Post hunt ceremonies were performed to thank the spirits for the bison that were killed, and the Plains Indians were thankful for the gifts the bison provided them every day. The bison gave the gift of life by sacrificing its own: the flesh and blood of the bison were a part of the flesh and blood of the Plains Indians. They would end their ceremonies and every prayer with the expression Mitakuye Oyasin, or all are related/all my relations to express gratitude for the connectedness of life. The Plains Indians believed they shared the Earth with their animal relatives, especially the bison. For the Plains Indians, bison equaled survival. They would even use the bladder to hold water. ![]() The bison provided them with meat for food, hides for clothing and shelter, and horns and bones for tools. The Plains Indians had more than 150 different uses for the various bison parts. Bison were a symbol of life and abundance. Pte Oyata means buffalo nation or people, and pte means cow and is the root word for many buffalo terms. For they were thankful for the bison and the life it provided them.ĭaily life and ceremonies revolved around the sacred respect the Plains Indians had for the bison - or Pte Oyate. If someone asked you to describe the word "thanksgiving," what would you say? Would it be a day to give thanks and be with friends and family? A day to watch football and eat a large turkey dinner? Or would you describe the first Thanksgiving and possibly the more tragic events that followed for the American Indians? Thanksgiving today seems to have many different meanings, but if you focus on one definition - the expression of gratitude for survival - you could say that the Plains Indians seemed to celebrate Thanksgiving every day.
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