National Bison Day

Today is National Bison Day.  
The official National Mammal is celebrated today for it's central role in American history, how it shaped the great plains, and continues to play a vital role in Native American's history and spirituality.  Did you know that millions of bison used to roam from Alaska to Mexico, coast to coast, before settlers reached America. And then in 1876, almost all were gone due to heavy hunting and mass killings, including where almost a million were killed in 3 years! It was then that organizations like the American Bison Society began to save the bison and protect it. Now over 100 years later, the American Bison not only has it's own day (the first Saturday of November) but it also was recognized as the National Mammal in May 2016. It's been on a long road to recovery, but perhaps people will begin to appreciate and see the spiritual significance of the American Bison. 

All these fun facts are inspiring new work - or maybe just encountering some Bison back in September inspired me to start drawing...

Here are some drawings inspired by the American Bison...