On the Sioux Valley Dakota Nation west of Brandon, Man., schoolchildren are throwing pumpkins into a bison pen, a ceremony and sign of respect to an animal that has deep spiritual significance for Indigenous culture and identity.

Community leaders are also educating a new generation about how the bison, known in these parts as buffalo, has important implications for the future of the Prairies – rehabilitating natural grasslands and conserving water in a time of climate change.

“The significance of the buffalo goes back hundreds of years. These animals have saved our lives,” said Anthony Tacan, a band councillor whose family is the keeper of this herd.

“They provided food and weapons out of the bones, tools, the hides for clothing, the teepees. It did everything for us. So going forward, we decided it’s our turn to give back. It’s our turn to look after them.”

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