This past weekend, I went backpacking in the Tetons. On the way to
the trailhead, I encountered several bison making their way across the
meadows against a backdrop of snowy peaks. Whenever I see bison in a
natural setting, I think of the Plains Peoples - the Lakota, Arapaho,
Cheyenne, Blackfeet, and others - who developed the quintessential
lifestyle of buffalo-hunting. These peoples were among the most
vibrant, spiritually rich and successful cultures ever to inhabit th
e
earth. The Lakota in particular have worked hard to preserve their
traditional ceremonies which still inspire so many of us, despite the
corrosive effects of the current consumeristic Euro-American culture. I
pray that we can prevent the negative aspects of the
corporate-industrial machine from further desecrating these sacred
cultures whose continued wisdom must be preserved if ANY of us are to
survive.
Photo: Bison with Mt. Moran in the background; Grand Teton National Park, WY; July 4, 2014
I agree with you. Thank you for posting such thoughtful comments and for caring about sacred cultures and native wildlife. Genetically pure bison from Yellowstone were moved to the Fort Peck Reservation in Montana in 2012. When I stayed at Silver Gate Cabins, just outside of Yellowstone, about ten of them hunkered down on the grass one night. They looked like small mountains in the dusk. How magnificent they are!
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