Quote:
Originally Posted by issybird
The Pikuni culture as it had evolved had them hunting buffalo on horseback, and yet horses are not native to America and had only been introduced with the Spanish invaders. I read somewhere that before that, buffalo hunting involved herding buffalo over a cliff. (I can't vouch for the accuracy of my recollection; I have an embarrassing lack of knowledge about Native Americans.) Generally speaking, there's also the significant issue of to what extent the Native Americans lived in harmony with nature and to what extent their lives reflected a sparse population in a rich land. One theory for the disappearance of the Anasazi in the Southwest suggests that they despoiled the land and resources and had to move on.
|
I have read that this method of hunting was practiced prior to introduction of the horse, at times fires were set to drive the buffalo over cliffs. This was practiced by older Native American cultures that inhabited the Great Plains area prior to the arrival of the Spanish in North America and the introduction of the horse. Most of the various tribes described in the book migrated into the area in the 1600s and 1700s. These various tribes were already practicing a nomadic lifestyle prior to obtaining horses, dogs were commonly used as pack animals.
I posted this link in an earlier thread.
Great Plains Culture l
Note that the Pikuni is just another name for the Piegan.