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TATANKA

 

The tribes of the Great Plains had one gig source of meat, the Buffalo. The Lakota named this big Hump back, Tatanka for the male and P`te for the female. This huge animal was around 2000 pound in weigh and was as fast as a horse. From the hide they had their Tipi made included Shield fron the thick neckskin and moccasin bottoms included blancets and bedcovers alongside many other useful things. The meat they cooked, boiled or dried in thingerthick slices for later use. The nosebone they split and used when painting on hide. Between the gloves and legbone they found their glue. They also made arrow points and knife blade of legbones.

 

Around 1830 – 40 there were estimated 60 million Buffalos roaming the USA. The herds were 10 of thousends and used 2 – 3 days from one horizon to the next to pass.

 

When the whites came the split the big herds of animal and stated later on shooting them for sport , letting the carasses rotten on the plains. They killed of the food store to all the Native Tribes on the Plain. 60 millions were killed and one could build a highway on the bones from New York in the east to San Fransico in the West. Only 500 animal were left.

 

Today the situation has changed, only in South Dakota there is more than 30.000 Humpback, some roaming free and others on Buffalo farms for food. The meat is healty and tasteful, very low on Colestrol.

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