Returning Buffalo to Native Lands, Lives, and Economies | Tanka Fund

SUPPORT THE RETURN

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Imagine the return of thousands of native plant and animal species.

Imagine the return of a robust local food system.

Imagine the return of physical wellness to Native communities.

Imagine a shift from poverty to prosperity through a meaningful livelihood caring for the land and the buffalo.

Tanka Fund needs your help in bringing this vision to life.

Donate and Be Part of History

Tanka Fund is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation located in Kyle, South Dakota. Tanka Fund’s goal is to convert one million acres of virgin prairie to regenerative agriculture built around a buffalo-based economy. Join us in restoring health and prosperity to Native communities by donating today to reach this goal!

Donate and Be Part of History

tankafund

Happy New Year to you all! We are in full gratitud

Happy New Year to you all! We are in full gratitude of your support over the years. We are so thankful to have had an amazing 2022 working on our mission of bringing buffalo to the land, lives, and economy of the Native community. ⁣
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Soon we will be able to share the full video of the clips we’ve shared over the passed week. Thank you again for following along on our journey and the successes of our buffalo caregivers. Here’s to many more years to come! ⁣
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#biodiversity #regenerativeagriculture #bison #buffalo #nativeland #supportthereturn

As the year comes to an end, we want to express ou

As the year comes to an end, we want to express our gratitude to our generous donors who have made many of our projects with Native buffalo caretakers possible. Here is a preview of your dollars at work to fund these important buffalo restoration projects. Full video release in the new year, so stay tuned! #supportthereturn #nativeland #bison #buffalo

#SupportTheReturn: Help us return one million acre

#SupportTheReturn: Help us return one million acres of land to the buffalo. Join us in returning healthy lands, healthy lives, and healthy economies to Indian Country!⁣
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“Buffalo were almost too near extinction in the late 1800s, and now we have I think there’s estimates of about 500,000 across the nation that have come back through private producers, nonprofits, and tribal herds,” said Tanka Fund Business Development Director Arnell Abold. “Ideally, we would like to just continue to grow them. With the right management and the right attitudes and celebrations, it’s turning around. It’s very successful. So we’re very happy to be a part of that.”⁣
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While part of the inspiration is the conservation of the species, restoring buffalo to Native lands also has cultural significance.⁣
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“This buffalo is important in indigenous communities, and just there’s a cultural and a spiritual connection and that comes from many, many years ago through hundreds of⁣
years, thousands of years ago, where we worked continuously together,” explained Abold. “The buffalo and the people surviving through the times. They were our food, clothing, shelter. And we took care of them. They take care of us.”⁣
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Check the link in our bio for more on what we do and how you can help. #nativeland #biodiversity #regenerativeagriculture #nativeculture
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Repost from @siouxperman605: Dakota 38+2 We hon

Repost from @siouxperman605: Dakota 38+2

We honor you and your sacrifices. These Dakotas are ancestors from my grandfathers home nation. May we always remember them.

We hope you had a wonderful holiday! There have be

We hope you had a wonderful holiday! There have been below 0 temps on the Fredericks land, one of our buffalo caregiver locations, and most folks would be out trying to open up their water for their livestock. This #geothermal waterer doesn't have to be opened because its heated water coming from the ground. ⁣
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They received 36" of snow and didn't see their buffalo for at least 5 days, but all was good!⁣
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This is what your generously helps go fund!! ⁣
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#nativeland #buffalo #supportthereturn #biodiversity #regenerativeagriculture #regenerativefarming #landback #geothermalenergy

Returning buffalo to the lands, lives, and economi

Returning buffalo to the lands, lives, and economies of the Native community is one step closer to healing…. #supportthereturn #buffalo #bison #landback

We are so proud of the work our buffalo caregiver

We are so proud of the work our buffalo caregiver partners are doing on their lands — they are contributing to the future of Native grasslands, keystone species, and furthering Native culture. Check the link in our bio to learn more about how Tanka Fund helps with this mission and consider donating while each contribution is being matched through Dec. 25. #supportthereturn #buffalo #conservation #climatechange #regenerateourland

There is an immense amount of infrastructure neede

There is an immense amount of infrastructure needed to care for buffalo. Solar power, water, fencing at the end of thousands of acres of land, labor, corrals, travel…We work to make sure that this way of life returns to the Native community that has honored these relatives for centuries. Every donation helps towards that goal. Please click the link in our bio for articles and more information as well as you will find a link to donate. Every gift will be matched through Dec. 25! ⁣
#supportthereturn #givingtuesday ⁣#biodiversity #nativeculture

There is a great article out from AG Update featur

There is a great article out from AG Update featuring our team and a discussion on what it takes to raise bison, which you can read on the link in our bio.

From the article: “Fencing is one of the first things to consider when getting into bison. Female can weigh about 1,000 pounds. Males, more than twice that. A typical adult stands more than 6 feet tall, and they can jump 6 feet in the air. The animals are harder to contain than cattle.

‘Buffalo only go where they want to go,’ said Jennifer Malaterre, senior technical assistant for the Tanka Fund. ‘But if you go slow and steady and hold them quietly, they go pretty good.’”

When you help support Tanka Fund, right now your donation will be matched through Dec. 25. The infrastructure alone needed to take care of these remarkable relatives is extensive and your gift helps us with our mission to further the land, lives, and economies of the Native community.

Pictured is Gerald German, one of our buffalo caretaker partners.

#supportthereturn #buffalo #donate #philanthropy #conservation #regenerateourlands #climatechange

Did you know that the placement of Native reservat

Did you know that the placement of Native reservations were based on areas with low natural resources with economic isolation in mind? And that the United States government sought to starve Indigenous peoples into submission?

General Phillip S. Sheridan said, “The destruction of the herd would do more to keep Indians quiet than anything else that could happen.” With the devastation of the Buffalo population, economic dependence on the United States government became inevitable and the cycle of generational poverty began. While the effects of their destruction are still felt today, we are creating change.

Tanka Fund is working to lessen the effects of this injustice through the establishment of our Buffalo producers’ regranting program and participation in Tanka Resilient Agriculture Company (TRAC). Through these strategies, Indigenous Buffalo producers are able to gain increased access to capital and technical assistance to help navigate systemic barriers in the agriculture world.

You can support the revitalization of Indigenous interactive and cooperative economic relationships today.

Donate to our #SupportTheReturn Campaign
Send us a short video stating why you #SupportTheReturn
Follow up on social media and share our posts using #SupportTheReturn.
Sign up to be a part of the network at www.tankafund.org/supportthereturn.
Invite your friends to take action alongside you.

Help us strengthen our support of Indigenous economies through restoring the Buffalo. Donate today.

(photo by Gerald German, one of our buffalo caregiver partners on the Sisseton Reservation)

One of the outstanding projects we assist at Tanka

One of the outstanding projects we assist at Tanka Fund! Repost from @texastribalbuffaloproject TTBP would like to thank @tankafund , their support has given us the opportunity to bring the bison back to Texas and provide a traditional and healthy food to the Community.
Learn more about TankaFund at tankafund.org

We’re here to support the return of buffalo to N

We’re here to support the return of buffalo to Native lands and Native ranchers through grants to fund, support, expand, and sustain buffalo and ranch projects. But we need your support to ensure we can deliver grants to the Native people who need it most.⁣
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Give during our match campaign and your tax-deductible gift will be DOUBLED. Don’t wait - make TWICE the impact for Tanka Fund projects nationwide. ⁣
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Below is a testimony from one of our regular donors.⁣
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“Tanka Fund has a goal of revitalizing one million acres of reservation and trust land, and the keystone of the revitalization is the buffalo...I have been with the buffalo herds in South Dakota, never to be forgotten, these mighty animals who kept the first people of this land alive and well for centuries.⁣
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That is why I contribute $25 to the Tanka Fund every month.”⁣
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— Bob Conaway⁣
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Photo is from one of our buffalo caregiver partners, Gerald German. Donate today at tankafund.org. #supportthereturn #buffalo #biodiversity #conservation #nativepride

Through December 25, your generous donation will b

Through December 25, your generous donation will be MATCHED dollar for dollar to help our teams reach more Native people and communities with the urgent funds and support they desperately need. ⁣
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What you may not know is the amount of infrastructure that goes into what our buffalo producers do. In the reel above, the German Ranch on Pine Ridge are working to safely introduce new buffalo they received through our partnership with @nature_org and release them onto their land. ⁣
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Please act now to help us continue our mission to bring buffalo back to the land, lives, and economy of Native people. ⁣
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#supportthereturn #givingtuesday ⁣#biodiversity #nativeculture
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⁣ One this #NativeAmericanHeritageDay we highlig

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One this #NativeAmericanHeritageDay we highlight Rachel Twoteeth-Pichardo whose blanket design was selected as one of the top 10 submissions for Tanka Fund’s Return blanket contest with @eighthgeneration this year. ⁣
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She received a cash prize, supported by the Windrose Fund, and shared this statement:⁣
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“This blanket design is called ‘Prayers to Those Who Came Before and to Those Who Come After.’ The design is inspired by the prayers we offer up in the clarity of night and just before daybreak — the dark blue fading to light. We are taught to pray in the morning, to begin each day thankful and with good intentions, and taught to do the same at night before we go to sleep. ⁣
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This is a design to thank those who prayed before us, and we continue those prayers for the generations after.”⁣
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Here at Tanka Fund, we greatly appreciate the passion, talent, dedication, and strength of our Native community. We hope that amongst all the sales you may have enjoyed today, you took time to support and remember our relatives. ⁣
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#SupportTheReturn ⁣#supportnativeartists #nativepride

✊🏾 Repost from @chefbraveheart - On this day

✊🏾 Repost from @chefbraveheart - On this day of a genocidal holiday I choose to honor and support the restoration of The Buffalo Nation to all Indigenous people.⁣
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The Buffalo Nation (Ptè Oyate) are our relatives. They are why we exist today. Our ancestors utilized the gifts of the buffalo, to provide sustenance for our people. The return of buffalo to our lands is not only necessary it is imperative for the continued existence and survival of Lakota people and the reclamation of our culture. They hold our traditional teachings, stories, traditional foods, and medicine. ⁣
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Not only do they help us reclaim and restore our culture, they help restore the grasslands of the plains. ⁣
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Help me, help us Return Buffalo to the lives, lands and economies of Indigenous people by supporting / donating / contributing / sharing to @tankafund you are directly supporting Native / Indigenous buffalo producers. 💯% of the proceeds go to directly to the producers. ⁣
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Tanks Fund helped return Buffalo to Buffalo Ridge on the Sisseston reservation for the first time in over 120 years. ⁣
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Buffalo restoration is prairie, cultural and economic restoration! ⁣
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So today I give my gratitude to the buffalo nation and I hope you will consider doing so also and encouraging your families and friends to do so too. Wopila Tanka ⁣
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To DONATE: https://tankafund.org/donate/ ⁣
In gratitude, love, and respect, ⁣
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Chef Brave Heart ⁣
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#thanksgiving #foodsovereignty #indigenousland #nativeland #buffalo #buffalorestoration #donate #contribute #support #share #reshare #instagram #genocide #economicdevelipment #history #lakota #food #gratitude #producers

Thanks to our newly developed partnership and coll

Thanks to our newly developed partnership and collaboration with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), we have been able to transfer buffalo to tribal producers — The German family being one of them. This young lady, Harley, loves watching these relatives on the land. TNC donated 63 buffalo to Tanka Fund in the initial roundup.⁣
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Did you know Buffalo are a keystone species? That means within the prairie ecosystem other species largely depend on Buffalo. Their physical characteristics and natural herding behavior and migratory patterns regenerate the prairie ecosystem. Promoting holistic grazing methods with our producers allows us to reduce our carbon footprint by restoring topsoil, cultivating prairie grasslands, and drawing carbon dioxide out of the air.⁣
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Ensuring that our sacred homelands will be preserved for future generations is an integral piece to doing our part in restoring the lands of Indigenous peoples. We envision the return of thousands of Buffalo to Native lands; the return of native plant and animal species whose lives depend on the Buffalo; the future of healthy local economies and food systems; and physical wellness in Native communities. ⁣
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You can #SupportTheReturn of the Buffalo to our Indigenous Homelands this Native American Heritage month by donating at the link in our bio. ⁣
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#buffalo #conservation #climatechange #regenerateourland⁣
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Image reposted from @texastribalbuffaloproject Did

Image reposted from @texastribalbuffaloproject Did you know this bison fact? Colonization really has a way of … twisting language! Never confuse bison with cattle. 🤣🙌🏾 #SupportTheReturn

Needless to say, you probably shouldn’t sneak up

Needless to say, you probably shouldn’t sneak up on a buffalo! For being so large they are quite agile and can pivot on a dime! Have you ever been up close to one? Let us know! 👇🏾

Tanka Fund is proud to have 100% of our board memb

Tanka Fund is proud to have 100% of our board members contribute to our annual Support the Return campaign. We will be sharing some of the reasons why they give to and volunteer at Tanka Fund.

Today we feature Electa Hare-RedCorn:

I support The Return of the Bison campaign because I believe that we are intrinsically related to the beauty, strength, endurance, and power of the Bison relations. When Bison and other biodiverse native plant and animal species are healthy and strong – so are our lands, lives, and economies. Please support the Tanka Fund.

To learn more and donate, please visit the link in our bio as well as tankafund.org.

tankafund #supportthereturn #buffalo #donate #philanthropy #conservation #regenerateourlands #climatechange

Tanka Fund is working with The Nature Conservancy

Tanka Fund is working with The Nature Conservancy to reintroduce the buffalo to different parts of America, which we will continue to share with you throughout #nativeamericanheritagemonth. In fact, this photo was taken by Gerald German — one of the buffalo caretaker partners on our reservation who transported buffalo from the @natureconservancyorg. Check out TankaFund.org to learn more and help support the return.
#tankafund #supportthereturn #buffalo #thenatureconservancy #conservation #regenerateourlands

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