Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsPeople gather to pay their respects and give thanks to the bison shot in the ceremonial hunt. Lewis TallBull is at right, holding his family eagle staff. Tayton Kills Small shot the single round that felled the buffalo. Rapael Hernandez, in the white hat, crouches to inspect.
Editor's note: This article contains graphic images depicting an animal's death that may be disturbing to some readers.
More than a century after Denver bought a handful of bison, the herd has a new role. The city once displayed the animals as a Wild West novelty for residents and tourists. Now they’re helping Denver’s Indigenous residents connect with their heritage.
On a recent cool, clear morning, Lewis TallBull of the TallBull Memorial Council, an organization founded by his late grandfather, welcomed a crowd to Daniels Park, just south of Denver. More than 150 local Indigenous people watched as TallBull’s nephew shot a 600-pound buffalo, then gathered together to butcher it. CPR’s reporters were invited to watch.
Here's what we saw:
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsRick Alire carries a buffalo hide and Nate Martinez carries a skull to the prayer circle at Tall Bull Memorial Grounds in Daniels Park south of Denver, before the start of the ceremonial buffalo hunt.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsLong shadows are thrown as a prayer circle forms around the buffalo hide and skull in Daniels Park, adjacent to the Tall Bull Memorial Grounds. Lewis TallBull soon arrived to lead the ceremony, which was not permitted to be photographed or recorded.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsWith the prayer ceremony complete, Lewis TallBull, carrying his family’s eagle staff, at center, land others walk to a corral where a young buffalo has been selected for the hunt, which in this case is a formal shooting with a rifle. They asked everyone in attendance to wait behind a fence until the shot can be heard from across the pasture, at which time attendees gathered to pay respects and give thanks to the buffalo.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsThe rifle adorned with an eagle feather used by Tayton Kills Small to fire the single round that felled the buffalo.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsLewis TallBull, with buffalo blood smeared on his cheeks, led this year’s buffalo hunt ceremony.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsErnest Martinez, descended from relatives at Taos Pueblo, slit the throat of the buffalo after it was shot, and daubed its blood on his cheeks as a sign of respect.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsElders and leaders line up first to pay respects and thanks to the felled buffalo, some of them dabbing their fingers in the blood from its slit throat.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsA young attendee wearing a Denver Public Schools Indian Education hoodies, watches the buffalo hunt proceedings.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsThe ceremonial buffalo hunt celebrates tribal culture, connection to the land, and serves as a way to pass customs and beliefs onto a new generation. Many small children were in attendance, some of them following their curiosity and approaching the buffalo.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsIn a nod to modern ways, a front loader was used to hoist up the buffalo so the carcass could bled out, then carried about 100 yards to where a communal dressing — skinning and quartering — will take place.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsThe buffalo is laid on the ground where it will be gutted, skinned and quartered. Soon a canopy is assembled above it for shade, and a ground cloth spread out as a place to put the meat. Ernest Martinez, carrying the container at right, served as a defacto leader over the dressing process.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsMetzli Aragon was among members of the indigenous dance community Yohualli Ehecatl Mitotiliztli in attendance.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsMembers of the Denver-based Yohualli Ehecatl Mitotiliztli dance community perform during the ceremony.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsThe community of men, women and children gathers around the buffalo, many using their own knives, to begin a communal skinning and dismembering the carcass, as elders, in the foreground, watch.
Editor's note: The following section contains graphic images depicting an animal's slaughter that may be disturbing to some readers.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsSome folks brought traditional knives, some brought skinning tools, and some even brought power tools to help dress the fallen buffalo.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsThe buffalo is skinned in a communal effort in which experienced tribal members instruct first-timers in their ways, and all are encouraged to play a part.
Hart Van Denburg/CPR NewsThe young buffalo’s head is removed, and placed where all in the gathering circled around can see it.
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