For the Blackfeet Nation, the buffalo is more than an animal—it is an ancestor, a relative, a sacred being that has been part of their traditions, songs, and survival. The buffalo's disappearance in the late 19th century also meant the loss of everything that the buffalo provided the people: food, clothing, shelter, and spiritual guidance. The disappearance, brought about by settler expansion and deliberate extermination policies aimed at breaking the power of Plains tribes, was not only a biological loss but a devastating blow to Blackfeet cultural integrity and autonomy.

In June of 2023, Bison was reintroduced to the Blackfeet Nation, marking a significant development in Indigenous-led environmental restoration and cultural revitalization. After over a century of absence, the 24 released wild bison near Chief Mountain in Montana reflect the broader efforts among Indigenous nations to assert sovereignty, repair ecological damage, and restore cultural practices disrupted by colonization and environmental exploitation.

The Bison are and have always been a keystone species within North American grassland ecosystems. They are an integral part of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), a broader environmental agenda that integrates traditions into contemporary ecological science. Bisons are known for their grazing patterns, wallowing behavior, and migratory movements which help maintain ecological diversity and soil health. Hence, the reintroduction of bison also meant that the Blackfeet Nation will have improved rangeland management, enhanced biodiversity and most importantly–-a native species restored.

With the bison, the Blackfeet Nation are able to manage and restore their own lands and species, asserting their right to environmental governance and as an act tribal sovereignty. The reintroduction of the species was actually led by the Blackfeet Nation themselves, in partnership with various NGOs and conservation groups. The reintroduction near Chief Mountain, a region with significant ecological and cultural importance, represents a shift toward Indigenous-led conservation strategies and something far more than a wildlife story—it is a story of restoration, resistance, and renewal.