The Story of the Wozu Buffalo

The buffalo have always been more than animals to our people—they are relatives, teachers, and guides. Their return to our homelands marks a renewal of relationship between people, culture, and the land itself.

Where They Came From

In recent years, we have been blessed with the arrival of buffalo from sacred and historic places.

In 2024, Wozu received 34 buffalo through the generosity of our partners:

In 2025, our herd grew again.

  • 5 more yearlings came from Denver Mountain Park
  • 2 calves were born from the Theodore Roosevelt National Park mothers!

These births mark the promise of renewal—the buffalo themselves showing us the path forward.

Today, we care for 38 buffalo:

  • 19 at Rock Creek Ranch in South Dakota
  • 18 here with us on Wozu’s managed lands

What They Teach Us

The buffalo remind us how to live in balance with the land. Their grazing patterns, their strength, and their presence show us how to care for grasslands in ways that sustain life.

Buffalo are a keystone species, meaning their very presence shapes the land around them. Where buffalo roam, native grasses return, soil health improves, and water is better retained. Their movements create habitats that bring back birds, pollinators, and other animals. In this way, buffalo are restoring biodiversity to the prairies, helping heal the land for all living beings.

With the generosity of our partners—the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, National Parks, and Wildlife Refuges—our herd has grown to nearly forty strong. From Yellowstone to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, from Niobrara to Denver Mountain Park, each buffalo carries history, spirit, and hope.

Food Sovereignty and Respectful Use

Buffalo nourish more than the spirit—they also provide food for our people. Each year, Wozu processes about 18 buffalo for distribution to families, schools, and tribal programs.

We work with the Tribe in harvesting buffalo for community meals and youth education, reinforcing food sovereignty and cultural connection.

We follow the teaching that nothing should be wasted. With the guidance of our master butcher, Ronald Lebeau, we show how to utilize every part of the buffalo. From field harvests to instruction on proper cuts, Ron’s teaching helps us pass knowledge to future generations.

We also use our buffalo processing trailer not just for Wozu, but as a shared resource—helping other communities and hosting in-the-field cultural harvests.

Building a Buffalo Community

Wozu is not doing this work alone. We have started a Buffalo Coalition with local ranchers to share knowledge and strengthen the regional buffalo movement.

We also work closely with Fred DuBray, a respected buffalo rancher in South Dakota, whose wisdom continues to guide us.

A Future with Buffalo

The buffalo’s return is more than a program—it is a healing journey. They carry with them our history, but also our hope.

Through partnerships, cultural reconnection, and shared knowledge, we are not just rebuilding herds—we are rebuilding relationships: with the land, with our people, and with our future generations.

At Wozu, we say with gratitude:

the buffalo have come home, & with them, they bring life!