it helps to understand a little about the history of buffalo in America.

In pre-Columbian America, the American bison, or more incorrectly, buffalo, roamed almost the entire area of what would become the United States. From the forests of the eastern seaboard, to the Rocky Mountains, and from the Florida swamps, to the Canadian prairie, buffalo used to call it home. It's hard to say how many there were, and estimates vary widely. That being said, around 40-60 million seems to be a number that pops up a lot. Although they impacted people wherever they lived, the people most impacted by the buffalo were the nomadic people of the Great Plains. Tribes like the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux, and Comanche, all depended almost entirely on these great animals for subsistence. After the horse was introduced by Europeans in the 16th century, these nomadic cultures blossomed into the iconic people we learn about today.

Living in the Great Plains, I can attest to the lack of resources available. Although grass and land are in plenty, resources such as stone and wood are very scarce. Perhaps because of this scarcity, Native people of the plains developed a variety of uses for the resource that was in abundance; the buffalo. Using their creativity, tribes figured out how to use almost every part of the buffalo they killed. Not intended to be a comprehensive guide, here are a few examples of how Native Americans used the buffalo. Most of this information comes from books I have read long ago, and from research/experiments on primitive survival.

Again, keep in mind that all Native people may not have used everything the exact same way. However, these are some general uses that are apparent in a variety of tribes.

Food

It should go without saying that Native people used the meat for food. However, meat wasn't the only thing they used. Native people ate all the edible parts including the heart, liver, intestines, kidneys, bone marrow, and tongue. One story that stands out to me, comes from Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne. Gwynne states that one of the favorite treats of Comanche children was to open the stomach of a young buffalo calf, and to drink the milk that had curdled in its stomach. Although stories like these may make our tender stomachs queasy, these people likely ate a more nutritious diet than we do today.

Skin

Native American people also had a variety of uses for the buffalo's skin. They could create rawhide, or parfleche, out of it, by simply scraping off the hair and excess flesh, and then allowing the bare skin to dry. Parfleche had a tremendous number of uses in Native American life. If they didn't need rawhide, the people could tan the hide, using the brains of the animal to preserve it. Hides could be tanned with the hair on, for warm winter robes, or scraped and used for clothing or tipi covers.

Tools

Native American people also developed a range of tools that came from the buffalo as well. Leg bones could be broken and used as scrapers to scrap the hide. Bone splinters would be sanded down to make needles and awls. Large bones, such as the shoulder blades, could also be employed by farming communities as a garden hoe. Horns were also used to make cups, laddles, and later, powder horns to keep gun powder dry.

Camp Gear

Buffalo also provided Native American people with many of the furnishings around camp. In addition to composing the tipi cover, buffalo stomachs were also used around camp to boil water. This was done by digging a pit, and laying the stomach in the pit. Then the stomach was staked to the rim of the pit and filled with water. Once it was full, rocks heated in a nearby fire were dropped into the water. After enough rocks were added, the water would be heated, and could eventually be brought to a slow boil.

Buffalo tails were used as fly swatters, teeth and toe bones were used for games, sinew was used to bind things together, and an assortment of parts could be used to make glue.

Spiritual

Finally, although the buffalo had many utilitarian purposes, it also played a role in the spiritual life of many people. Various parts of the buffalo were used in religious ceremonies, and often times a sun-bleached skull was a central figure. With so much bounty coming from one animal, it shouldn't be surprising Native American societies held the animal in such high esteem.

If you are interested in the topic, you might find this video interesting.

Although this article doesn't cover all aspects of how specific Native American tribes used the buffalo, it should offer a glimpse into the topic. Native American people were extremely resourceful and had a use for every part of the buffalo. It should be noted, that although they had a use for every part, it doesn't mean they actually used every part, every time. People only needed so many needles and so many hide scrapers. Waste still existed. Certainly, we have historical evidence of this. A man named Francis Parkman observed the following scene and recorded it in his book The Oregon Trail published in 1849. At the time, Parkman and his companion are following the trail left by a village of Lakota in the area near Laramie Peak.
"Raymond and I rode from side to side, scrutinizing every yard of ground, until at length I found traces of the lodge-poles, by the side of a ridge of rocks. We began again to follow them. "What is that black spot out there on the prairie?" "It looks like a dead buffalo," answered Raymond. We rode to it and found it to be the huge carcass of a bull killed by the hunters as they had passed. Tangled hair and scraps of hide were scattered on all sides, for the wolves had made merry over it, and hollowed out the entire carcass. It was covered with myriads of large black crickets, and from its appearance must have lain there four or five days."
It shouldn't surprise us that a group of nomadic hunters couldn't afford to stop every single time they made a kill in order to process the entire carcass. Although tribes were extremely resourceful and knowledgeable, waste was just inevitable. In fact, counter to what we may first think, perhaps the best example of using every part of every animal can be found in examining our own 21st-century meatpacking industry.

If you found this article interesting, please subscribe to my e-mail list below to receive free content and notifications about new articles and products.

A new adventure awaits...

It's one of the cliches of the West; Native Americans used all the parts of the buffalo. It's something that almost everyone knows, whether you are interested in history or not. However, not very many people actually know what each part was used for. This brief post will help shed some light on the subject, and will offer extension information for people reading History of the West with Jemmey Fletcher; Ride to Rendezvous. Before beginning with how it was used, it helps to understand a little about the history of buffalo in America.

In pre-Columbian America, the American bison, or more incorrectly, buffalo, roamed almost the entire area of what would become the United States. From the forests of the eastern seaboard, to the Rocky Mountains, and from the Florida swamps, to the Canadian prairie, buffalo used to call it home. It's hard to say how many there were, and estimates vary widely. That being said, around 40-60 million seems to be a number that pops up a lot. Although they impacted people wherever they lived, the people most impacted by the buffalo were the nomadic people of the Great Plains. Tribes like the Arapaho, Cheyenne, Sioux, and Comanche, all depended almost entirely on these great animals for subsistence. After the horse was introduced by Europeans in the 16th century, these nomadic cultures blossomed into the iconic people we learn about today.

Living in the Great Plains, I can attest to the lack of resources available. Although grass and land are in plenty, resources such as stone and wood are very scarce. Perhaps because of this scarcity, Native people of the plains developed a variety of uses for the resource that was in abundance; the buffalo. Using their creativity, tribes figured out how to use almost every part of the buffalo they killed. Not intended to be a comprehensive guide, here are a few examples of how Native Americans used the buffalo. Most of this information comes from books I have read long ago, and from research/experiments on primitive survival.

Again, keep in mind that all Native people may not have used everything the exact same way. However, these are some general uses that are apparent in a variety of tribes.

Food

It should go without saying that Native people used the meat for food. However, meat wasn't the only thing they used. Native people ate all the edible parts including the heart, liver, intestines, kidneys, bone marrow, and tongue. One story that stands out to me, comes from Empire of the Summer Moon by S.C. Gwynne. Gwynne states that one of the favorite treats of Comanche children was to open the stomach of a young buffalo calf, and to drink the milk that had curdled in its stomach. Although stories like these may make our tender stomachs queasy, these people likely ate a more nutritious diet than we do today.

Skin

Native American people also had a variety of uses for the buffalo's skin. They could create rawhide, or parfleche, out of it, by simply scraping off the hair and excess flesh, and then allowing the bare skin to dry. Parfleche had a tremendous number of uses in Native American life. If they didn't need rawhide, the people could tan the hide, using the brains of the animal to preserve it. Hides could be tanned with the hair on, for warm winter robes, or scraped and used for clothing or tipi covers.

Tools

Native American people also developed a range of tools that came from the buffalo as well. Leg bones could be broken and used as scrapers to scrap the hide. Bone splinters would be sanded down to make needles and awls. Large bones, such as the shoulder blades, could also be employed by farming communities as a garden hoe. Horns were also used to make cups, laddles, and later, powder horns to keep gun powder dry.

Camp Gear

Buffalo also provided Native American people with many of the furnishings around camp. In addition to composing the tipi cover, buffalo stomachs were also used around camp to boil water. This was done by digging a pit, and laying the stomach in the pit. Then the stomach was staked to the rim of the pit and filled with water. Once it was full, rocks heated in a nearby fire were dropped into the water. After enough rocks were added, the water would be heated, and could eventually be brought to a slow boil.

Buffalo tails were used as fly swatters, teeth and toe bones were used for games, sinew was used to bind things together, and an assortment of parts could be used to make glue.

Spiritual

Finally, although the buffalo had many utilitarian purposes, it also played a role in the spiritual life of many people. Various parts of the buffalo were used in religious ceremonies, and often times a sun-bleached skull was a central figure. With so much bounty coming from one animal, it shouldn't be surprising Native American societies held the animal in such high esteem.

If you are interested in the topic, you might find this video interesting.

Although this article doesn't cover all aspects of how specific Native American tribes used the buffalo, it should offer a glimpse into the topic. Native American people were extremely resourceful and had a use for every part of the buffalo. It should be noted, that although they had a use for every part, it doesn't mean they actually used every part, every time. People only needed so many needles and so many hide scrapers. Waste still existed. Certainly, we have historical evidence of this. A man named Francis Parkman observed the following scene and recorded it in his book The Oregon Trail published in 1849. At the time, Parkman and his companion are following the trail left by a village of Lakota in the area near Laramie Peak.
"Raymond and I rode from side to side, scrutinizing every yard of ground, until at length I found traces of the lodge-poles, by the side of a ridge of rocks. We began again to follow them. "What is that black spot out there on the prairie?" "It looks like a dead buffalo," answered Raymond. We rode to it and found it to be the huge carcass of a bull killed by the hunters as they had passed. Tangled hair and scraps of hide were scattered on all sides, for the wolves had made merry over it, and hollowed out the entire carcass. It was covered with myriads of large black crickets, and from its appearance must have lain there four or five days."
It shouldn't surprise us that a group of nomadic hunters couldn't afford to stop every single time they made a kill in order to process the entire carcass. Although tribes were extremely resourceful and knowledgeable, waste was just inevitable. In fact, counter to what we may first think, perhaps the best example of using every part of every animal can be found in examining our own 21st-century meatpacking industry.

If you found this article interesting, please subscribe to my e-mail list below to receive free content and notifications about new articles and products.

A new adventure awaits...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Native Americans Used the Buffalo - Frontier Life

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We've all heard that Native Americans used all parts of the buffalo, but do you know what those uses were?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Moose and the Whale: A Nitap Animated Mi'gmaq Story

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How Stars were Created – Native American Collection | Myths and Legends | EP04 | 4K Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Object Details

Creator

National Museum of the American Indian

Views

52,237

Video Title

Star Stories: The Lover Star

Description

This animation tells a Chipewyan story of the tragic love between a woman and a wandering star. It is one of nine traditional Native American stories that are part of the National Museum of the American Indian inaugural exhibition "Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World," which is on view through April 20, 2019.

Video Duration

2 min 57 sec

YouTube Keywords

Native American Indian Museum Smithsonian "Indigenous Peoples" "Smithsonian Institution" "Smithsonian NMAI" "National Museum of the American Indian"

See more by

SmithsonianNMAI

National Museum of the American Indian

YouTube Channel

SmithsonianNMAI

YouTube Category

Education

Topic

Native Americans;American Indians

Record ID

yt_VJ02h451anE

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Star Stories: The Lover Star | Smithsonian Institution

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Creator National Museum of the American Indian Views 52,237 Video Title Star Stories: The Lover Star Description This animation tells a Chipewyan story of the tragic love between a woman and a wandering star.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Object Details

Creator

National Museum of the American Indian

Views

53,659

Video Title

Star Stories: The Girl and Her Seven Brothers

Description

This animation tells an Arikara story of the creation of a sacred landmark on the plains, the Bear' Lodge (Devils Tower), as well as the formation of the Pleiades star cluster. It is one of nine traditional Native American stories that are part of the National Museum of the American Indian inaugural exhibition "Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World," which is on view through April 20, 2019.

Video Duration

3 min 24 sec

YouTube Keywords

Native American Indian Museum Smithsonian "Indigenous Peoples" "Smithsonian Institution" "Smithsonian NMAI" "National Museum of the American Indian"

See more by

SmithsonianNMAI

National Museum of the American Indian

YouTube Channel

SmithsonianNMAI

YouTube Category

Education

Topic

Native Americans;American Indians

Record ID

yt_k-cl9RZqbpQ

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Star Stories: The Girl and Her Seven Brothers | Smithsonian Institution

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Star Stories: The Star That Does Not Move

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify and honor buffalo because it’s important to know that Native people respect others and are kind to nature and animals.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify Native American star stories because they teach important life lessons, cultural practices and indigenous morals and values.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify Powwow drums because they represent Native cultures by the music of the drums. PowWows are celebratory times for indigenous people.

# data[].attributes.body
We want all people to know about the Navajo Code Talkers because they helped to win World War II with their language and code.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify oral storytelling through the Mi'kmaq indigenous tribe because they care for each other, nature and animals.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify the experiences of the Native American boarding schools because it’s important to share about this history.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify Joseph Bruchac because he is a Native author who uses his writing  to honor all indigenous tribes and cultures.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify Jim Thorpe because it is important to know that his family died when he was young and he showed resilience and went on to become one of the best athletes in the 20th century.

# data[].attributes.body
We want to amplify lacrosse/stickball because we want to represent the Native Americans who created the sport. We want people to know about lacrosse because it’s an amazing sport created by Native Americans but nobody recognizes that.

# data[].attributes.body
We would like to honor Sitting Bull (named Slow at birth) because he was a brave fighter, good  leader and strong warrior. We want people to know about the cloth, moccasins, horses, bows and arrows he used as a warrior.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Molly & Elizabeth | MOLLY OF DENALI™ | PBS LearningMedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore Alaska Native values and history in this animated story from the PBS KIDS series MOLLY OF DENALI™. (Move the cursor over the video progress bar to locate "Molly & Elizabeth" at 01:00.) When tourists arrive at the Denali Trading Post looking for a "real" Alaska Native tour guide, Molly and Tooey are happy to help!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Molly of Denali FULL EPISODE | Seal Dance / Snowboarding Qyah Style | PBS KIDS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Grandpa's Drum | MOLLY OF DENALI™ | PBS LearningMedia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Explore Alaska Native history and culture using the 11-minute story "Grandpa's Drum" in this episode from the PBS KIDS series MOLLY OF DENALI™. (Move the cursor over the video progress bar to locate the story at 01:00.) An old photograph sends Molly and friend Tooey on a mission to find out why Grandpa Nat no longer sings or plays his drum.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Excerpt of Native American Boarding School.mp4

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
American Indian Boarding Schools Haunt Many

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The U.S. government operated 100 boarding schools for American Indians on and off reservations. One expert says the schools were part of a strategy to conquer Indians. Students who attended them were required to talk and dress as mainstream Americans.

# data[].attributes.headline
Misconceptions about Native American People

# data[].attributes.subject
Misconceptions about Native American People

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
6 Misconceptions About Native American People | Teen Vogue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Storytelling Traditions Across the World: Native American - All Good Tales

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Storytelling is an ancient and intimate tradition between the storyteller and their audience. Over time, how we tell a story has evolved.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Story of the Milky Way | Gail Meyer from the Indian Temple Mound Museum reads The Story of the Milky Way by Joseph Bruchac! | By Fort Walton Beach Public LibraryFacebook

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Gail Meyer from the Indian Temple Mound Museum reads The Story of the Milky Way by Joseph Bruchac!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Play Narration Your browser does not support the audio element.

Indian boarding schools were founded to eliminate traditional American Indian ways of life and replace them with mainstream American culture. The first boarding schools were set up starting in the mid-nineteenth century either by the government or Christian missionaries. Initially, the government forced many Indian families to send their children to boarding schools. Later, Indian families chose to send their children to boarding schools because there were no other schools available.

At boarding schools, Indian children were separated from their families and cultural ways for long periods, sometimes four or more years. The children were forced to cut their hair and give up their traditional clothing. They had to give up their meaningful Native names and take English ones. They were not only taught to speak English but were punished for speaking their own languages. Their own traditional religious practices were forcibly replaced with Christianity. They were taught that their cultures were inferior. Some teachers ridiculed and made fun of the students' traditions. These lessons humiliated the students and taught them to be ashamed of being American Indian. The boarding schools had a bad effect on the self-esteem of Indian students and on the wellbeing of Native languages and cultures.

However, not all boarding school experiences were negative. Many of the Indian students had some good memories of their school days and made friends for life. They also acquired knowledge and learned useful skills that helped them later in life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Chapter 3: Boarding Schools | Native Words, Native Warriors

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Beginning in the late nineteenth century, many American Indian children attended government- or church-operated boarding schools.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fourth Annual Powwow Celebrates Indigenous Communities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Celebration of Powwow | The Living History of Native American Gatherings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
The American Legion National Headquarters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Chester Nez: The Last of the Original Navajo Codetalkers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Native Americans Saw Buffalo as More Than Just Food (4K)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.authors[].name
Manitoba Theatre for Young People (MTYP)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7 Sacred Stories and Teachings - Buffalo (Respect)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Award winning poet and author Joseph Bruchac. Giving voice to marginalized peoples, amplifying their wisdom, stories, and experiences for over half a century.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2020 Native American Cultural Celebration / Interview with Joseph Bruchac

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Roots: Exploring the History of Lacrosse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Joseph Bruchac talks about his ancestry and a common theme in his family of not drawing too much attention to themselves.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Celebrating Mi'kmaq culture and history | Your Morning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
TIAM'S PROMISE Mi'kmaq Legend of the First Moose

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The History of Lacrosse | Honoring the Native American Heritage

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Native American Heritage Month: Explore Moccasins from MPM's Collection

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Who Was Sitting Bull? for Kids | Learn all about this Lakota Chief