My general take on Bison is that of Abundance, Strength and Peace, as for the plains tribes as long as they had bison they had everything they needed from housing to food to dried dung for their fires and everything else they needed. 

Many others also ascribe Endurance, Power, Generosity, Harmony and 

Sacrifice as all these things reflect indigenous reflections.

As with many North American Animals the stories and legends, the Bison, commonly misnamed buffalo, vary between indigenous peoples.

The Cheyanne tell a tale of a time when bison ate man until a race was won by magpie, and magpie decreed that bison could no longer feed upon man. Some rebellious calves ate a human anyway and part of the human flesh stuck in their throat. Supposedly, to this day, the Cheyanne will not eat the part right below the throat. I don’t personally know any Cheyann so I don’t know this for sure. 

On the other side of the spectrum we have the stories of the Lacota and Mandan of following the  herds and caring for them by culling the weak and sick. So they have a more positive take on their relationship with the bison.

One tale is of Buffalo/Bison, deer and elk declaring war on all other animals. Wankan Tanka came to earth, set up his teepee and called all the animals to him. He chided the three and made the buffalo ugly and clumsy, gave the deer and elk heavy antlers to weigh them down. Then took away the animals ability to communicate between species.

They also have the story of White Buffalo Calf Woman who brought the sacred pipe bundle to the people. She entered into the circle of the nation, she sang a sacred song and took the sacred bundle to the people who were there to take care of her. She spent four days among our people and taught them about the sacred bundle, the meaning of it. And she taught them seven sacred ceremonies: one of them was the sweat lodge, or the purification ceremony. One of them was the naming ceremony, child naming. The third was the healing ceremony. The fourth one was the making of relatives or the adoption ceremony. The fifth one was the marriage ceremony. The sixth one was the vision quest. And the seventh was the sundance ceremony, the people’s ceremony for all of the nation.

As she left she promised that one day she would come back for the bundle.

As we can see there is a lot of positivity that is inherent in the energy of Bison, but, as always, there is a shadow side as evidenced by the first lustful warrior. Bison can a;so warn us of being Stubborn, Feeling sorry for ourselves, Misusing our Power, being intimidating, insensitive, or lacking honor and gratitude.

So I ask you, when Bison walks into your life how will you use your gifts? Gifts can become a curse if not used wisely and with honor.