RETURN OF THE BUFFALO: TATANKA OWE AKUPI

About the Event

Over two days this fall, a breathtaking herd of 40 life-size buffalo puppets will gather in New York City. Part spectacle, part ritual, Return of the Buffalo: Tatanka Owe Akupi invites us to join the herd as they roam, graze, and run wild through downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan, encountering live music, poetry, ceremonies, and performances along the way. Inspired by the buffalo’s extraordinary return—from near extinction to repopulation, Return of the Buffalo ushers in a new period of healing.

Return of the Buffalo is one of the largest and most unique public art spectacles taking place in the U.S. this year, created by Amir Nizar Zuabi in partnership with Elders from Lenape and Lakota Tribes. For many First Nations peoples, the return of the Buffalo symbolizes the beginning of a new cycle in time. The artistic team will curate a series of events in Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan that will bring the life-size buffalo into the streets, at times roaming, grazing and running wild amongst everyday New Yorkers. As the buffalo herd moves along the routes, stopping at locations of historic significance, dozens of acclaimed actors, civic leaders, gospel choirs, dance troupes, marching bands, prominent musicians, and tribal ceremonies will animate parks, plazas, and squares, with live performances and inspiring public events. 

Gathered around a fire following the public performances of The Return of the Buffalo, Indigenous leaders, artists, researchers, policymakers, and community members will reflect on the ecological crisis as both an environmental and cultural emergency. Guided by four questions offered by Caddo Nation Elder Dr. Dolores Subia BigFoot—Who are you? How did you come to this space? How are you going to hold my heart? How are we going to move forward together?—the circle will explore how Indigenous knowledge and artistic and cultural practices can help communities process climate anxiety, strengthen social connection, and restore relationships among people, place, and the living world. The gathering will also connect these reflections to global movements advancing culture, health, and climate action, including the World Health Organization’s policy brief on the role of the arts in addressing the health impacts of climate change.