1. Native Americans: Sioux
The Role of The Buffalo

2. Why was the buffalo so important?
The Buffalo is really named The American Bison. However we will continue to call it Buffalo as that is its common name.
The Plains
The Woodlands

3. They used every part of the buffalo, nothing was wasted.
The buffalo wandered the Great
Plains in vast herds. Bull buffalos
(males) weighed more than one
tonne and stood over 1.5 metres tall
at the shoulders. The cows (females)
were smaller but they had better
meat. Buffalos ran very fast and
had a good sense of smell but bad
eyesight.
The Sioux Indians followed the herds of buffalo. Historians estimate that in 1800 there were about 60 million buffalo.
The Indians used to hunt the buffalo first on foot and then using horses. They never killed more than they needed.
They used every part of the buffalo, nothing was wasted.

4. Why was the buffalo so important?
Many of the Plains Nations originally came
from the Woodlands. In the Woodlands, Native
American life was based on hunting the buffalo
and simple farming. Most of the Plains was
unsuitable for farming as they didn’t have the
tools to use on the difficult Plains soils.

5. What was the buffalo used for?
Meat / Organs: food
Flesh - boiled, roasted or dried
Brain, nose, gristle and tongue - eaten raw
Kidneys and liver – eaten raw
Hide: clothing &
shelter
Tipi covering, leggings,
shirts, dresses, winter
robes, shoes, shields, knife
sheaths, quivers for arrows
Other parts: tools
Shoulder blades - hoes
Hair - ropes and pillows
Fat - soap
Bones - knives, dice, paint
brushes
Tongue - hairbrush
Other parts: tools
Shoulder blades - hoes
Hair - ropes and pillows
Fat - soap
Bones - knives, dice, paint
brushes
Tongue - hairbrush