Native American Tribes Kill Bison to Feed Own Members Due to Government Shutdown's Impact on Food Aid Programs.
A bison fell to the ground as Robert Magnan fired his rifle from the truck window. It was one such moment at Fort Peck Reservation in Montana where a government shutdown has led tribal leaders to hunt their own buffalo herds to feed members struggling with food aid programs.
The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, which is dependent on monthly benefit checks for about 30 percent of its members, had only received partial payments due to the shutdown. With meat supplies dwindling, Magnan took matters into his own hands by killing bison to meet the demand.
Similar scenes can be seen in other Native American communities where natural resources are being tapped to make up for lost federal aid. In Maine, Mi’kmaq Nation members have stocked food banks with trout from their hatchery and locally hunted moose meat.
However, not all tribes have access to such programs. The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes Buffalo Ranch, which was bolstered by animals from Yellowstone National Park, had anticipated this scenario years ago when they authorized killing 30 bison as a measure of preparation.
The government shutdown's impact on food aid programs has caused widespread hardship among Native American communities, many of whom rely heavily on federal assistance for their health and well-being.
Tribal leaders say that the demise of buffalo herds in the past had severe consequences, including starvation and suffering among Plains tribes. The current move to kill bison is a grim reminder of this history.
In South Dakota, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has distributed meat from its buffalo, while the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe recently got its first full-fledged grocery store after being declared a "food desert." Despite these positive developments, many tribal members continue to struggle with food insecurity.
With no end in sight for the shutdown, Native American communities are having to rely on their own resources to make ends meet.
A bison fell to the ground as Robert Magnan fired his rifle from the truck window. It was one such moment at Fort Peck Reservation in Montana where a government shutdown has led tribal leaders to hunt their own buffalo herds to feed members struggling with food aid programs.
The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes, which is dependent on monthly benefit checks for about 30 percent of its members, had only received partial payments due to the shutdown. With meat supplies dwindling, Magnan took matters into his own hands by killing bison to meet the demand.
Similar scenes can be seen in other Native American communities where natural resources are being tapped to make up for lost federal aid. In Maine, Mi’kmaq Nation members have stocked food banks with trout from their hatchery and locally hunted moose meat.
However, not all tribes have access to such programs. The Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes Buffalo Ranch, which was bolstered by animals from Yellowstone National Park, had anticipated this scenario years ago when they authorized killing 30 bison as a measure of preparation.
The government shutdown's impact on food aid programs has caused widespread hardship among Native American communities, many of whom rely heavily on federal assistance for their health and well-being.
Tribal leaders say that the demise of buffalo herds in the past had severe consequences, including starvation and suffering among Plains tribes. The current move to kill bison is a grim reminder of this history.
In South Dakota, the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe has distributed meat from its buffalo, while the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe recently got its first full-fledged grocery store after being declared a "food desert." Despite these positive developments, many tribal members continue to struggle with food insecurity.
With no end in sight for the shutdown, Native American communities are having to rely on their own resources to make ends meet.
... I mean have you seen all those bison just chillin' in Yellowstone? It's crazy that these tribes are having to take matters into their own hands because of our government's shutdown 
#NativeAmericanRights #FoodInsecurity #BisonConservation
. They're already struggling with poverty and lack of resources, and now they have to hunt their own buffalo just to survive? It's like, we should be supporting them, not putting them in this situation 
#GovernmentAccountability #FoodAidMatters
. These people are not just fighting for their own survival; they're fighting for the future of their communities and cultures 
#RespectForAll #NativeAmericanPride
they need more support & help ASAP 
it's not right that the government shutdown is causing this kind of hardship... 
maybe it's time for us to rethink our priorities and take care of each other a little better... 
bison ranches that were set up years ago to prepare for this exact scenario? wild 
. bison were meant to be in the wild not just for some tribes to hunt as food sources 
. and whats really concerning is that not all tribal communities have access to these programs 
... i wish there was more support from the government towards Native American communities 
I mean come on, this is just common sense. If you're gonna cut off people's food aid, you can't be surprised when they start hunting what little food they got left 
. And let's not forget, it's not just about the bison - it's about the food insecurity that comes with losing federal aid altogether. These communities are already struggling, and now you're telling them they gotta go find their own dinner? That's not leadership, that's basic human decency 
.
it's like they're bein forced to become their own fam just cuz fed programs are broken what's even more depressing is that some of these tribes have been preparin for this scenario 4eva 
so we gotta raise awareness & demand action from the gov ASAP or people will keep gettin hurt 
. However, it also underscores the glaring inequity in access to resources and support for Native American communities compared to their non-indigenous counterparts 
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its like they're bck 2 the dark times when buffalo herds were almost wiped out. i feel 4 them its not just about food, its about dignity & being able 2 take care of ur ppl 
. Its crazy how some tribes can't even count on monthly benefit checks from the government anymore 
.
. We gotta do better, for these communities and for our future 
This is super worrying... so many native american tribes have been struggling with food aid programs due to government shutdown 
. The fact that they're having to do this because the government couldn't provide for them is a massive fail 
.
. It's like they're being forced to relive that trauma all over again 
I'm really worried about our Native American communities right now... all this government shutdown stuff is causing so much hardship and it's just not fair 
I'm worried about these Native American tribes right now 
. But honestly, I think this is a sign that we need to rethink our entire system 