Bison were the headline act
By David Melmer
Hocak Worak
MUSCODA — The fifteen bison that are being taken care of by the Ho-Chunk Nation were probably bewildered by all of the attention on Oct. 11, but if everyone welcomed them properly they now know they have a home.
The gathering referred to as the "Return of the Buffalo" was to publicly honor the more than 80 people who donated money so the herd could be purchased, but visitors traveled to the pastures to see and talk to the buffalo.
"With good thoughts to the Ho-Chunk Nation, these people donated. Now we honor them publicly," said Gordon Thunder, who acted as emcee for the event. "We have a strong connection with the buffalo, especially the buffalo clan. That what I was taught from the beginning. That is the way of our culture," Thunder said.
The project began a few years ago with the acquisition of the No-Chunk farm near Muscoda, Wis. The decision to pasture bison was made and Nick Meiers, a financial planner from Madison, who was instrumental in the land acquisition was asked to donate the first bull. Meiers then gathered business and social acquaintances a collected enough to purchase the herd. Meiers was especially recognized at the gathering for is contribution to the Ho-Chunk Nation.
"The buffalo aren’t our to give, we just guided them home," Meiers said.
Meiers got involved with the project, as he said, "to ask forgiveness for what my ancestors have done to Native American."
The first bison bull acquired by the Nation came from Robert Kessig of Cleveland, Wis. Kessig, worked ranches in Montana and "fell in love with the buffalo," which he now raises. The Ho-Chunk Nation was allowed to pick from a number of his two year old bulls. "Bison are a majestic and a noble animal," he said.
Kessig presented a bison vest to the Nation.
"This occasion is to honor our white relatives. Each one of you have contributed to express yourselves. In our culture, what you have done is how our people try to live our lives everyday. Thank you to each one of you," said Jacob Lonetree, president of the Ho-Chunk Nation.
Ho-Chunk families are invited to visit the farm, observe and communicate with the bison and walk around the effigy mounds. But, having the children and the adults welcome the bison and talk to them will put them at ease.
"I apologized to the first four for being in a pen and I offered tobacco. I told them we would bring the children and have a cultural and spiritual connection. I asked to help hold our spiritual ways, and make a place for our young people here," Thunder said.
The Ho-Chunk Nation is part of the collective known as the InterTribal Bison Cooperative, which boasts 45 members from coast to coast. The Ho-Chunk bison were part of the restoration of the bison to the Native American Nations, which is the mission of the ITBC.
"Thank you, on behalf of the ITBC for being part of that dream," said Louie LaRose, Nebraska Winnebago bison restoration manager and a representative of the ITBC. "Our Grandfather put us here with the buffalo. He meant for us to be with them. He didn’t put us here with the pigs, cows, sheep and horses. These buffalo will be with us forever," LaRose said.
The Nebraska herd of more the 50 now serves as a diet alternative to help reduce the effects of diabetes on the tribal members. LaRose said his community needed to find other ways of dealing with diabetes and reduce the need for amputation. "Grandfather put us here with the best diet in the world for diabetes. This has been an integral part of what we are doing," he said.
After a few years of tending to the Winnebago herd, it became difficult to sacrifice the animals. "But," said LaRose, "when we talked to them, the bison walked up the rifle.
"Talk to your buffalo they understand, they are home now. Every time, when we brought in some new buffalo, I tell them they are getting relatives, they are at the gate," LaRose said. "You as a people will grow, you will change and these buffalo grow on you."
Welcoming the bison to the Ho-Chunk Nation and honoring those who contributed to the future of a Nation through the development and nurturing of a herd of bison was only part of the activities of the day.
The farm house on the property was turned into a gallery of history. The Ho-Chunk Historic Preservation Department, organizers of the event, turned the many rooms of the farm house into a pictorial history lesson. Rooms full of pictures of women, gaming and sport, education, cranberry harvesting, basket making and a special room designated to Mitchell Whiterabbitt, the first Native American to become a chaplain in the U.S. military. He was also a member of the buffalo clan.
A special oil painting was created by a friend of Nick Meiers and presented to the Nation. The painting was inspired by stories of the Ho-Chunk Nation and it location and from archaeological maps of the area containing the eagle mounds. The artist Susan Balas-Whitehead, donated the painting, which will be hung in the tribal complex.
"The spirituality that we have here today — take it outside. We want to build a future, do what we can to insure a future for each one of us," Lonetree said.