How Reviving Buffalo Could Revive a Way of Life

The near extinction of buffalo across North America had devastating consequences—especially for Indigenous communities, for whom buffalo were a source of food, shelter, spiritual connection, and governance. Today, Lucille Contreras, founder of the Texas Tribal Buffalo Project, is leading a powerful effort to restore buffalo to their ancestral lands in Texas. Through this work, she is also reviving cultural traditions and creating a space for her Indigenous community to reconnect with the buffalo and the way of life they represent.