Blue Hole learns about native people and bison

Community volunteer, Peter Durkin, continued sharing his knowledge and collection of Plains Indian material culture with the first and second graders at Blue Hole Primary School.

“Around Thanksgiving, students explore the relationship with the first Europeans arriving in the New England area,” Durkin said. “My area of interest are the Plains tribes and their relationship to the vast bison herds that supported their lifestyle.”

Prior to European contact, there were an estimated 90-60 million bison (or buffalo) and they ranged from Canada to Mexico, and Pennsylvania to Nevada. Due to industrial-like hunting for hides, tallow, tongues and bones the bison was nearly exterminated in America - down to a low of approximately 1,000 animals.

Currently, there are 400,000 in public and private herds and the goal of the National Bison Association is to raise that number to one million by 2027.

Plains Indian people prospered with the addition of the horse, and they became superb hunters, warriors and horsemen. Bison were the core species on the Plains and provided hides for tipis, bedding and clothing. In addition, the meat was eaten and dried and stored for the cold winter months.

There are a myriad uses of the bison - hair for pillows, rawhide for containers, braided hair for ropes, teeth for necklaces, horns for cups and spoons, tails for fly swatters are just some examples - and the list goes on and on.

First and second grade teachers modeled decorated buffalo robes that would be worn in extremely cold weather.

“This was my first visit to this beautiful new school - the building is great, the students were eager, the teachers were supportive and lunch in the cafete ria was first class”, Durkin observed. “We have much to be grateful for - Happy Thanksgiving.”