Buffalo Song
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Overview
The story of Salish Indian Walking Coyote and his efforts to save the vanishing buffalo herds from extinction in the United States during the 1870s and 1880s.Synopsis
The story of Salish Indian Walking Coyote and his efforts to save the vanishing buffalo herds from extinction in the United States during the 1870s and 1880s.
Children's Literature
In the 1870s, the American buffalo was endangered because of the white man's senseless hunting. A Nez Perce man and his young son rescue a calf that survived one of their attacks and deliver him to Walking Coyote of the Salish nation who, with his wife and son, have a corral for nursing such calves back to health. Their herd grows to nine and Walking Coyote, his wife Mary, and their son make the difficult trek over the mountains to bring the buffalo to more grazing land. The travelers are welcomed with great rejoicing by the Salish people. Walking Coyote cares for the herd, going from pasture to pasture, but eventually realizes he needs help. The herd is purchased by two ranchers who respect the buffalo and their place in Native American culture and bring the buffalo to the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, where they grow into a herd of several hundred. Bruchac uses a fictionalized rescued calf to tell his story and draw the reader in. He works drama and levity into the tale while also weaving in the importance of the buffalo to the Native peoples. Farnsworth's oil paintings are filled with the colors of nature as they show the beautiful plains, valleys, and hills of the West. He captures the beauty of both the buffalo and the horses, but his people seem stiff. Bruchac's moving acknowledgements and objective afterword are filled with compassion and respect for those courageous people who rescued these beasts. He also includes his sources. Reviewer: Peg Glisson
Editorials
Children's Literature -
In the 1870s, the American buffalo was endangered because of the white man's senseless hunting. A Nez Perce man and his young son rescue a calf that survived one of their attacks and deliver him to Walking Coyote of the Salish nation who, with his wife and son, have a corral for nursing such calves back to health. Their herd grows to nine and Walking Coyote, his wife Mary, and their son make the difficult trek over the mountains to bring the buffalo to more grazing land. The travelers are welcomed with great rejoicing by the Salish people. Walking Coyote cares for the herd, going from pasture to pasture, but eventually realizes he needs help. The herd is purchased by two ranchers who respect the buffalo and their place in Native American culture and bring the buffalo to the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana, where they grow into a herd of several hundred. Bruchac uses a fictionalized rescued calf to tell his story and draw the reader in. He works drama and levity into the tale while also weaving in the importance of the buffalo to the Native peoples. Farnsworth's oil paintings are filled with the colors of nature as they show the beautiful plains, valleys, and hills of the West. He captures the beauty of both the buffalo and the horses, but his people seem stiff. Bruchac's moving acknowledgements and objective afterword are filled with compassion and respect for those courageous people who rescued these beasts. He also includes his sources. Reviewer: Peg GlissonSchool Library Journal
Gr 1-4- After quoting a traditional Salish story about the origins of buffalo on Earth, Bruchac describes how a Nez Perce boy and his father found an orphaned calf in 1873 in Montana and carried it to a friend who had a small herd. The story shifts, somewhat abruptly, to this man, a historical figure named Walking Coyote, who helped to save the species from extinction. With his wife and son, he led nine calves over the mountains to the Salish people. As the herd grew over the years, he finally found a landowner who agreed to keep it safe, making it possible for its descendants to thrive today. The gentle narrative eloquently conveys the beauty and importance of this animal; though there is a bit of adventure during the journey, the heart of the tale is the respect and commitment shown toward the buffalo by Walking Coyote and others. The orphaned calf became the herd's leader, and her courageous actions represent the spirit of the species. Richly atmospheric oil paintings capture the magnificence of the creatures, the kindness of the people, and the beauty of the surrounding landscapes. An afterword updates the fate of the buffalo, providing details of how this herd led to the successful growth in the later 1900s.-Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR