The Buffalo Hunt

The Buffalo Hunt

Preparing for the Hunt Wind-in-the-Treetops was going out on the yearly buffalo hunt. Last year, he had followed the hunters with the women and other children. As a baby, he had been tucked on top of the packs that his mother's pony carried. As an older boy, he had had to share space on the pack ponies with several other children.

But now he had a pony of his own. Wind-in-the-Treetops was going to ride with the men this year. He was so proud! His younger brothers, who still had to stay behind, envied him.

“ I won't tire out my pony by riding him before the hunt, " he said. “ I will walk and lead him. Then he will be fresh for the chase. " Wind-in-the-Treetops wanted his pony to run fast after the buffaloes. He did not ride his pony for four days. During those four days, the medicine men and the hunters prayed for the success of the hunt. In the medicine lodge, they held the sacred buffalo dance.

The young men dressed in buffalo skins. They put on buffalo masks with horns. Then they danced until they were so tired that they fell down. When one man fell, the others would pretend he was a buffalo they had killed. They would pretend to skin and cut up the buffalo. Meanwhile, another man picked up the mask and started dancing. The tribe believed that this dance brought the buffaloes near. They danced night and day until news of the herds came.

The Hunt Begins The men started out on the hunt before dawn. The women and children followed a short distance behind. The hunters rode in a line across the prairie. A few men led the hunt. No one was allowed to go ahead of these leaders. Men who had two ponies rode the slower one and led the faster one. Men who had only one pony, like Wind-in-the-Treetops, walked, to keep their ponies fresh.