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Buffalo return to Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation lands

A herd of 15 buffalo were recently purchased by leadership on Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation as a way to protect band members in the event COVID-19 forces a lockdown, or prevents community members from leaving.

Bison brought in as food security measure, but long-term plans for herd in the works: Chief

Bryan Eneas · CBC News ·
Muscowpetung's buffalo herd was originally — and still is — destined for slaughter, however, they were purchased as a safety measure by the band just in case its food supplies run low in the COVID-19 pandemic. (Submitted by Jaqueline Anaquod)

It may be a temporary measure for now, but bison — or buffalo as they're traditionally known in some prairie Indigenous cultures — have returned to the lands of the Muscowpetung Saulteaux Nation.

Chief Melissa Tavita said the herd of 15 buffalo were purchased by the community as a food security measure, in the event the COVID-19 pandemic forces the community to lock down or prevents band members from leaving. 

"It's better to be safe than sorry, is what we're thinking," Tavita said. "We would rather be overprepared, rather than underprepared."

Chief Melissa Tavita (fourth from right) said the process of acquiring the small bison herd took Muscowpetung's chief and council about a month. (Submitted by Jaqueline Anaquod)

Leaders in Muscowpetung purchased a large amount of meat when the pandemic first got underway and the band is continuing to stockpile meat, Tavita said. 

The long term plan, she said, is to work with the rancher who provided the herd of 15 buffalo to bring pregnant cows to the community to build the community's own herd.

The bison have about 600 acres of land to roam in Muscowpetung, an area Tavita said can be expanded when the herd's numbers increase. 

She said a church group from Ontario donated the fencing for the herd. Community members will oversee the buffalo and Tavita said the rancher who owned them offered to provide care knowledge as needed.

Tavita said James Pratt, a community helper, played a large role in bringing the buffalo back to Muscowpetung. 

She said he walked her through the proper ceremonies and steps that needed to happen prior to the buffalo's return and taught her about the animal's significance in the Saulteaux culture. 

Bringing buffalo back to Muscowpetung was a proud moment for Tavita.

"It's a really good feeling for myself and I know it was for the council as well," Tavita said. 

"We just want to make sure that our community is safe and that we do have some kind of alternate resources in case we can't leave the reserve."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bryan Eneas

Assignment Producer

I am a journalist from the Penticton Indian Band, currently based in Regina, Saskatchewan working with CBC Indigenous. Before joining CBC Indigenous I worked with CBC Saskatchewan and the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group photographing and reporting on a wide range stories, of particular interest to people in Saskatchewan.

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