The buffalo

Many do not know the buffalo was in Edmonton in 1928 albeit within the confines of the Borden Park Zoo! You more likely know the buffalo was essentially gone from Alberta by 1879. How is it possible that a keystone kin like the buffalo could be killed off so quickly without a course correction? Settlers must have seen they were over extracting the buffalo directly and indirectly via incentives but by the time the colonialists thought to protect their revenue stream it was too late. In 1877 they drafted legislation, An Ordinance for the Protection of the Buffalo. It basically told First Nations when and how to hunt without any consultation. No wonder it failed.

Buffalo in Edmonton's River Valley

Buffalo shaped this region long before ‘Edmonton’ existed by roaming freely, just like the river did before the days of riprap and the Walterdale bridge. Acheological evidence and story tell us buffalo were ubiquitous in the river valley.

The disappearance of buffalo from the river valley now seems fully accepted. Should it be? The buffalo shared abundance with first people and even co-existed with the fenced trading forts for some time. It is said however that the fencing of the forts is when “the troubles began”.

Professor Dwayne Donald discusses the fencing at the forts and “the troubles” during the early days of our river valley in this beautiful video by Conor Mcnally called "ôtênaw. Drawing from nêhiyawak philosophies, Dr Donald speaks about the indigenous peoples' presence both within and around amiskwacîwâskahikan, or what has come to be known as the city of Edmonton.

We recommend the video above even though it is not about the buffalo. It is very much about fencing. Our point is that both the river in Edmonton and the buffalo are best off when they can roam. A buffalo does not belong behind a fence. A river also needs a wide birth.

A beautiful book on the buffalo, worth purchasing or getting from the library, is titled The Ecological Buffalo. It is by the past superintendent of Elk Island National Park.

Also worth knowing about are the efforts to have the buffalo roam freely again. Perhaps some day in the valley? Read about the Buffalo Treaty.